UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Faculty Senate Virtual - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST

Faculty Senate – Virtual Bookstore Update December 9, 2015

2

Fall Semester – first roll out

• Launch Course Materials (adoptions) Tool ~March, 2015
• Integrated the adoption tool with library for open source and

library material that is free for students. Amazon still working with library to surface even more open source material through the tool. Faculty can also contact the library to seek alternatives to high-cost textbooks through its Open Education Initiative.

• Launch of Amazon@UMass location (Campus Pickup Point or

CPP) - July, 2015

• Students report high satisfaction with CPP -fast and

convenient - even during peak rush: >99% customers receive their packages in <2 minutes.

• Over 85% of adopted items were in-stock and eligible for Free

One-Day consistently throughout peak (first week of September)

3

First Semester Major Issues/Responses:

Issue Response Customers didn’t receive Free One-Day (FOD) Marketing/ education on how to get FOD shipping and what is/is not eligible was done and continues Students were confused about how to get free shipping CPP messaging was revised, took advantage

• f opportunities for clearer messaging on

info pages and directly to students Items out of stock / incorrect items Amazon updated forecasting methodology and working with adopters to enter information earlier in the tool Communication was confusing around adoption process Developed updated communications & training plan and improved communication Lack of sufficient rental/used items Working with adopters to enter information earlier in the tool - earlier adoptions improve textbook buyback for students

For spring semester, Amazon

• Added a person to follow up with professors and

be a resource for faculty

• Added a person to work with publishers in order to

establish new relationships and in stock levels

• Put a phone line into the Campus Pickup Point (CPP)

so faculty and student could call directly to someone on campus

• The two full time Campus Pickup Point (CPP)

managers are trained and have resources to deliver training to departments and faculty

• Increased the number of textbooks purchased both

direct from publishers and from students during buyback.

5

What Amazon has heard so far …. Needed Tool Improvements Status Re-adopt from previous semester Would like to add this capability. Scoping and tech work required as well as getting a better understand how this might work Submit Adoptions across multiple courses Currently the tool allows users to submit adoptions across multiple sections at the same time, but not courses Ordering a desk copy Looking to find a solution Survey Faculty to solicit feedback/ ideas Looking to deploy in Spring semester – will work with rules committee Next Step ….

6

Goals Remain Reduced text costs for students Excellent customer service for the campus How to help students achieve lower costs? Adopt early Increases number of books repurchased during buyback Increases inventory of used books Gives Amazon and students lead time to find best prices

Questions/Comments/Problems Let us know - ryanka@admin.umass.edu 545-1581