Back to where for back-to-school? The value of Marshalls vs. Barnes & Noble for FIU students
I am about to enter my second-to-last semester of college at Florida International University, graduating soon with my BA in English! Since then, I've been thinking about if I could use some new school supplies. I haven't gone out shopping since my first semester; a lot of my homework is online and only requires my laptop.
However, I've started feeling nostalgic for the time I bought my very first notebook at the Barnes & Noble located on the Modesto A. Maidique campus: a yellow floral decomposition book that I can divide between different classes. It's come in handy throughout classes, tutoring sessions, and personal journaling. Even though I thought it was a bit pricey when I first bought it, it's been two years and it's still in wonderful condition!
On the other hand, as much as I enjoy walking through the school's bookstore and grabbing my tequeño, it's not the busiest spot. More than likely, students are just there for the cafe food and to pick up textbooks. Genuinely, I don't think I've ever seen more than a few people window shopping, much less buying storybooks and supplies at the register. The store is conveniently located in the Graham Center, FIU's central spot, next to several classrooms and food spots, so why is there not much traffic?
I may have found my answer on a drive a few minutes out from Modesto A. Maidique: Marshalls. Located in Las Americas V Central Plaza between AMC and Florida National University, Marshalls is an off-price department store filled with mostly fashion and home goods, yet an abundance of writing and school supplies. Although they don't have as much in stock compared to FIU Barnes & Noble, I can't deny that seeing the prices for journals and pens here made me want to buy some that I don't even need! Which store will be better for my (and your) back-to-school shopping?
I've decided to answer this question by visiting both stores, browsing specific items, taking note of their prices, and comparing their overall value using a little math - no worries, I'll be doing all those calculations for you!
Disclaimer: I am not writing this in any bad faith towards either Marshalls or Barnes & Noble at Florida International University. This article is simply for weighing the pros and cons of each supplier and encouraging readers to come to their own conclusion on which store's supplies hold the better value.
Marshalls - less available for less
Marshalls is known for their lower prices and convenience. Although they don't have a full school supplies aisle, some basic items such as medium to large notebooks and 3-count pen packs are readily available. And even though endless rows of off-brand floral notebooks with pink accents and cute cats may not be every shopper's cup of tea, you may be interested in the reduced prices on 24-count sets of highlighters and gel pens. For a humbler price, you could find charming supplies for crafting and staying organized.
I cannot lie that when I saw multiple journals for under $7 each, I wanted to buy them all (and I probably wouldn't even use one...). Here is a basic rundown of all the items I recorded and the average prices of each plus even more pictures!
I calculated the average price through noting down the prices of five items in each category (with the exceptions of highlighters and gel pens at fewer items since less brands were in stock), from the lower to higher end:
1. Notebooks and journals - $5.19
2. Agendas and planners - $8.59
3. Pens (3-pack) - $6.99
4. Highlighters (24-pack) - $8.99
5. Satin Grip gel pens (8-pack) - $6.99 (exact price)
6. Satin Grip gel pens (18-pack) - $8.00 (exact price)
On the good end, these items seem reasonably priced and come in large numbers in the case of writing tools. On the other end, Marshalls school supply stock is mostly limited to these items, so other necessities such as binders and calculators must be found elsewhere. Plus, it is harder to guarantee how long items such as the journals and pens will last when you know you are paying at a lower price.
FIU Barnes & Noble - more variety, but at a cost
FIU Barnes & Noble is simply more pleasant to browse; items are organized in exact detail with many color and size variations compared to Marshalls. Here, your class notebook and pen collection can show off your cutesy or dark side depending on if you purchase all pink gel pens or a black leather journal. Despite the selection here offering more sense of identity, a lot of the prices make items potentially inaccessible for many students.
Here are the average prices of some items at FIU Barnes & Noble, each with different sample sizes
(Note: I am calculating for off-brand or non-FIU-branded supplies as I assumed they will be cheaper. Any items that are FIU-branded will be specified):
1. Notebooks and journals (sample size of 5) - $11.98
2. Agendas and planners (sample size of only 2 available) - $26.49
3. Pens:
- Writech Color Coded Writing Set (7-pack) - $19.98
- Z-Grip Flight Bold Black pens (4-pack) - $5.98
- G2 Gel Pen Bold Black (2-pack) - $5.98
- Bic Round Stic Xtra Life ball point pens (10-pack) - $4.98 (best value)
- Clickart Standard Palette (MARKER PENS) (12-pack) - $26.98
4. Highlighters:
- Brite Liner highlighters (5-pack) - $5.98
- Sharpie Clear View highlighters (3-pack) - $9.98
5. Gel pens
- Pentel EnerGel (5-pack) - $19.98
- Bic Gelocity Quick Dry pens (8-pack) - $17.98
5. FIU-branded journals - $22.73
On one hand, FIU Barnes & Noble sells higher quality brands and materials in their store which may explain the elevated prices. On the other hand, the overall value of these items may depend heavily on the students' needs and how they view the importance of what they purchase. For example, a student who just wants to stay organized may prefer getting an agenda from Marshalls for under $10 rather than one at FIU Barnes & Noble for approximately $20.
Doing the math on for example, pens, a pen at Marshalls is on average $2.25 while a pen at FIUB&N is $1.96; although this may seem like a better deal, it highly depends on which pen pack you buy and the value of one pen per pack. For example, a pen in a 4-pack at Marshalls can cost $1.67 at its lowest, but a pen from the Writech Color Coded Writing Set can cost you at least $2.85.
I've concluded that which product/store is the better value will once again depend on your needs. Marshalls is the better fit for me as someone trying to save money and who doesn't need many supplies, but I can recognize that the school's bookstore has some more specialized and maybe longer-lasting items. If you're a STEM student, perhaps you'll want to grab a cheaper agenda from Marshalls to keep all your demanding tasks organized after stopping by FIU Barnes & Noble to pick up a calculator. If you're an artist, maybe you wouldn't mind paying more for a marker set compared to a student looking to find quick highlighter packs for their assignments.
This fall will be all about new challenges and experiences, so it's best to be prepared the way you want to be.
Florida International University Barnes & Noble is located at 11000 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33174.
Marshalls by FIU at Las Americas V Central Plaza is located at 11865-f1 SW 26th St, Tamiami, FL.