Buyback bucks: are they worth it?

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Lizzy Abellera - TALENT
STORY SLUG – Buyback bucks: are they worth it?
STORY FORM – PKG
REPORTER –
Lizzy Abellera

IT’S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR WHEN SPRING CLEANING IS IN THE AIR AND POSTERS ARE PLASTERED AROUND CAMPUS ABOUT LATE NIGHTS IN THE STUDENT UNION. IT’S THE END OF THE SEMESTER! WITH THE END OF EVERY SEMESTER COMES TEXTBOOK BUYBACK AT THE BOOKSTORE. THIS YEAR TEXTBOOK BUYBACK STARTS ON FRIDAY, APRIL 22 AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE EFFECTIVE THROUGHOUT FINALS WEEK. IT ENDS ON MONDAY, MAY 2. LIZZY ABELLERA HAS THE STORY.

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[Video of student traffic throughout UAA bookstore + Nat sound of student traffic throughout campus, items being rung up at bookstore counter]

TEXTBOOK BUYBACK IS A TIME FOR STUDENTS TO SELL THEIR TEXTBOOKS BACK TO UAA FOR A FRACTION OF THE PRICE. STUDENTS MAY BRING THEIR TEXTBOOKS, ALONG WITH ANY SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL THEY PURCHASED IN THE BEGINNING OF THE SEMESTER, AND CAN RE-SELL IT DIRECTLY BACK TO UAA.

THE UAA BOOKSTORE ADVERTISES TEXTBOOK BUYBACK AS A WAY FOR STUDENTS TO RETRIEVE SOME EXTRA CASH FOR THEIR BOOKS. THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS, HOWEVER, THAT DO NOT FEEL THEY GET ANY CASH AT ALL WHEN SELLING THEIR BRAND-NEW TEXTBOOKS BACK TO THE UNIVERSITY.

[Video of Chanelle Eniero on UAA campus]
CHANELLE ENIERO, A FRESHMAN MAJORING IN COMPUTER NETWORKING AND TECHNOLOGY, SHARES HER DISCONTENTMENT WITH THE PROGRAM. SHE EXPERIENCED HER FIRST TEXTBOOK BUYBACK IN THE FALL 2010 SEMESTER.

[Video of Chanelle Eniero interview]
[“They buy them back way cheaper than what you pay for it. The system is whack.”
SOT/BITE – 5 seconds
CG: Chanelle Eniero, Freshman]

[Video of students selling books back at register]
STUDENTS TEND TO USE THE WORD “RIP OFF” A LOT WHEN DESCRIBING THEIR EXPERIENCES OF SELLING THEIR BOOKS BACK TO THE BOOKSTORE.

[Video of Chanelle Eniero interview]
[“It’s a rip off for us, but it’s good for them [UAA]. I ended up keeping my books and sold them to a family member and friend for a decent price.”
SOT/BITE – 7 seconds
CG: Chanelle Eniero, Freshman]

[Video of fliers posted around campus selling books, then change to video outside of Title Wave Bookstore]
IT HAS BECOME A HABIT FOR STUDENTS TO START GOING TO ALTERNATIVE SOURCES WHEN THINKING OF WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR TEXTBOOKS THAT THEY NO LONGER NEED. STUDENTS ARE KNOWN TO POST ADS ON CRAIGSLIST, POST FLIERS AROUND THE CAMPUS, OR RE-SELL THEM AT LOCAL BOOKSTORES LIKE TITLE WAVE BOOKS ON NORTHERN LIGHTS.

[Video of Gly Larson on UAA campus]
GLY LARSON, A JUNIOR MAJORING IN MATHEMATICS, USES A WEBSITE CALLED CHEGG.COM. THIS SITE LETS STUDENTS RENT THEIR TEXTBOOKS ONLINE. THEY CAN SIMPLY SHIP IT BACK WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED WITH IT. ANOTHER POPULAR WEBSITE FOR TEXTBOOK RENTALS IS BARNES AND NOBLE’S WEBSITE, BN.COM. OTHER STUDENTS ALSO COMPARE THEIR PURCHASES TO AMAZON.COM IN THE BEGINNING OF EACH SEMESTER TO SEE IF IT’S SOLD CHEAPER THERE.

[Video of Gly Larson interview]
[“Textbook buyback is a horrible system. They just rape your wallet and you get, like, 10 percent back.”
SOT/BITE – 4 seconds
CG: Gly Larson, Junior]

[Video of Phillip Louie on UAA campus]
PHILLIP LOUIE, A UAA ALUMNI AND FORMER PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR, SHARED HIS EXPERIENCE OF HOW HE STOPPED BUYING HIS TEXTBOOKS FROM THE UAA BOOKSTORE.

[Video of Phillip Louie interview]
[“I bought a book from the book store years ago worth over $100. I got back $8 and the guy working the register during buyback told me it was normal and that I never should expect more. I should always expect more.”
SOT/BITE – 12 seconds
CG: Phillip Louie, UAA Alumni]

[Video of Phillip Louie surfing websites used to purchased books]
LOUIE, WHO STOPPED SHOPPING AT THE BOOKSTORE AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE, FOUND HIS OWN SOLUTION TO GETTING HIS TEXTBOOKS FOR SCHOOL. HE STARTED TO PURCHASE THE INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS OFF THE INTERNET. HE EXPLAINED HOW ALTHOUGH THEY’RE NOT HARDBACK BOOKS AND MAY BE SLIGHTLY OLDER WITH DIFFERENT PAGES—THIS ACTUALLY SAVED HIM A LOT OF MONEY.

[Video of Phillip Louie interview]
[“I can’t sell it back but the money I saved was way more than the money I would have received back from reselling the American copy. I get to keep the book and save tons of money. It’s the best deal of all.”
SOT/BITE – 10 seconds
CG: Phillip Louie, UAA Alumni]

LOUIE WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE A $160 TEXTBOOK HE NEEDED FOR HIS STATISTICS CLASS FOR ONLY$30 TOTAL—THIS ALSO INCLUDED THE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING FEE.

STUDENTS MAY NOT BE TOO PLEASED WITH THE AMOUNT THEY RECEIVE BACK WHEN RE-SELLING THEIR TEXTBOOKS. THERE ARE STILL A FEW OTHERS THAT APPRECIATE THE SYSTEM.

RANGELL SORIANO, A FORMER ENGINEERING STUDENT AND NOW UAA ALUMNI SHARES HIS THOUGHTS.

[Video of Rangell Soriano interview]
[“I’m glad they even have that option on campus. I would rather sell it to them than go through the hassle of selling it on eBay or Amazon, or even keeping it.”
SOT/BITE – 7 seconds
CG: Rangell Soriano, UAA Alumni]

SORIANO IS THANKFUL HE RECEVEID ANY MONEY AT ALL ON HIS TEXTBOOKS AND EXPLAINS HOW IT MAKES GOOD LUNCH MONEY.

[Video of students standing in line for textbook buyback]
STUDENTS CAN VISIT THE UAA BOOKSTORE DURING TEXTBOOK BUYBACK IF THEY WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. FOR QUESTIONS OR MORE INFORMATION, STUDENTS MAY CONTACT THE BOOKSTORE DIRECTLY. FOR K-U-A-A NEWS, I’M LIZZY ABELLERA.

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[CG: Contact information for UAA bookstore]
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