Purchasing Resources for College Textbooks

Used Textbooks

Get the most for your money by buying used textbooks
By Kelly Shetsky, Anchor/Reporter If you are a student, buying used college textbooks is a great way for you to save money . Each semester, you must dish out hundreds of dollars for the books your professors require. Good luck getting your hands on a used one at the college bookstore--they're usually scooped up right away.

There are millions of cheap used textbooks for sale online. It's worth comparing the cost to new textbooks because you can save a substantial amount of money for the exact same books. Sure, they may have some highlighting in them, but besides that, it's the same book at a fraction of the cost. When buying used textbooks, take the following into consideration:

1. Check out the potential savings before placing an order to a used textbook.

2. Buy used textbooks from reputable websites with ratings systems for sellers.

3. Pay it forward by reselling your books once you're done with them.

Save major dough by buying used textbooks instead of new ones

Used textbooks can save you 80% or 90% off the list price. Online retailers include textbook companies and individual college students.
Try:  Buy used textbooks at Amazon.com. The company sells cheap used textbooks and guarantees them with a reimbursement program called the A-Z Guarantee Program. It covers your cost if the used college textbooks you order never arrive or if they have unexpected damage. Barnes & Noble.com sells used textbooks, too. Search by Title, Author, Keyword or ISBN. Buy used college textbooks from Buy Used Textbooks. You're guaranteed a good price because the website runs price comparisons against major bookstores and books on sale by other college students.

Use the ISBN coder when ordering used college textbooks online

You've probably heard of the ISBN; it stands for the International Standard Book Number. It's a 10 or 13-digit number on the back cover that is used to identify textbooks. Most used textbook websites ask for the ISBN. You can also search by title or author, but you may not get the correct edition of the textbook. The ISBN guarantees you're ordering the used college textbooks your professors require.
Try:  Alibris allows used textbook buyers to search using the book's ISBN. Simply type it in to the search box on the top of the page. eCampus.com has tons of used textbooks for sale. On the main page, there are search boxes for Title, Author, ISB or Keyword. Again, enter the ISBN if you have it.

Sell used textbooks to recoup some of your hard-earned money

Most companies that sell used textbooks have book buyback services. Students who sell used textbooks keep them stocked, so they can turn around and resell them!
Try:  Bookbyte.com gives you an instant quote based on the ISBN number. The company also covers the shipping cost, so you don't need to worry about it. Half.com, Inc. promises to give you a higher rate than the college bookstore.

• Many websites with used textbooks for sale rate the sellers. You should buy used textbooks from someone who has a high rating from other buyers because you'll know they're more reliable.

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