The nation's largest textbook retailer is under threat as Wagga students are opting to purchase their textbooks for discounted prices elsewhere.
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The book-selling chain is facing stiff competition from second-hand sites such as Facebook Marketplace and sites which offer cheaper textbooks such as StudentVIP.
Charles Sturt University in Wagga is the only campus that still has the Co-op store.
Wagga's Student Representative Council president Steven Seabrook said many students want to find cheaper alternatives.
"Probably a big reason why these stores are closing is students have a pretty big network of second hand textbooks available to them via social media," Mr Seabrook said.
"I find new textbooks quite expensive, but the Co-op will also buy them back at about 30 per cent of the shelf price.
It's not worth the money to buy the textbooks for my course and for the little time it's needed.
- CSU student, Danika Sherry
"Most of the time I sell them back for my elective subjects because I won't use them again."
The 23-year-old said he purchased the two remaining textbooks he needed from the Co-op store and said the shop seemed "pretty active".
"There were deliveries arriving and other students buying textbooks and stationery," Mr Seabrook said.
CSU Wagga graphic design and photography student Danika Sherry said she has never entered the Co-op store.
"I've never bought anything or have been inside mostly because of the prices," she said.
"It's not worth the money to buy the textbooks for my course and for the little time it's needed.
"I usually look up versions online to try and find free ones or that people have posted to borrow."
Ms Sherry said she has had a "bad experience" as a CSU student and having access to free resources.
"I did an online course where I had to write essays and reference compulsory readings," she said.
"When I went to access them I was instructed to pay, however university students could gain access for free except CSU students.
"So I couldn't use half of the readings because I couldn't access them without paying."
Another Wagga student turned to Ebay and Amazon after she found Co-op did not stock her required textbooks.
"I was told by other students that I could search for books on Co-op's website, but when I put the book titles into the search bar and also my course code nothing came up," Pia Bates said.
"I spent so long trying different variations of the book's titles but I wasn't sure if it was because they didn't have the stock or they were out of stock.
"Now when I need to get my textbooks, I found them both on Ebay and Amazon and second-hand on StudentVIP are also much cheaper."
Similarly, CSU communication and design officer Kerri-Anne Chin said most of her students look for cheaper alternatives to Co-op.
"Most don't purchase from the Co-op as they are much more expensive and instead used the website StudentVIP," she said.
"Co-op closed all the stores down at the other campuses and I think CSU Wagga is the only main campus for Co-Op purchases."
The Co-op did not respond to requests by The Daily Advertiser for comment by email or in person.
A CSU spokesperson confirmed Wagga is the only campus with a Co-op Bookshop and the company closed its store at the Bathurst campus in December 2017 and the Albury-Wodonga campus lost its Co-op shop a few years ago.
However, CSU student Matthew Mannes said he finds Co-op a more "reliable" and convenient option of purchasing university resources.
"I use Co-op often as they are reliable and I can get the textbooks I need at a reasonable price, however if classmates or other students are selling the books I need second hand and in good condition then I often opt to purchase books available second hand," he said.
"I will be happy to pay co-op member price for books when I don't know of anyone else selling them second hand, from a CSU textbook Buy Swap and Sell page.
