Most students shop around to find the best deal that they can on textbooks. At all EPCC campuses the Barnes & Noble College Bookstores have many ways to help students save money, except the use of the Barnes & Noble (B&N) membership discount card.
According to Javier Cortez, lead supervisor at B&N on Viscount, after a $25 membership fee, one of the offered privileges is that students can buy textbooks at B&N stores using the B&N membership discount card.
“After the membership is bought, it lasts a year and can be used on any item on the store except for gift cards, “ said Cortez. “With membership they can get 10 percent on textbooks and if they are hardcover, 20 percent, whether online or ordered because you pay for ordered books when they come in.”
All EPCC campuses have B&N College bookstores, but do not currently offer this discount because they are just a “branch” of B&N.
“The college bookstore is just owned by Barnes & Noble and run the same operations, but they are a separate entity,” said Cortez.
At the same time B&N gift cards can be purchased and used at both the stores and college bookstores.
Student, Jessie Gandarilla said he would purchase a B&N membership card to benefit from this discount, if the college bookstore offered it because the college bookstore prices are “pretty high.”
When Patricia Rodriguez, college bookstore manager, was asked why students aren’t card eligible she stated that she was trying to reach the regional manager to discuss the matter.
“We sell the lowest price guaranteed,” said Rodriguez. “If they find prices lower than any other store in El Paso, I’ll match that price.”
