Short of money? (Silly question, I know). Trying to figure out how you’re going to pay for all the textbooks for your next term? Are you creating new economic theories to balance your meager budget?
Then you’re probably not taking advantage of the best and most efficient way to get your textbooks cheap, and I mean really cheap.
Search and buy online. That’s all. Thats the secret. And to make sure you get the best value, here are the top 10 tips for buying textbooks online.
1. Buy early. Don’t wait for the first day of school to go get the books you need. That’s the time when demand increases and, inevitably, prices rise with it. Textbooks sell fast and furiously during that short period of time and the effort required to get the best deals is far greater than the effort required just a couple of weeks before.
If your college or university doesn’t provide you with textbook lists ahead of time, don’t despair, contact alumni of the course you want to take, or even the professors themselves, and ask them about the books you should buy. That little extra effort will certainly pay off.
2. Buy used. Second-hand textbooks are cheaper. That is an undeniable fact. It’s not unusual to find savings of over $50 compared to list prices.
3. Consider previous editions. Many times, books on classical physics, chemistry, or biology stay pretty much the same for years. If you’re willing to use older editions, you can find books for as little as $1. Not sure if the international edition will do? Get in touch with the tutor of your course and ask. Chances are he’ll even recommend an older book.
4. International Editions. An international edition is a textbook that has been published outside of the US and Canada and is intended for purchase and use outside of the US and Canada. International editions are generally drastically cheaper than their US/Canadian counterparts. here is the catchthe publishers of International Editions generally do not authorize the sale and distribution of International Editions in the United States and Canada and such sale or distribution may violate the copyrights and trademarks of the publishers of such works.
5. Use the ISBN number to increase the efficiency of your searches. Every book published since 1970 has a unique ISBN, using it instead of author and/or title will make your searches faster and 100% accurate.
6. Free shipping. Look for free shipping sellers when you’re shopping. Although shipping within the US is typically less than or perhaps less than $4, more and more sellers are willing to offer free shipping to potential customers to convert them into customers. This roughly translates to an additional 10% off a $40 book or 5% off an $80 book.
7. Shopping around. I know you already know, anyway, let me say it again, in case you landed on Earth from another planet 10 minutes ago. Compare prices from at least three different sellers before deciding. If you want to compare booksellers online, you can go to Bookfinder.com. To compare thousands of booksellers around the world, you can visit Abebooks.com, the world’s largest book marketplace.
8. Shop local. Check to see where the bookseller you are buying from is located before closing the deal. The closer the better, as shipping costs go down, the planet is happier and greener, and your community will no doubt appreciate the extra business.
9. Resell your old textbooks once you’re done with them. Chances are the same online bookseller you bought your books from is willing to buy them back, just go to their site and look for their buy-back program. Generally, shipping the books is free and payment is immediate upon receipt. This one sells itself, right?
10 Treat your textbooks well. Don’t use them as an umbrella or to kill that giant spider that appeared out of nowhere inside the bathtub. Don’t write your love interest’s name all over it along with little hearts and don’t use it as a canvas when you feel that artistic urge. Remember, you may want to sell them later and the better the condition of the book, the more money you will receive for it.
Follow these tips and I guarantee that you will find more money in your pockets, more time on your hands and, of course, the satisfaction of having finally entered the 21st century.
Buy online, you will never go back.