New student business provides alternative to the bookstore

New student business provides alternative to the bookstore

By Chase Christensen

At the end of each semester students at Utah State University line up to sell their books back to the bookstore. But a newly founded company named Ubouk hopes to provide students with more options for selling their books and, in the process, get them more money back, according to Yourdanos Mulatu, an international business major at USU and Ubouk founder.

Ubouk’s website allows students to post ads for textbooks and works much like an online classified section. The company hopes to get students in touch with each other directly, maximizing the benefit for both parties, Mulatu said.

“Students can log on to our website and either post books to sell or get the information of other students to buy their books,” Mulatu said. “That way you cut out the middleman, in this case the bookstore.”

The website has only been up and running for a week, Mulatu said, but students are already listing their books.

“I put my book on there just because I hate the bookstore,” said Heather Thain, a graphic design major at USU. “They never give you back even remotely what you paid for your books in the first place. I figured if I put them up on Ubouk that I might get more for them; at the very least the bookstore wouldn’t be making money off them twice.”

Students who felt manipulated by the bookstore were a large reason why Ubouk was started, Mulatu said.

“I started the company because I could get more for my books selling them myself,” Mulatu said. “Instead of letting the bookstore take more of our money I made it easier for students to buy and sell to each other.”

Other students have plans to utilize the site to sell their books but have yet to list them.

“I haven’t used it yet but I plan to,” said Lance Chau, a nutrition major at USU. “It’s a pretty good idea, it’s a lot like the bulletin board at school but since it’s online it’s a lot easier to find books you are looking for instead of searching through every single one.”

The company also offers additional sections for students to sell other school related items such as housing contracts and even vehicles.

Ubouk is offering students even more incentive to use its site as well.

“We are giving away tickets to the Potato Bowl to two randomly drawn people who share one of our photos on Facebook,” Mulatu said. “They are good seats too; I was tempted to keep them.”