The two companies have had successful startups in large part because of their aggressive marketing and serious efforts to develop relationships with students, professors and publishers. Early this year the two largest college store management companies responded. The entry into the online textbook market of two companies with long experience selling in the college world may challenge Varsitybooks and BigWord's early dominance. With competition heating up, it is not easy to discern the differences among the online retailers. Now expanded to 45 states, Varsitybooks features booklists from 57 large state universities.
Students can select their school, then search for books by professor, course name or discipline.
Unlike the others, however, it ships only books it has in stock and does not back order. Our objective is to build a brand with students and treat them with the respect they deserve. We want to establish a community with students and meet all their textbook and studying needs. Unlike VarsityBooks, BigWords is not relying on wholesalers for fulfillment. The company has EDI links in place and is eager to establish direct relationships with publishers.