University Bookshop's offer a discount to students to keep us going to them - besides they have plenty of stock available and it helps them out as well. But as with all previous semesters I've gone with an alternate solution to buying books for Uni because I just cant justify paying RRP-5% discount on books when i can get it cheaper elsewhere.
Take for instance this semesters Professional Issues in IT book:
Swinburne Bookshop vs
Bookware.com.auHmmm $17.xx difference, sure lets take away the Swinny discounts, thats still not lower (ok its only a few measly dollars) but thats besides the point. If we bulk order these then we dont pay for shipping and thats precisely what we did this semester. I've already complained to _someone_ at the bookstore a few semester's ago but nothing came of it. So hopefully this will ruffle a few feathers. Sure we do have to wait, but I've joined up with a few International Students in the past and they've gladly waited to save a bit, remember they pay full fee's too!
Same deal went for the Artifical Intelligence, C++, UML Patterns book and DSA Books (and a few others). Basically I avoid the Swinburne Bookshop and i'm not afraid to admit it.