There are many legitimate websites where you can purchase both new and used textbooks at a fraction of the price you would pay at your local college or university bookstore, and there is really no good reason why you should ever have to pay the suggested retail price of any college textbook. But determining the condition of online textbooks is always a concern. Fortunately, it’s not nearly as difficult as you might think.

 

Even on new college textbooks, you can save as much as 35% off the retail price. That’s significant, and almost never do you have to worry about the condition of these books. The book sites selling textbooks will generally disclose any concerns. With new college textbooks, it can be a damaged jacket or perhaps some bent corners, but seldom is it much more. By the time you’ve used it a full semester, you’ll have likely done far worse. Generally new textbooks are exactly that — new — just like you’d find at your college bookstore.

 

Used college textbooks pose a slightly different concern. These textbooks can have torn or bent pages, writing on the pages, damaged spines, and a host of other problems from minor to major. The price should reflect the condition of the textbook. For example, a textbook in almost new condition may cost 50% of the new price, but a textbook that has a weak binding and writing on a few of the pages but with no missing pages might only sell for 25% of the new price.

 

 

Now consider this. You are in the medical program and one of your textbooks sells for $300 new. 50% would save your $150, but on a textbook that’s showing some wear you could save $225. That’s on just one text, but what if you were taking 5 courses? You could save more than a $1000, or even at just 50% savings that could be $500 for just one semester. You see you will have to determine how important the condition of the textbook is in relation to the price and the savings.

 

The reputable sites do an excellent job of evaluating the condition of the textbook and providing their visitors with that information. There are all kinds of websites that sell textbooks online. The key is to do your research and compare condition, pricing, shipping, and any other factors that are important to you.

 

You don’t need to settle for anything below your standards even when you are purchasing used textbooks. Except on the rare occasion, most textbooks are readily available in a variety of conditions and prices so you simply need to shop around. It’s tough being a student with so many expenses and so little income, and textbooks are certainly one of your biggest expenses, but it doesn’t have to be.