Before online shopping, people took the time to physically go around purchasing items from shops – in 2014, ain’t nobody got time for that. When it comes down to it, especially for students, it’s all about the convenience and cost.

EC bookstore recently updated its website yet shopping on it is almost as difficult as telling apart Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Between the broken links and graphics that appear to lead somewhere but do absolutely nothing. Instead, EC bookstore is behind in the online shopping world (and that’s putting it lightly).

With major competitors like Amazon Student, Chegg, and Valore Books, it’s disappointing to say that EC bookstore’s attempt at updating its website to be more user-friendly in reality is unusable and out of its league.

More often than not, convenience tends to be the deal breaker when purchasing textbooks. If it’s a dollar difference between purchasing through a competitors’ website or the campus bookstore, the competitors will win. With their next day shipping options and line free checkout, anything to avoid the havoc that is the bookstore during the beginning of the semester.

After having heard that EC bookstore had finally updated its systems, only to realize that the updated website could easily be mistaken for a pop-up ad from 1999 – plain text, frustrating to operate, and off-putting. The struggle is real for our little bookstore.

On the upside, unlike those 1-800-NOT-IN-AMERICA numbers, EC bookstore’s staff continue to provide authentic customer service over the phone. Although it took a few follow-up calls to clarify some faulty information online, the staff on campus are knowledgeable and patient – and they speak real English, which is a definite plus.

The biggest confusion on the website are those large blocks, one of which is completely blank. Presumably, what was meant to be informative and directional for students, instead does the exact opposite.

Even the box that clearly says “Shop Now” is misleading. “Find Your Books, Click Here,” where is here, that is the question.

Come on EC bookstore, let’s get it together, there are no excuses.

With the endless amount of computer, tech-savvy, graphic art students on campus; it’s hard to believe that nothing can be done about basic mistakes. Nobody is expecting lavishing advancements here; it would just be nice to be able to find our way without dead ends.