Haven Books, the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA)-run bookstore in Old Ottawa South, is offering a five per cent discount to students who buy their textbooks from Aug. 15 to Sept. 1.
“CUSA can and should explore cost-saving strategies that are both politically and financially advantageous,” said Matthew Pelletier, a third-year public affairs and policy management student and former CUSA councillor, in an email regarding the discounts.
Pelletier said the proposal was first suggested by Julia Parsons, current CUSA public affairs councillor.
“Haven Books is the most profitable CUSA-owned business and a promotional discount . . . would demonstrate to the undergrad community CUSA is working actively to reduce the financial burden on students,” Pelletier said.
The student-run bookstore made around $215,500 last year and is projected to bring in around $256,000 in the next academic year.
David Andrews, CUSA’s vice-president (finance), said the promotion stemmed from many ideas that were circulating in an attempt to reach more people, especially those unfamiliar with Haven Books, and as a result increase revenue and lower prices.
“It’s more that students do not know about Haven because it is not on campus,” Andrews said. “[Still] on average Haven’s has a 15-20 per cent discounted rate . . . it is substantially cheaper and putting this extra 5 per cent on it . . . now you are talking 20-25 per cent cheaper.”
Hannah Vautour, a first-year English student, said she prefers to go to Haven Books and it has become her go-to spot for textbooks.
“I have only been there once . . . I heard about it from my psychology professor who listed it on the syllabus for the textbook,” she said. “I usually go there first, unless the books I need are not there.”
Vautour said last year she spent around $200 per semester on textbooks and plans to take advantage of the promotion.
However, third-year psychology student Andrew Grenier, who usually buys his textbooks online, said the 5 per cent discount is not enough incentive to deter him from the convenience of online shopping.
“I want to get everything as easily as possible with the least amount of hassle,” he said. “So if I can get something online, that’s a huge bonus . . . If the discount were closer to 10-15 per cent that [would be] another story.”
Whether or not Haven Books’ early bird promotion is successful and beneficial to students depends on marketing and cooperation from the Carleton’s professors and academic departments, Pelletier said.
