So, having spent thousands of dollars, at this point, on textbooks over the years, our discussion about how the internet is changing many industries including the textbook industry really peaked my interest. I researched an article by the The Cornell Daily Sun entitled, “Changing Textbook Industry Forces C.U. Store to Adjust,” that discussed the decrease of textbook sales at Cornell University’s bookstore. Just like every other business, it has been deeply affected by the economy as well as by the growth of e-commerce. Professors are both assigning less textbooks to save the wallets of their students and students are also finding alternative ways of getting books.
Textbook sales are down due in large part to the availability of cheaper books on the internet. Many students use sites such as Amazon or eBay to both buy and sell used books, avoiding bookstores all together. The advancement of the internet has also inspired some textbook companies to go electronic, selling electronic textbooks as opposed to hard copies. As producing electronic textbooks entails very low production costs, this is an ideal medium for textbook companies. University of Toronto Computer Science professor Paul Gries feels that “e-books” are necessary for students of this generation.
“The way students study has drastically changed,” Gries opined. “They now only skim their textbooks — the e-book is much better suited to today’s student.”
Another advantage to e-books is that professors no longer have to choose one book to teach from, but can instead mix and match books, tailoring the students’ required textbooks to better fit their curriculum.
Upon reading about these e-books, I have to say that I really wish that they were available when I started school, as I am about to graduate and will not benefit from the lower costs of these books. I’m happy though for future generations, happy that they might not have the same financial burdens as I have had in buying textbooks.
This is a very good example of how e-commerce is rapidly changing industries. The textbook industry has not seen innovation like this since the printing press. This is not to say that books have not evolved over the last 600 years, but to say that this is the first time that the actual form, format, and accesibility of books has made a drastic change. You are now able to read your favorite book (and your textbooks too) from any computer, at a much cheaper cost then going to the bookstore. There are many advantages to this system. The only drawback I can see is the fact that you cannot hold a E-book in your hand.
ReplyDeleteE-commerce will bring the price of books at your local bookstores down due to competition. I remember when I attended EMU thirty years ago, books(new) were $40-50.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there are many advantages of e-commerce, especially when it comes to textbooks. I rented my books online this semester as opposed to going to the bookstore. For five classes my textbook total was about $275. When I checked out, it showed me what I saved by not buying the books. It was almost $500. While this is great for the consumer, I do have some concerns for business. As prices get lower and lower, and more individual people are entering the marketplace, it makes it almost impossible to compete in a traditional brick and morter business.
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