Topside was forced to cut prices for most of its items by approximately 20 percent in order to stay competitive with other Hanover convenience stores, according to Tattershall. The cuts were made in anticipation of lower business due to the College's switch to the SmartChoice meal plan, which no longer includes a specific allotment of Topside credit, Tattershall said. Students who opt to buy items at Topside can either use cash, charge the purchase to DASH or apply it to Topside credit, for which students are billed at the end of each term.
A comparison of 10 randomly selected items from Topside and their comparable matches at the Hanover CVS revealed prices that were close in value, although Topside prices were on average $0.57 higher than those of CVS.
Topside's price for Five-Hour Energy drinks, for example, was cut from $3.05 to $2.35, beating CVS's price of $2.50. A 50-ounce bottle of Tide Original laundry detergent, however, is $11.81 at Topside while the same product is $9.29 at CVS.
Tattershall said the Topside staff works hard to keep prices close to CVS prices, but lacks the chain's ability to buy in bulk.
"We don't have the buying power that CVS does," Tattershall said, "We're one store to their chain."
Despite the price cuts, Topside's business has fallen this term and the store sees fewer shoppers, according to Topside employee Ebaa Abdelfadeel '12, who has worked at Topside for three years.
"In the beginning of most terms, we would get really long lines," Abdelfadeel said, "Sometimes it would take 45 minutes for you to check out because it was just packed."
Students interviewed by The Dartmouth said they did not notice the price cuts and expressed little concern with the small cost differences between Topside and CVS.
Students did express dissatisfaction with the new meal plan and the absence of Topside credit provided in previous declining balance accounts.
"To my parents, it looks much worse when I have things added to my bill at the end of term, like something extra, as opposed to something that's paid in full beforehand," Terence Egbelo '12 said. "It feels like you're paying extra money."
Eight of 10 students interviewed by The Dartmouth said they prefer CVS to Topside, citing CVS's wider range of products, better hours, convenience and the "Cash Back" option for debit payments.
"CVS has a huge selection compared to Topside," Scott Nelson '14 said.
Students said the drugstore chain had better hours than its on-campus counterpart. Topside is open 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays, and from 12:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on weekends, while CVS is open 24 hours every day of the week.
"CVS is actually open when it says it will be open," Nelson said. "I've gone to Topside like three times and they just weren't open."
Kate Shelton '14 also said the lack of Topside credit in the new SmartChoice plan has become inconvenient and tedious.
"I'm really upset that we don't have Topside money anymore," Shelton said, "It's all out of pocket, so to speak."
Nayrana Carneiro '14 said she used to buy items from Topside every week but has not been to the store once this year.
"Now I'm pretty much boycotting Topside," Carneiro said.
Topside employee Dieynabou Barry '14 cited socioeconomic class differences as a primary reason for the recent lack of Topside business.
"Certain demographics of students don't come in here as much the people who don't have money to waste," Barry said. "If they're on a budget, they don't come in here. They think, I'm just going to wait it out or go to CVS and buy my stuff in bulk as opposed to coming in here and just wasting my money.'"
Several students interviewed by The Dartmouth, however, believe that Topside is worth the price due to its location. Max Durtschi '15 said he chooses Topside over CVS because of Topside's on-campus "convenience."
Despite some student complaints, Tattershall said he isn't worried about whether Topside can be a profitable business.
"We'll find our niche," he said.
