Comments on: Sold on Rented Textbooks? http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/ Talking about money, without being boring. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:22:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: John http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-21297 John Wed, 24 Oct 2007 03:27:20 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-21297 I just like the idea of renting the best. I love the thought of just returning the book at the end of the semester and not have to go through oh I will be able to sell it or Shit i can't sell it.. I pay less with renting and I get a US edition plus I can just send it back. I think bigwords is a good option but I think renting still has no hassle as you know you are getting the book you need. I just like the idea of renting the best. I love the thought of just returning the book at the end of the semester and not have to go through oh I will be able to sell it or Shit i can’t sell it.. I pay less with renting and I get a US edition plus I can just send it back. I think bigwords is a good option but I think renting still has no hassle as you know you are getting the book you need.

]]> By: Brandon Barkley http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-20443 Brandon Barkley Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:10:55 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-20443 Obviously too late for this semester, but it is worth noting that I find selling on Amazon to be pretty easy. They take a bit high of a commission (I think about 15% plus some flat fees), but once you list it, you can forget it for the most part (you have to renew the listing ever 90 days or so). The best part is that there is no cost if it doesn't sell. I have had pretty good luck with this. Obviously too late for this semester, but it is worth noting that I find selling on Amazon to be pretty easy. They take a bit high of a commission (I think about 15% plus some flat fees), but once you list it, you can forget it for the most part (you have to renew the listing ever 90 days or so). The best part is that there is no cost if it doesn’t sell.

I have had pretty good luck with this.

]]> By: Whitney Callaway http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-18481 Whitney Callaway Sun, 23 Sep 2007 13:37:41 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-18481 Amen on the bigwords.com A $300 textbook semester went down to $70. Can you believe that? Catch is: you're buying online so be sure you have time to get the books shipped. I've done late registration last two semesters due to switching schools, so I haven't had that option available to me. :( Amen on the bigwords.com A $300 textbook semester went down to $70. Can you believe that? Catch is: you’re buying online so be sure you have time to get the books shipped. I’ve done late registration last two semesters due to switching schools, so I haven’t had that option available to me. :(

]]> By: tehnyit http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-15754 tehnyit Wed, 29 Aug 2007 13:22:43 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-15754 It sounds like books hasn't got any cheaper since I attended university about 15 years ago. I did an engineering degree. Luckily, my university library was quite up to date and there had the prescribed text books were in their catalogue. I only had to purchase about 20% of the prescribed books. Good luck searching for your books! It sounds like books hasn’t got any cheaper since I attended university about 15 years ago. I did an engineering degree. Luckily, my university library was quite up to date and there had the prescribed text books were in their catalogue. I only had to purchase about 20% of the prescribed books.

Good luck searching for your books!

]]> By: Matt Albiniak http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-15725 Matt Albiniak Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:56:45 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-15725 Hey Stephanie, I hear you about the international editions. Truth be told, I picked up one international edition that claimed to be exactly the same, and it was, up until the last 10% of the book (chapters 16-19). I'm still trying to work out a refund. ...but, I'm almost positive that you can filter out international editions from bigwords. I'd like to know how your book rental goes this semester. I'm going to subscribe to your RSS, so post an update at the end of the semester. Good luck- Hey Stephanie,

I hear you about the international editions. Truth be told, I picked up one international edition that claimed to be exactly the same, and it was, up until the last 10% of the book (chapters 16-19). I’m still trying to work out a refund.

…but, I’m almost positive that you can filter out international editions from bigwords.

I’d like to know how your book rental goes this semester. I’m going to subscribe to your RSS, so post an update at the end of the semester.

Good luck-

]]> By: Stephanie http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-15710 Stephanie Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:57:53 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-15710 <b>Matt, Latoya</b>, Thanks for the suggestion to check out Big Words. I did, and in theory, I could save money, even over renting. But I would have to buy the international editions of the books, and that makes me uncomfortable. Sure, it SAYS they're the same text as the US version, but I'm just not going to buy something that makes me uncomfortable. I'll pay the higher price to be sure I'm getting the right textbooks. But thanks for pointing the site out! It works really well and I'll be checking it every semester from now on. Matt, Latoya,

Thanks for the suggestion to check out Big Words. I did, and in theory, I could save money, even over renting. But I would have to buy the international editions of the books, and that makes me uncomfortable. Sure, it SAYS they’re the same text as the US version, but I’m just not going to buy something that makes me uncomfortable. I’ll pay the higher price to be sure I’m getting the right textbooks.

But thanks for pointing the site out! It works really well and I’ll be checking it every semester from now on.

]]> By: Latoya Watson http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-15666 Latoya Watson Tue, 28 Aug 2007 14:54:58 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-15666 Hold UP!! Don't do anything until you go to HTTP://WWW.BIGWORDS.COM I'm telling you, you will save so much more money you'll want to slap me. Lol seriously though... And if your new major is Business now, those books will most likely be a huge help to you and you'll want to keep them. So renting them wouldn't be the best idea. Check it out before you do anything though - bigwords.com .. I love it. Hold UP!! Don’t do anything until you go to HTTP://WWW.BIGWORDS.COM

I’m telling you, you will save so much more money you’ll want to slap me. Lol seriously though…

And if your new major is Business now, those books will most likely be a huge help to you and you’ll want to keep them. So renting them wouldn’t be the best idea.

Check it out before you do anything though - bigwords.com .. I love it.

]]> By: Matt Albiniak http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-15226 Matt Albiniak Thu, 23 Aug 2007 21:18:59 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2007/08/23/sold-on-rented-textbooks/#comment-15226 :-) I had the same heart failure earlier this week, and like you, considered using TextBookFlix. I opted against it, though, but it sounds like I've had better luck in the sellback process. For one, I never, ever, buy OR sell books through my campus bookstore. I always buy and sell online, and I usually recover between 70-85% of my original cost (excluding custom printed books). How? I'm surprised you didn't mention this in your search. BigWords (http://www.bigwords.com) is the best resource I've found for buying and selling, and I've rarely been unable to find a buyer at the end of the semester. Unless you already made a move, I'd say check em out. I blogged about my fun textbook hunting @ http://albiniak.tumblr.com, including a spreadsheet of my purchase decisions. So, from broke student to broke student, good luck. :-)

I had the same heart failure earlier this week, and like you, considered using TextBookFlix. I opted against it, though, but it sounds like I’ve had better luck in the sellback process.

For one, I never, ever, buy OR sell books through my campus bookstore. I always buy and sell online, and I usually recover between 70-85% of my original cost (excluding custom printed books).

How? I’m surprised you didn’t mention this in your search. BigWords (http://www.bigwords.com) is the best resource I’ve found for buying and selling, and I’ve rarely been unable to find a buyer at the end of the semester. Unless you already made a move, I’d say check em out.

I blogged about my fun textbook hunting @ http://albiniak.tumblr.com, including a spreadsheet of my purchase decisions.

So, from broke student to broke student, good luck.

]]>