It never fails.

Every semester, students wait and complain about how long the bookstore line is, but instead of complaining, students should take the initiative to buy their textbooks online.

Buying books online can be cheaper. Currently, the bookstore adds 29% to the original book price. A biology textbook is $176.25 at our bookstore, but the same book online is only $49.99. “Essentials of Understanding Psychology” is $95.05 at our bookstore, but the same book online is only $72.45.

However, buying books online does pose different problems. First, class booklists are not available until school starts, and that poses a big problem because it usually takes two to three weeks for the books to arrive. Second, not all students have online access. Third, not all students have access to a credit card.

Despite the different problems online purchasing can pose, these problems can be easily resolved. The BC bookstore could take the initiative to provide the class booklists online. If you use the list to order ahead of time you avoid the rush to buy books on the first day of school. Students who do not have access to the Internet can access the Internet at the library for free. And last, for those students who do not have access to a credit card, they can ask a friend or a parent to purchase the book for them.

Overall, if you want to avoid waiting in line to purchase textbooks, I would strongly suggest purchasing your textbooks online. It is a more practical and efficient idea. Not only does it save time, but it saves money as well.