LARAMIE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROCEDURE
SUBJECT - Bookstore
REFERENCE - None
DATE - 5/22/90
NUMBER – 8009
1. Introduction
The college bookstore exists to provide the books and supplies required by students in completing their academic programs. The bookstore operates at a zero profit margin in order to make books and supplies available to students at the lowest possible cost.
2. General
A. Hours of Operation
Bookstore hours are 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Extended hours are in effect during registration and the first few weeks of class. The bookstore, located in the Student Services Building, is open limited hours and days during student breaks and holidays.
B. Customer complaints
Customer complaints are handled by the clerk to whom they are presented. If a reasonable solution is not reached, the customer may speak with the bookstore coordinator or assistant to the dean of business services. In some cases, the dean of students may also become involved.
C. Buying authority
The bookstore coordinator coordinates with faculty, students, and administrators in determining the mix of merchandise and is then responsible for determining a source of supply for the merchandise to be sold in the bookstore. All purchasing is done through the college purchase order system.
D. Security in the store
Instances of theft are reported immediately to campus security and to the dean of students. If theft is suspected, customers will be asked for a cash register receipt for any merchandise in their possession.
E. Unfair competition
It is the policy of the college to avoid unfair competition with local merchants engaged in similar retail sales.
F. Emergency evacuation
See Business Services Procedures No. 8007 and 8008.
3. Systems
A. Student charge accounts
Governmental agencies and community employers may underwrite their employee/students through charge accounts. They may arrange to do so with the Sponsor Charges Specialist who is housed in the dean of students area. Charge amounts and types of merchandise allowed must be authorized in writing by the underwriting agency before students may charge.
Students are required to sign itemized tickets for their charges every time merchandise is taken or returned. They may charge on their accounts through the first eight weeks of class, up to the charge limit which has been authorized by their employer.
B. Employee charge accounts/employee discounts
All full-time employees may open charge accounts in the bookstore. The are entitled to a 10 percent discount on all merchandise except sale items. Only college employees are allowed to receive the discount, not members of their family. All accounts must be paid by the end of the month and closed out.
C. Miscellaneous nonstudent charges
Charges by employees may be made to college departmental accounts. This includes supplies not stocked by the college warehouse and textbooks for instructors' use.
State agencies and other outside companies may charge books and merchandise if they submit properly prepared purchase orders or vouchers from which the bookstore can prepare a billing and receive prompt payment.
D. Textbook orders
See Instruction Procedure No. 6730
E. General books/special orders
The bookstore has no general books section. However, special orders for single copies of books can be placed by customers at any time. A completed order form and a deposit are required before an order can be placed. The amount of the deposit is either applied to the cost of the book when it comes in or is refunded to the customer if the book cannot be obtained.
Only learning aids ordered by instructors are carried in the bookstore. Dictionaries, thesauri, and foreign language dictionaries are also kept in stock.
F. Pricing
A reasonable profit margin is established by the college to cover bookstore operating costs. The margin includes such expenses as freight-in, cost of returns, personnel, occupancy costs, shrinkage, and other normal operating expenses.
G. Sales/refunds
All merchandise is sold for cash, check or by charge to a preapproved account. Sales include sales tax unless a tax-exempt number is provided. All customers receive a cash register receipt for purchases.
Cash refunds on textbooks are made up to the end of the fourth week of classes during the fall and spring terms, and up to the end of the second week during the summer semester. A full refund is given for books which are in clean, new condition; others will be discounted depending on their condition. A cash register receipt for the purchase must be presented with any request for a refund. Refunds on other types of merchandise will be considered if the item is still packaged, unused, and in resalable condition.
Books can be sold to the bookstore at their wholesale value at any time. They must be listed in the current wholesale buyer's guide and only the dollar value shown in the guide can be paid to the customer.
H. Used book buy-back
A used book buy-back is conducted by the bookstore at the end of each semester. The dates of the buy-back are the same as the days of final testing plus the day following. The bookstore will buy back books that are adopted for the immediate upcoming semester at 5O percent of the bookstore's retail price. Study guides, workbooks, and any books that contain computer software cannot be bought back as these must be sold to students in new condition. All other books will be bought back at the current wholesale price of the wholesale company in use during the buy-back.
I. Sale of textbooks off campus
The bookstore staff will work with coordinators and off-campus classes to provide textbooks and other student in the most convenient manner. General materials can be taken to off-campus locations instructors to their students. Receipts from the prepared when the money is turned in and are then students by their instructors.
J. Sales tax
The appropriate sales tax is collected from customers and paid by the bookstore to the Wyoming Department of Revenue.