The idea for the one-stop webshop is from Nienke Steensma and Sjoerd Opdam, commissioners of education for Simon Stevin (Steensma) and Protagoras (Opdam). They weren't happy students had to get their textbooks for electives from a bunch of different associations - a problem that came with the start of the Bachelor College. Students were faced with different order procedures and prices.

Late 2013, Steensma and Opdam informed the ten study associations of their plan, and they all liked the idea. Negotiations with Studystore were the next step, but because of a merger at the supplier these took longer than was initially expected. The joint contract was eventually signed last Thursday.

Prices are now the same everywhere, which is an important result of the joint contract. Previously, the same textbook could be cheap at one study association, and expensive at the next. The order process will also become much more user-friendly. "each association used to have its own system. Some required students to orde their textbooks four weeks before the start of a new term, while other associations estimated the number of textbooks that they's sell, so advance orders weren't necessary."

The webshop will be online later this month.