eCoOp: a new used-book alternative
Unlike traditional co-ops, all transactions are made directly between the seller and buyer, usually by e-mail or phone. Because the co-op requires very little effort to maintain, there are no transaction fees or other costs associated with its use. The Student Association Co-op charges a 10 percent maintenance fee on top of the list price of the merchandise.
The eCoOp was created to allow students to sell their books for higher prices than the bookstore offers and buy books for prices that are often lower than the bookstore's. While the eCoOp does not regulate selling prices, it recommends that sellers post their books at 60 percent of the original purchase price, less for damaged books.
Essentially, the eCoOp is a share-list, where students can post their books for sale and look at the lists of books that other students are offering. The listings are organized by both the author's name and course title.
Students can add, remove and edit books' entries using their personal identification numbers. The sellers' phone numbers and e-mail addresses are provided so buyers can contact them directly. O'Brien helped to set up the PIN system, which may later be used to facilitate online voting in elections.
The eCoOp does not replace the Student Association's current book co-op or used book sales through the Campus Store. However, SA External Vice President Charles Klein has hinted that if the new co-op is a success, it will replace the SA's traditional co-op next semester. The SA has agreed to donate copying services for fliers publicizing the eCoOp and may take over the project next year.
Whiteson cited the long wait between selling a book and receiving payment for it at the SA CoOp as one of the main reasons for creating the eCoOp.
According to Hatoun, the co-op seems to be working well. Whiteson found that students have been responding favorably to the eCoOp.
Approximately 250 books have been put on the list and about one-third of them have been sold, Whiteson said.
The eCoOp can be found at: http: //www.rice.edu/projects/SA/ecoop.
This item appeared in the News section of the September 20, 1996 issue.
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