On May 31, Apple Canada Inc. discontinued its Higher Education Reseller (HER) contracts with Canadian university and college bookstores. Canadian campus bookstores are no longer allowed to sell Apple computers and iPads to students and staff.
The company’s decision to terminate the contract came partly as a result of decreasing sales at school bookstores, with students favouring Apple’s online store and other major retail outlets.
For the U of T Bookstore, the cancelation of the HER contract came as a surprise.
Farhan Merchant, senior marketing and ecommerce manager at the U of T Bookstore, said, “This was both surprising and disappointing. The U of T bookstore has been a dedicated Apple retailer for more than 25 years.”
Apple did not respond to requests for comment as of press time.
Students can still receive significant discounts on Apple merchandise through Apple education pricing at the company’s online and retail stores.
The U of T Bookstore is currently working on a way for students to purchase Apple products with educational pricing through the bookstore.
To compensate for the loss of Apple products, the bookstore promised the incorporation of new brands and technology products beginning in September. The bookstore has held regular surveys and focus group sessions between the U of T Bookstore staff and its customers to give students greater influence on the types of products available.
“At the U of T bookstore, we are very committed to offering students the products and services they are interested in,” said Merchant, adding: “We very much value the feedback that students provide us through the surveys and appreciate that so many students take their time to share their ideas.”
The termination of the HER contract only affects universities with authorized campus stores. For example, Ryerson University’s campus store was not an authorized Apple dealer and will be unaffected by the changes.
