The student ID, a key to savings
26 September, 2013
category: Education
A campus ID is worth more than students and faculty may think. It’s not just a key for on-campus access and services. Flashing a campus card at stores and restaurants can also unlock major savings for student cardholders.
Companies target students for deals because if a product wins them over, the company might have customers for life. Clothing seller Banana Republic and electronics chain RadioShack, for example, offer discounts to college students year round. And electronic commerce company Amazon.com will ask for a college email address in exchange for deals.
Many companies offer deals for college students. Apple has special pricing on its laptops and desktop computers, both at its online and physical stores. MacBook Pro laptops, for example, are discounted $200. And Best Buy will send students online coupon codes every month on a variety of items for simply providing an .edu email address. Among the more recent deals, Best Buy offered $100 off Apple iMacs and $20 off Beats headphones.
Some retailers offer deals on their membership programs. Amazon.com gives college students free two-day shipping for six months. After that, they can sign up for Amazon’s Prime service for $39 a year, almost half off its regular price of $79 a year. Amazon Prime members receive free two-day shipping, free instant streaming of select movies and TV shows and one free e-book loan a month.
Many fast-food companies, such as Subway and Dairy Queen, offer discounts, but not all stores participate. Fast-food restaurants are often owned by individuals, and not the parent company. The companies can’t enforce the discount. So ask at the counter if they offer any discounts. Most are around 10 percent off.
