Barnes & Noble College Booksellers Expands Textbook Rental Program

Barnes & Noble College Booksellers LLC, the Barnes & Noble Inc. subsidiary that operates college bookstores, has expanded its multi-channel textbook rental program to hundreds of colleges and universities with campus bookstores managed by the retailer.

Barnes & Noble piloted its textbook rental program in January, becoming the first major retailer to offer a multi-channel textbook rental program. The program provides students with the option of renting in the campus bookstore's physical or online store.

According to Barnes & Noble, the response to the pilot program "exceeded all expectations." Hundreds of schools will offer textbook rentals at Barnes & Noble for the fall term—more than double the company's initial projections—with hundreds more expected to add the service for the winter term. Also, more than 90 percent of surveyed students who have participated in the program said they liked the program and would rent from the Barnes & Noble campus bookstore again.

"We believe the combination of great value, easy access and convenience has fueled the overwhelmingly positive response to our campus bookstore rental program," says Jade Roth, vice president, books and digital strategy of Barnes & Noble College Booksellers. "The addition of rentals means that college students have all the options they want, many at great cost savings, without shopping multiple locations and vendors. Additionally, students can shop with the assurance that they are getting the right book because we work directly with their faculty members. ..."

Barnes & Noble's rental program offers the following:
• savings of more than 50 percent over the cost of purchasing a new, printed textbook;

•the option of renting books either in the campus bookstore or from the bookstore's website;

•the option to return the rental textbooks to the campus bookstore or via mail using free return shipping;

•a variety of rental-fee payment options, including financial aid and campus debit cards, as well as cash and credit cards;