Letter to the editor: Secrecy hurts prices

By Bill Muggy

Thursday, May 10, 2007

In an unsigned e-mail sent after store hours last Friday, the Kansas Union Bookstore management advised us that effective May 14, no more requisition information will be shared with us or the University Book Shop.

Instead, all “third party vendors” will have to extrapolate it from their Web site, whenever they update the information under “Click Here to Find Your Course Textbooks.”

This latest edict first, violates a 30-year contract with Jayhawk Bookstore to have information available in a hard copy form and available the same day received. In addition, it treats your book information as theirs. Furthermore this action jeopardizes students of the best buyback prices and freedom of information for competing stores.

Since neither the Chancellor, nor his executive assistant returned a call as promised, this KU Bookstore management decision appears to be affirmed.

For 30 years I have sought to provide faculty, students, and staff with the best customer service, timely book inventory and solutions to educational needs. I ask for your support and text book information to be sent via our Web site requisition form at http://www.jayhawkbookstore.com/courserequest.php

Unlike the KU decision, I will send hard-copy information to the KU Bookstore and University Book Shop. Timely information is requested, as we will again pay the best text book prices possible plus an extra 10 percent cash May 10-18.

Bill Muggy

owner and manager, Jayhawk Bookstore

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