Nathan Morgan/Daily News Jim Massey (left) of Bowling Green talks with customer Will Roberts of Evansville, Ind., on Monday at University Textbook and Supply in Bowling Green.

Western Kentucky University hopes that by being transparent with its book prices, comparing them to online sources, it will retain a portion of its student business.

But one local bookstore owner fears it may be further driving business out of town.

“We know that students are searching for books all over the Internet, whether it be for new or used books,” said Jim Sears, assistant director of WKU Stores. “And we want to give a level of transparency about pricing and provide information about our books.”

The Verba compare software used on WKU’s online bookstore also allows WKU to know what others are charging for books.

Sears said WKU has seen a 15 percent decline in its sales over the last four years for several reasons, including Internet sales and the temporary closure of the store in Downing University Center.

“We may be able to lower our prices to be more competitive,” Sears said of the new service.

Rob Hall, owner of University Textbook and Supply, said he thinks the comparison tool will drive even more business out of town.

“This is a warm and bubbly thing that universities are doing to try and make themselves look good,” Hall said. “It looks to me like they are trying to drive commerce out of Bowling Green. I personally sell cheaper than the (WKU) bookstore.”

Hall said he also can provide that face-to-face transaction that comes with guarantees of quality – the same thing that Gary Meszaros, assistant vice president of auxiliary services, touts about purchases made at the WKU Store.

WKU’s online store cautions students: “By buying from the campus store, you get the right book, instant pick-up and easy returns; watch out for international and instructor editions from Amazon and Half. These editions are not legal for resale and not eligible for buyback at the end of the term … we cannot and will not be held responsible for any customer service, return or refund issues related to any online merchant other than ourselves. Please be extra aware of who you are purchasing your textbooks from.”

“I’ve talked to (Hall), and I think he is making a mountain out of a mole hill,” Meszaros said.

It is not clear what sites Verba uses for comparison other than half.com, a site owned by eBay, where individuals can post books for sale. 

Meszaros guessed that WKU could request that Verba include prices from University Textbook and Supply. Actually, Sears said that Hall would need to contact Verba and then pay a monthly fee to be included in the price comparison.

Jared Pearlman, chief operating officer for Verba explained how the service works.

“When students click the “Buy Textbooks” link on the WKU Store’s website, they’ll be directed to the comparison textbook shopping site. Here, they can choose which courses they’re taking, and the application will provide a list of course materials for each of those courses,” Pearlman said in an email. “On each textbook, they’ll see the WKU Store’s options alongside options from the online marketplace. Right now, the comparison includes half.com, one of the largest used book marketplaces in the world, but I understand the WKU Store intends to add at least a few additional online retailers shortly.”

Pearlman said across their client base nearly 80 percent of comparison shoppers chose to go with a campus bookstore.

“However if students do decide to purchase from another online retailer, the WKU Store will receive a commission for directing the student to that retailer,” Pearlman said. “Commissions typically range from 7-12 percent, depending on the retailer.

Overall, the comparison shopping application is a win-win for both students and bookstores. It helps students assess their options in a single transparent website, and it helps bookstores bust the myth that they’re not competitive with the online marketplace.”

Transparency is just a small portion of what the software offers for students, Sears said.

Western pays a fee, based on the size of the bookstore, to use the software and comparison system.

“It allows us to make smarter decisions,” Sears said. “If we had been buying a book back at $80 but we see the same used book for sale online for $40, we know that we need to change. We might buy the book back for $30 so we can in turn resell it and be more competitive with online used books.”

The software also may point the university to other publishing sources for materials that are cheaper than what they have been able to source, Sears said.

— Robyn L. Minor covers business, environment, transportation and other issues for the Daily News. Follow her at twitter.com/bowserminor or visit bgdaily news.com