Chapters: hates Hitler and campus bookstores

By Joel Brown
Gazette Staff

The fear that Indigo Books & Music is preparing to steamroll its way into campus bookstores has prompted a number of Canadian colleges and universities to file a complaint with the federal competition bureau.

Two associations representing bookstores across the country believe the national book chain has violated a conduct order Indigo made with the competition bureau after the merger with Chapters last year.

The order states that Indigo will not open new retail stores until June 2003.

The action is the result of an attempt by Chapters Campus Bookstores, which is owned by Indigo and the American chain Barnes & Noble, to convince universities and colleges they would be best served by allowing the book giant to manage their bookstores.

The Western Canadian College Stores Association and Eastern Association of College Stores intend to officially file a complaint with the competition bureau.

"[Indigo's] act of going after bookstores is in direct violation of the conduct order," said Anna Li, WCCSA president.

Indigo spokeswoman Tracy Nesdoly said Indigo is fully complying with the order and will continue to do so.

"There are no deals being closed now by any means," she said. "We've been sending out letters to schools now because it often takes years to negotiates deals such as these."

Competition bureau spokesman Tim Wheil said he could not comment on the nature of the complaint since it has yet to be officially filed. However, he said that if it were to be determined as a problem it would be brought to a complaint tribunal.

Western VP-administration Peter Mercer said the school has not received any offers from Chapters Campus Bookstores recently, but that in the past, both Chapters and Barnes & Nobles have tried to sell Western on the idea of the chains running on-campus bookstores.

"Frankly I haven't seen a business plan that justifies doing it," Mercer said. "We're already very efficient and have a high level of satisfaction from our customers. I think the people running our store know what's better than private companies would."