12A- Figuring out buyer behavior

 Overpriced Textbooks

Interview #1:

1.)  Do most of your teachers require you to purchase a textbook for their course?

       

      -I would say its about half and half, but sometimes the ones that they say are require aren't really required in order to pass per say, its just an addition to helping you do better in the class.

2.) For the ones that require you to buy one, do you always purchase the textbook?

   -Yes, I have financial aid so whatever I have leftover after that I use towards my textbooks, after all they usually do help and I consider most of the textbooks I've bought very useful.

3.) Do you buy straight from the school or do you use another source?

  - Well some of my classes require that you buy a brand new edition that changes every year directly from the UF library, but if thats not the case I usually use chegg or amazon which usually has what I'm looking for.

4.) So you've never decide not to buy a textbook because it was expensive or maybe thought that you could do well without it?

    -Nope, ever since I was accepted into UF if there was a required book I purchased it and have had all A's and B's throughout my first three years.

5.) Even though you admit that you cooperate with all required texts for your courses, do you think that the books are overpriced even a little?

    -Yes and no, $300 for a book certainly seems kinda steep considering you'll only need it for a couple of months. However I realize that these professors work really hard on this books to ensure you that you have all the course materials at you disposal. Plus, you can always sell the book after you PASS the course.

Interview 2:

1.) Do most of your teachers require you purchase a textbook for his or her class?

    - Yes. I would say about ninety percent of them do.

2.) Do you always buy them?

     - If they have a cheaper option for them on a different website I will, but if thats not an option and I'm forced to pay an absurd price of more than $100, then i'll try to share one with someone in the class or pass without it.

3.) How can you be sure or even risk trying to pass the class without the textbook?\

  -They have two options here in Gainesville that really help with situations like that, one is called smokin notes, and the other is study edge. Both for a cheaper price provide you with all the course material summarized up into a small packet that can help you prepare for the exam. I find this very useful and has worked for me over the years.

4.) What about chug or amazon or any websites you may of heard of that offer cheaper prices? 

    - Yeah I've used those before, but I find that my classes can be passed without using the required textbook and smoking notes works for me just fine so why would I change...

5.) Has this plan ever backfired on you?

    - Kinda, we had a test on of the books we were required to read and I did very poorly on the test. It didn't cost me my overall grade and I still passed, but I probably should've paid for that one.

Interview 3:

1.)Do most of your professors require you to purchase texts for their class?

   -Depends, some semesters all of them do, others maybe one will.

2.) Do you find them overpriced?

    - Hundred percent yes, but their are ways to get them for cheap.

3.) Do you purchase them even if you cant find a cheaper way to purchase them?

    - Ill ask people who've taken the course or use RatemyProfessor which is a website where you can see the difficulty of the course, the style the proffers teaches in, and if you can pass without the text. I find this most helpful for the situation.

4.) Do you ever pay full price for the books?

    - I have a couple of times for my most difficult classes. I probably could've passed without them, but I didn't want to take any chances. I can usually find them on other websites though.

5.) Have you ever regretted not purchasing a textbook because it was too expensive?

    - Yes but only once. During my freshman year in Calc my friends said you could pass buy using study packets and tudors, but I feel like I would've done better with the text considering some questions were EXACTLY the same as question from our textbook. Ever since then, if the classes that   I'm taking are rumored to be difficult ill buy online or from a friend and even from the bookstore if necessary.

                                                                          Summary

It seems that because technology has become so advanced over the years that their are so many alternatives for the aforementioned problem. Many students don't buy the books for full price unless they HAVE too or if they can afford it with no problem. Most students including myself, avoid these prices by using campus resources, tutors, and online options like amazon, eBay, and chegg (Which have the books we need most of the time) to satisfy our scholastic needs.