Advocacy Articles

Connect2One Bundling and Customization Help Kit
By Mark Palmore, Institutional Store Advocate and Executive Director

In past editions of The Connection Newsletter we have printed articles on textbook bundling and customization and their growing impact on our industry! 

Connect2One wants to help you educate your faculty about this ever emerging issue.  As you are well aware, a few years ago publishing companies began the practice of shrink-wrapping “value added” items with their textbooks, a practice which is now commonly called “bundling.”  With bundling, publishers are able to create a product that in most cases students can not sell back to the bookstore at buyback.  Both bundling and customization increase the cost for students and negatively impact the bookstore. 

We feel the best way to address this issue is through education of your faculty on the impact customization and bundling has on their students.

Recently we mailed to all of our member stores a “white paper” discussing in detail the issue along with examples.  In addition, we have developed sample correspondence for you to use when explaining this issue and its impact to your faculty and administration.  If you have not received that mailing or if you would like those items sent to you electronically please e-mail me at mpalmore@connect2one.com.

Please e-mail me with any comments you have on the materials and any feedback you receive from your faculty members.  This issue is gaining more and more grass roots support daily, keep it alive on your campus by educating your faculty and fighting for your students and your store.