JOURNAL OF HIGHER EDUCATION THEORY AND PRACTICE

Your Local Friendly Bookstore: Evidence of Pillaging Indiana

College Students

Author(s): David A. Dilts, Hedayeh Samavati, Nodir Adilov

Citation: David A. Dilts, Hedayeh Samavati, Nodir Adilov, (2011) "Your Local Friendly Bookstore: Evidence of Pillaging Indiana College Students," Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, Vol.11, Iss. 1, pp. 21 - 27

Article Type: Research paper

Publisher: North American Business Press

Abstract:

The rate of inflation for textbook prices has far exceeded the overall rate of price-inflation over the last

two decades in the US. This paper examines the retail prices of introductory micro and macro economics

textbooks sold at the bookstores located on or near the campus where students attend college. Data were

collected for several universities in the State of Indiana. The findings support the conclusion that

campuses where a student can buy a textbook at or below the Suggested Retail Price are those where at

least a modicum of competition exists. That is, the evidence points to the monopolized retail market for

textbooks as a major culprit for the price inflation of textbooks.