While a handful of businesses close to campus offer 10 percent student discounts, many choose not to advertise the deals, leaving students unaware that such discounts exist.

Advertisements are expensive, and students usually find out where the discounts are by shopping around or by word of mouth, said Milla Seletscicaia, manager of Hair Salon in the Reseda Plaza.

“We do give student discounts on everything from manicures, (to) pedicures, (to) hair cuts, but advertising costs too much,” Seletscicaia said.

While some businesses choose not to advertise at all, some send out flyers and brochures for a set period of time, rather than advertising all year, said Levon Nargizyan, general manager of Quizno’s on Prairie Street.

Quizno’s offered a 10 percent student discount in the past, but got rid of it, Nargizyan said.

With 45 percent of Quizno’s customers being students, Nargizyan took away student discounts in September because customers would get impatient waiting for 10 percent discount transactions to take place, Nargizyan said.

“We used to (advertise), but the line would get too long,” Nargizyan said. “We save money on advertisements (because) it’s expensive.”

Newspaper advertisements can be costly, depending on the publication, and if the ad runs for a month in a publication, business owners are looking to spend close to $300 a month, Nargizyan said.

“I haven’t seen any advertising,” said Brandon Uhm, undeclared freshman. “They should put up advertisements or paperwork.”

When a business already has loyal customers, it looks to find new clientele and offer the discount to boost business, said Gina Danon, owner of Sharky’s, located on the corner of Prairie Street and Reseda Boulevard.

Customers who are unaware of the discount prices are left out, and those who are already loyal to a certain business do not get offered the discount because this would defeat the purpose of the discount, which Danon said is to draw in new customers.

“I am aware of a college student’s budget, because I’m only 20 years old,” Danon said. “I know I want to get my hair done, wash my car. It all adds up, and the discounts help.”

Sharky’s, however, does not advertise its student discounts, Danon said.

The three main things people remember about a business are the service, the discount and the quality of the product, Danon said.

“At the Falafel Palace, we get more students because the food is already discounted, and then students get the 10 percent discount on top of that,” said Danon, whose father is the owner of Falafel Palace.

The movie theater provides student discounts, and it helps when professors recommend businesses to students, said Philip Calderon, junior CTVA major.

“My teacher told us about a photo shop in Hollywood, and told us about the discount,” Calderon said.

ASAP Copy and Print offers student discounts, and post signs advertising the discounts, said Ali Tazahbi, co-owner of the store.

“We have flyers, and it says 10 percent off, but no students ask for the discount,” Tazahbi said.

Many businesses that offer discounts have not made those discounts known, and businesses should post flyers or posters to inform students, said Javier Jimenez, sophomore Chicano/a studies major.

“I haven’t used them yet,” Jimenez said. “They have not been made available to me. At least put some sort of poster or flyer on campus or in the bathrooms.”