15A: Buyer Behavior


The first interviewee said they put price over everything else. When it comes to textbooks, the content is the same wherever you go, so the goal is to find these books as the lowest possible cost. This person said they usually buy from Amazon, and while this option can be more expensive sometimes, it is the most time-saving option, since most classes require textbook reading by the second week of class. This student charges their textbook costs to their tuition payments on the bursar website. This interviewee does not regret their purchase, as they can return the book at the end of the semester. They think the purchase is a good idea, since they are not paying full price for the book, and do not own it at the end of the semester.




The second interviewee said the most important part for them is finding the correct textbook edition at the lowest possible price. Once they understand the average price point for the book edition they need from Amazon or the UF Bookstore, they then look at websites like Campus Rentals or TextbookRentals.com. This student strictly buys online, as they believe the UF Bookstore is way too expensive. They pay for their books with their credit card, and pay it off throughout the semester. This student does sometimes regret their purchase, as the financing of the books takes a toll on their credit score.




The third person I interviewed said they receive a bookstore stipend along with their financial aid, and do not worry about the price, but instead care about the quality of the book’s condition, as well as the correct edition. This person buys the books in person, at the UF Bookstore, with their stipend. This student sometimes regrets buying their books, as they then have to sell their books to other students, or through online rental services.




This segment of lower-income students vary greatly in their purchase decisions, alternative evaluation, and post-purchase evaluation. All three go through very different processes, and end up with different results, even though all three end up with a book in their hands.

Comments

  1. laityn russellFebruary 28, 2019 at 11:30 AM

    Hi Fede,

    Although each of these lower-income students vary in their pursuits of obtaining a textbook, it seems like they all have the same goal of finding the cheapest price possible. It seems like by these interviews, you have a pretty good idea of the different ways students go about getting these books. This may be something to consider when deciding pricing for the subscription and ways in which the books will arrive to the students.

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  2. ChrisMarch 3, 2019 at 7:38 AM

    Finding the lowest cost option is probably one of the main goals for any student, low income or not. The company I work for pays most of the cost of my books and I still look for the cheapest option. It seems like the responsible thing to do. I think a service like you are proposing will be used by students at all income levels.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Caroline PierceMarch 11, 2019 at 3:41 PM

    Hi Frederico,
    It is so important to find out what the most important thing for your customer is. If you are focusing on quality but most of your buyers just want the best price, you may end up driving them to your competitors. It does seem difficult that all of your interviewees value different things. I think it is possible that you could have as other bookstores do a free and reduced section for used and damaged books, a new/mint condition section, and find other things important to users so that they can utilize your services too.

    ReplyDelete

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