Statements such as “SAVE 25% ON TEXTBOOKS” and “GET AMAZING SERVICE! WHERE? YOUR CAMPUS BOOKSTORE OF COURSE” pollute the inboxes of anyone unfortunate enough to be subject of blast e-mails sent to Columbia undergraduates. Replace the word “book” in those e-mails, and you have a proclamation that could easily come from a used car advertisement. Unfortunately, just like any flashy ads, these bookstore announcements often fall flat: a student purchasing at the bookstore will only save 25 percent on used books, which are not always available.
