Textbooks

In spirit of the HEOA and in keeping prices affordable for students, the BGSU Bookstores have invested in a textbook price comparison service called “BGSU Choose” where students can compare the Bookstores’ prices with ten online vendors including Amazon, Half.com, Barnes & Noble, Inkling, Cengage Brain, and CourseSmart.  Registered students can click on the yellow “Book List” button in their class schedules, but anyone can access this same feature from within the BGSU Schedule of Classes.

Faculty can refer students to the BGSU Choose price comparison service and specific textbook requirements by posting a link in the course syllabus, or by listing it in the Blackboard or Canvas Learning Management Systems.  The direct link to BGSU Choose is available at:
    
    http://bgstores.bgsu.edu/store1/SiteText.aspx?id=11483

The Bookstore also uses BGSU Choose to assess Internet marketplace pricing and competitively discount prices of textbooks accordingly.  The BGSU Bookstores are committed to finding the most affordable course materials for BGSU students, including a large selection of lower-priced rental titles and many options for digital course materials.
Students who wish to take advantage of the BGSU Choose price comparison system simply need to do the following:

1. View.  Log into MyBGSU, and open up your class schedule to view your classes.

2. Click.  Click on the yellow "Book List" button to automatically bring up the books needed for all your classes.

3. Compare. Using the tabs created for each course, compare the Bookstore's prices to prices of major Internet resellers including Amazon.com and Chegg.com, as well as book rental companies. 

4. Select. Choose the books you want to order from the seller you choose, and select them to put them into electronic shopping carts.

5. Checkout. When you are ready to finalize your orders, simply click on the "Checkout" icon in the top right corner and follow the directions!

*Library Availability: A new feature now searches for books that are available for checkout from the OhioLINK network, which includes BGSU.  "Library: Available for Loan" will be displayed below the book information - simply click on that link to display the OhioLINK page for that book.

What It Is & Why
The BGSUChoose price comparison service not only allows students to see the Bookstore’s prices and the process of ten online competitors, it also helps students to order the books they need from any source even if that is a source other than the BGSU Bookstores.

The most obvious question is “Why would the Bookstore do this?”  Much like that Progressive Insurance Company you may be familiar with, this service is about transparency, about helping students to save money on the high cost of course materials, and will help to dispel the myth that the Bookstore is always the most expensive option.

How It Works
The program is simple.  Based upon the classes a student selects, BGSUChoose will display the book information, the Bookstore’s prices and the prices available currently from Amazon.com, Half.com, Chegg.com, Alibris, and Follett Rental.  If the student is ready to buy, they simply choose the book to order by clicking on the orange shopping cart icon at the right of each line.

Initially, all books are placed in a single shopping cart and a summary total is shown at the top right of the screen.  The details are displayed and changes can be made at any time by clicking on the “See Full Cart” button.  When ready to checkout, the program separates the selected books into a shopping cart for each source and walks you through the process.

Where to Start
The easiest way for students to select books if they are already registered is by accessing their class schedule under MyBGSU and clicking on the “Book List” button.  For students who are not yet registered, this also can be accomplished from within the BGSU Schedule of classes.  To choose courses directly simply Click Here.

After courses have been selected, students will receive a welcome screen that provides helpful information about online ordering in the form of a “Top Ten” list.  Although price is often the most important factor in a student’s buying decision, not all online resources are created equal.  You should consider the “total value” of buying from various sources because there are sometimes other, hidden costs when buying textbooks online.

If a faculty member or department has not yet requested course materials from the Bookstore for a class or section, a message will display explaining that.  If the Bookstore has been notified that NO books are required for a class, a different message will be displayed.