2011 College Store Margins
Products available in college stores are sold with a margin, as in any retail operation. Margin is the difference between cost and retail price, reflecting the work and costs required to bring products to market. Different margins are often used for different product categories, or "departments."
Departmental Gross Margins as a % of Net Sales
| |
Mean
(Average) |
25th %
Percentile |
Median
(Mid-Point) |
75th %
Percentile |
| New Course Books |
21.6% |
19.9
|
22.3 |
24.6 |
| Custom Published Materials |
24.8% |
15.7 |
23.1 |
34.3 |
| Used Course Books |
35.0% |
31.9 |
35.1 |
38.0 |
| Course Technology |
19.3% |
9.2 |
17.6 |
24.4 |
| Total Course Materials |
26.1% |
23.6 |
26.4 |
28.8 |
| Trade Books |
29.0% |
24.3 |
30.7 |
36.3 |
| Professional Reference Books |
25.5% |
20.8 |
24.4 |
31.2 |
| Total General Books |
28.1% |
24.0 |
30.5 |
35.5 |
| TOTAL BOOK SALES |
26.2% |
23.7 |
26.6 |
28.8 |
| |
| Computer Hardware |
9.3% |
3.5 |
8.5 |
11.2 |
| Consumer Electronics |
24.9% |
20.2 |
25.9 |
30.4 |
| Computer Software |
19.3% |
13.6 |
18.7 |
24.4 |
| Digital / Computer Supplies |
25.0% |
18.9 |
25.8 |
32.0 |
| TOTAL DIGITAL PRODUCTS |
16.1% |
10.6 |
14.5 |
23.7 |
| |
| School / Office Supplies |
36.8% |
31.0 |
38.0 |
43.1 |
| Instructional Supplies |
34.0% |
27.0 |
35.5 |
41.0 |
| TOTAL SUPPLIES |
36.3% |
30.3 |
37.7 |
42.9 |
| |
| Insignia Apparel |
39.7% |
35.3 |
41.6 |
46.6 |
| Non-Insignia Apparel |
38.8% |
31.6 |
37.3 |
48.4 |
| TOTAL APPAREL |
39.3% |
34.5 |
41.4 |
46.6 |
| |
| Insignia Gifts |
39.3% |
35.9 |
42.8 |
48.3 |
| Non-Insignia Gifts |
36.2% |
32.1 |
41.8 |
46.9 |
| TOTAL GIFTS |
37.3% |
31.0 |
40.0 |
47.5 |
| |
| Food / Beverages |
34.4% |
29.3 |
34.0 |
38.6 |
| Other Merchandise |
31.0% |
24.6 |
36.3 |
47.4
|
| TOTAL GENERAL MERCHANDISE |
36.7% |
28.9 |
35.4 |
43.7 |
| |
| TOTAL NON-BOOK SALES |
31.0% |
25.1 |
31.5 |
36.0 |
| TOTAL NET SALES |
27.0% |
23.9 |
27.1 |
30.1 |