Sales at the Moraine Hall bookstore have been on a recent decline compared to previous semesters.

According to a survey conducted by the Royal Purple of 200 students chosen at random, many tend to boycott the store because of high book prices.

“I like the convenience of our campus bookstore, but I don’t like how expensive some of the books are,” senior Matt Singer said.

Although many students complain about high book prices, Assistant Director of Bookstore Services Barbara Young said  the mark up percentage is roughly the same over all university bookstores.

“The bookstore standard industry is about on average a 25 percent mark up price per book,” Young said. “The mark up really depends on how expensive the book is most of the time.

Young said many students are going online to find their books or even trying other bookstores.

The survey reported 38 percent of students buying their books somewhere other than the university bookstore.

“I have shopped the bookstore but I found them cheaper to get on Amazon,” freshman Melanie Bergemann said.

The student survey showed Amazon.com as the most popular choice for onling book-buying.

Other websites students listed buying from included the Barnesandnoble.com and Booksamillion.com.

The bookstore is providing more services to students this semester in hopes to increase profits.

“We’re trying to provide more used books for students to purchase,” Young said. “We have a new rental program similar to the downstairs bookstore. We even have installed a new method of payment in September to allow students to charge their books to their student tuition bills.

The tuition billing plan started in September and Young said it has helped the bookstore.

“I think the student billing part has helped a great deal because a lot of students don’t have the cash up front or funds to do so,” Young said. “By putting it on a student installment plan on their bills, it will really help many students out a lot.”

The bookstore started a free rewards card program this semester in efforts to help give back to students for shopping at the store.

“For every $100 spent  on books in the bookstore the student will receive a $5 credit to spend on any future purchase in the bookstore,” Young said.

Also, the buy back program helps students receive a portion of their money spent on their books. The program in return increases the bookstores inventory.

“We give 50 percent of a new book price back to students regardless if the book is in a new condition or used,” Young said.

The increase in universities using electronic books could present the next challenge for the bookstore.

“I know many other universities have tried E-books as a pilot program,” Young said. “We would still sell hard copy books but also serve as a distribution center for information of the E-books too. We could adapt just fine to the change.”