Campus, News

Convenience’s sake

There are seven Campus Convenience and City Convenience stores spanning the length of Boston University between Packard’s Corner and Massachusetts Avenue, but easy-to-reach locations come at an increasingly steep price, a disparity students notice but often ignore for the ease of shopping from their dorm’s doorstep.
At CampCo, prices for basic items like cereal bars, frozen meals and medicine were almost always higher than the prices of the same products at CVS, Shaw’s Supermarket or 7-Eleven as of last week.
But unlike other stores that charge higher prices for their convenient locations, CampCo and CityCo stores often raise prices by more than one-third over a store just one block away. Some locations sit across the street from their competitors.
CampCo and CityCo, however, are the only locations that accept BU convenience points.
College of Communication junior Samantha Karpman said she thinks CampCo’s acceptance of Convenience Points, high prices and prime location are ‘part of BU trying to take your money away.’
A pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream at CampCo costs 50 cents more than at CVS. Lean Cuisine microwave dinners at CampCo cost 70 cents more than at Shaw’s and 10 cents more than at CVS. Triscuits cost 20 cents more at CampCo than at Shaw’s and 50 cents more than at CVS. A bottle of Dayquil costs nearly 35 percent more at CampCo than at Shaw’s.
A 12-ounce Red Bull energy drink, however, actually costs less at CampCo than at other locations, as does a 20-ounce bottle of Aquafina water.
The BU-owned 660 Corporation operates all 17 CampCo and CityCo locations. Nearly all of 660’s stores are located at or near BU, Boston College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Company operations director Chris Christensen declined to comment on the pricing at CampCo and CityCo. The Terrier Card office did not respond to press inquiries as of press time.
CAS freshman Caitlin Cohen said convenience was what drove her spending, a tendency that has led to overspending.’
‘I bought conditioner there once and realized my mistake after,’ she said. ‘I won’t do that again.’
CAS sophomore Rachel Scott said lower prices would prove ‘beneficial’ to students, though she does not think many of them care enough to avoid the stores.
‘A lot of students [who] stop in there don’t really pay attention,’ she said.
School of Management sophomore Abhi Ananta said he does not think CampCo’s prices are high enough to change his spending habits.’
‘I just don’t care,’ he said. ‘It’s not worth it to save 40 cents.’ If the students cared enough, they wouldn’t shop there.’
Ananta said Convenience Points are an incentive for many students to shop at CampCo.
‘A lot of students don’t view Convenience Points as real money,’ Ananta said.

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2 Comments

  1. Even worse is the limited use of dining points. I wish dining points could be used at such convenience stores on food products. However, BU wants students to use dining points on Late Nite, pizza delivery, and at the GSU, all of which are expensive with the last not worth the trip if you live down by West Campus.

  2. As if BU doesn’t steal our money every day in other ways, there’s always this too. They know that students using Convenience Points at CampCo or CityCo are willing to pay that extra amount because that way they are spending their parents money instead of their own. When I go to Johnny’s Fresh Market across the street from my apartment, I get what seems like twice as much stuff for the same price. CampCo, a five minute walk from where I live, is actually free for me – twice as much for my parents, but free for me. It’s criminal, if ya ask me.