Detailed Business Plan: Textbook Resale for University Students

This assignment presents a detailed business plan for a social venture focused on reselling used textbooks to university students. The plan addresses the issue of high textbook prices by offering a cost-effective solution. It outlines the customer segments (current and prospective students, faculty), value proposition (discounted prices, study space), channels (physical store, online sales, delivery), customer relationships (word-of-mouth, promotions), and revenue streams (book sales, ancillary products). Key resources include capital, store infrastructure, and a delivery vehicle. The plan details key activities, partnerships (old students, local bands), and cost analysis. The venture aims to ease the financial burden on students while providing a study-friendly environment. The plan also references sources related to university finances and textbook inflation.

INTRODUCTION
College students have to bear the brunt of inflation in the form of
increased books prices
Textbooks constitute a costly proposition for students
The social venture involves the buying of the old textbooks from the
students passing out and selling them to the new students at
discounted rates.

CUSTOMER SEGMENTS
The customers would be those students who have just
joined the university
Alternatively, anyone who is interested in buying textbooks
would be the potential customers of the business.
Faculties and teachers of the university or other
educational institutions can also be the customers

VALUE PROPOSITION
Offering textbooks at a very discounted or nominal rate than
the market price
A small reading place where the students can have a small
discussion over some difficult topics.
The place will also serve as a library where people can jot
down notes from the books

CHANNELS
Direct selling from the shop
Alternatively, a free delivery option is there for
deliveries done within a radius of 5 km.
For people who are interested in buying online, the
business will feature their product on Amazon to deliver
the books to the customer

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
Word of Mouth – students are the primary customers, who will spread the services provided by the
business
The dispersing of pamphlets and leaflets in the campus around the store
Promotional activity will be done in the bookstore such as an evening band session of the local
students which will attract the young crowd to the store.

REVENUE STREAMS
The mains revenue will be coming from the sale of the books minus the cost incurred in procuring
them from the students.
Alternatively, the store will also be housing ancillary products and services of the interest of college
students such as coffee machines, refreshment, CDs, DVDs and stationeries, which will be charged to
the students.

KEY RESOURCES
Capital for procuring old books and renting out a physical store
Furniture and fixtures for the store – bookshelves, table, chairs etc.
Coffee vending machine
Computer and other hardware
Vehicle for delivering books

KEY ACTIVITIES
The main aim of the social venture is to offer textbooks to the students and faculties of the
university at a nominal rate
Additionally, the store would also be providing library facility to the students such as offering
internet services, also offer the purchase of stationeries and refreshments

KEY PARTNERSHIPS
Old students will be selling their used textbooks to the business.
The new students would be the potential customers
The local bands will be given the opportunity to come to store and perform their acts, thus, gain
popularity not only for themselves but even for the bookstore

COSTS
The main cost would be renting out space for the physical bookstore
The next task would be the cost involved in procuring the bookstore which is the primary product
of the business
Additionally, the procurement of the furniture and fixture and hardware like computer, printer,
vending machine etc.

CONCLUSION
The venture of buying old book and selling them to new students at concessional price is a social
service towards the students and take the burden of inflation away from their shoulders
The students can use the store to study for their course and also make up as a small hangout joints
for the students
Even faculties and professors can make use of the textbooks available at nominal rate

REFERENCES
Public Research Universities: Understanding the Financial Model. (2019). Retrieved from
https://
www.amacad.org/publication/public-research-universities-understanding-financial-model
Esposito, E. (2019). How to boost revenue at your university. Retrieved from https://
www.ricoh-usa.com/en/insights/library/articles/how-to-boost-revenue-at-your-university
Badkar, M. (2014). College Textbook Inflation Is Out Of Control. Retrieved from https://
www.businessinsider.in/College-Textbook-Inflation-Is-Out-Of-Control/articleshow/34169843.c
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