Posts Tagged ‘Bookstore’

Publishers Introducing Packets to Rip Off Students

While I don’t think this is happening at Marietta College, I’m posting this because its could happen here eventually if we’re not careful.

The Consumerist is reporting on the plight of students at many other schools who go to buy books, only to find that they can’t find a deal because the books they try to buy do not exist.  Publishers have begun selling books in packets, which do not have to have the same ISBN number as the textbooks inside them.  Therefore, you can’t buy a used book that does not exist.  The packets also do not tell you what books are inside until you open them up, so trying to search for a book by title doesn’t work either.

You can read more about the infuriating problem of packets at The Consumerist.

Bookstore Now Lists Fall Book Lists

Check out the Marietta College online book lists now so that you can shop around and get the best price possible.

Remember to check Half.com, Amazon.com, and Textbooks.com.  If you’re buying directly from the Marietta College Bookstore, you are probably paying much more than you need to.

Check out this story I wrote before the Spring semester to see the exact savings compared to Half and Amazon and learn other tips.

Textbooks.com has provided these tips as well (FULL DISCLOSURE: I was sent these tips by Textbooks.com in a message sent to blogs like Writing on the Mall.  I am not being compensated for posting these tips):

There is no doubt about it – textbook prices suck! Textbooks.com, the site with the cheapest prices on the planet’s biggest selection of hand-inspected used textbooks, is committed to keeping more cash in the pockets of students than any other website. JT Thome, Chief Operating Officer of Textbooks.com shares the following tips to help students save when shopping for textbooks.

• The biggest mistake that many students make when purchasing their textbooks is that they wait too long.  The secret to reducing the cost of a student’s textbooks is to shop early when the used books are plentiful. Used books save money – big money, especially when the used books are bought online on sites like Textbooks.com.

• The second biggest mistake that some students make is by waiting too long to sell their books back at the end of the semester. By selling their books back after their final exams, the students will get the most for their money.

• Selling their books back online will pay them even more. Specifically, Textbooks.com automatically pays students a bonus of 10% for those books bought back online that were originally purchased from Textbooks.com. And, for the top best-selling textbooks, Textbooks.com actually guarantees to the student when they purchase their books that they will receive 50% of the new book selling price when they sell them back at the end of the term. This is true whether the student bought the books new or used. These titles are listed on the Textbooks.com website as “Guaranteed Cash Back” titles.

• When buying used books online the discounts can range anywhere from 30% to 90% off the new book price from the publisher. And for those students that want to buy new books, they can find discounts from 15% to 30% off.

• When making their purchase, students should be sure to double-check the ISBN number to make sure they are purchasing the correct edition. Also, make sure not to buy an international edition.  Websites like Textbooks.com never sell international editions, and any old editions are always very clearly marked.

• Again, shop early.  As soon as students have their courses selected and have received their syllabus from the faculty member, it’s time to buy their textbooks.

As a note, as well, I have had good luck with International editions of books, so as long as they are printed in English, get them if they are cheap and available.

Book Buying Tips

If you havn’t heard, the book lists are up for the Spring Semester.  Typically not the most fun day, as you are expected to shell out around $500 (in most cases) for books.  Absurd.  If you follow these helpful tips, you should be able to save AT LEAST 30 to 40%, if not closer to the elusive 50% mark.

Read more…

Book lists are up…finally…

I was just about to post that my guess was going to be January 2nd, but then I got a tip that the booklists came online sometime today.

Head over to the Marietta Bookstore Online to find out how much your Spring semester is going to make you pay…or at least give you a number to show how much money you saved.

I’ll have a more in-depth look at how to save money on books up tomorrow, but for now remember that Amazon.com and Half.com or Ebay will get you at least (if not more) than half off for most people.