Online book shop Studystore will be ceasing its activities, as reported by parent company The Learning Network (TLN) last week. Ten to fifteen study associations at Radboud University will immediately have to start looking for a new supplier. ‘The financial consequences won’t become clear until the end of the year.’

Book supplier Studystore is going to quit. The company has long suffered from technical difficulties, which affected the delivery of study materials. Its parent company TLN announced last week that Studystore showed insufficient improvement, and they have therefore decided to cease all of Studystore’s activities.

The store’s cessation has consequences for ten to fifteen study associations at Radboud University, according to Rianne Zwarts, chair of the SamenwerkingsOverleg Faculteitsverenigingen (SOFv, the umbrella association for Nijmegen study associations, eds.). The associations all had collaborative agreements with Studystore, that allowed their members to purchase books at a discount rate. The end of those collaborations means that the supply of study books for this- and next academic year may be jeopardised.

Enduring issues

Studystore has had issues with making deliveries for a while already: books were delivered much too late, and sometimes they weren’t delivered at all; they also had issues with providing refunds. ‘We were mainly troubled by supply issues’, according to Bente Huntjens, chair of study association Mundus (Geography, Spatial Planning and Environmental Studies). ‘Our cooperation was a bit troubled sometimes, but not to such an extent that we considered cancelling the contract.’

The end of Studystore means that most students will no longer be able to order study materials via their associations and will have to search for the right books by themselves. Those books are likely more expensive at other suppliers, and there’s a decent chance that there won’t be enough copies available; this is especially true for large study programmes. ‘Not every store has 400 to 500 copies of any one book at the ready’, as stated by SOFv chair Zwarts.

‘An open book exam can be troublesome if not all students have the book’

The sudden stop will also lead to difficulties this- and next period. ‘Studystore will endeavor to deliver those books that were ordered for period three’, Zwarts says. However, it is uncertain whether all the materials will be delivered on time, which has consequences for the studies themselves. Zwarts continues: ‘An open book exam can be troublesome if not all students have the book.’

Solutions

Right now, associations are all busy finding solutions. SOFv advises its members to contact their respective faculty boards to help address issues this semester. ‘Let me first state there was nothing associations could do to prevent this; all they can do now is find solutions for students’, Zwart adds.

The study associations that were partnered with Studystore will have to find a new supplier. The store’s premature end also negatively affects the associations themselves, since they will no longer receive contribution fees from people looking to join just for book discount.

However, the exact impact of Studystore’s end is still difficult to estimate. ‘The financial consequences won’t become clear until the end of the year. They might turn out to be a big problem, but that is not guaranteed to be the case’, Zwarts explains. ‘The main issue now is getting students access to study materials.’

Short lines of communication

Several associations already received offers from different suppliers not long after Studystore’s dissolution. Among others, Mundus was offered a collaboration with bookstore Roelants; the association will soon discuss the potential benefits.

Study associations ESV (Economics) Marie Curie (Physics and Astronomy) and SVN (Dutch language and culture) are already collaborating with bookstore Dekker v.d. Vegt. ‘In exchange for that collaboration, association members receive a discount on their purchases and the associations themselves receive sponsorship money’, as explained by Astrid Verhoeven, the store’s co-owner.

Study associations at the Radboud School of Management, including Mundus, are also considering making the leap. But it is not yet clear if all associations can find a place at the store. Verhoeven: ‘in our store, we value personal contact with our clients, as well as short lines of communication. We don’t intend to become the next Studystore. Additionally, the store in the inner city is our main priority.’ It remains to be seen if those associations formerly working with Studystore will be able to find a new partner before the next academic year.

Translated by Jasper Pesch