Are you itching to go to Bonnaroo June 10-13th in Manchester, TN? Is your bank account holding you back? Don’t fret; we’ve got your back! Enter our online prize promotion to win tickets to Bonnaroo 2010, and sell your textbooks back to ValoreBooks.com to earn extra cash and for an extra chance to win! The contest runs from 12:00 AM on Monday, March 8th, 2010 through 11:59 PM on May 4th, 2010.

Tickets to Bonnaroo are not the only way you will be rewarded by ValoreBooks.com. We all know how expensive textbooks can be, yet not everyone takes full advantage of the opportunity to be able to sell textbooks to earn some extra cash. ValoreBooks.com has some of the highest sell back prices offered anywhere as well as instant price quotes and free shipping. In order to get the best prices when you sell textbooks at ValoreBooks.com it is important to do so as early as possible. If you sell textbooks as soon as you can, you will be rewarded with higher sell back prices for those books that you no longer need.

With additional cash you’ll make selling your old textbooks, you can get off the couch at mom and dad’s and enjoy the fun stuff this summer like music festivals and road trips with your friends. Oh, the possibilities.

2010 is the year of options in the textbook industry. There are many options available when purchasing college textbooks, but which option is the cheapest and best fits your needs? You can purchase new and used books from the campus bookstore, turn to online retailers to buy cheap textbooks or rent textbooks from the campus store or online. In order to get the best deal, you should explore all of your available options and choose the method that best suits you and your budget. Below, we analyze each option.

The campus bookstore is a good option for students who need their textbooks right away. Sometimes, students don’t have access to their required textbooks until the first day of classes. Because of this, students turn to the campus bookstore because it is a quick, convenient way to purchase textbooks.  While the campus bookstore provides convenience, it is almost never the cheapest option compared to buying textbooks online or renting textbooks. Normally, only two price points are offered; the book’s list price and its used price which is generally set to 25% less than the new list price.  Students’ recognize that they are over spending at the bookstore, however if they need a book in order to complete an assignment on time, they may need to turn to the bookstore.  Professor’s can help students save money by posting required reading materials at least two weeks in advance to the course start date.  This gives students ample time to explore other options such as buying cheap textbooks online and accounts for shipping time as well.

Buying Textbooks at the Campus Bookstore:

·         Expensive

·         Convenient

·         Timely

·         Able to sell back qualified titles

By purchasing textbooks online, students can find both new and used copies at varying price points, as well as older editions, instructor’s editions and international editions. Online marketplaces are typically the cheapest place to buy books due to competition among sellers.  Many sellers competing to sell their items as well as numerous options lead to lower prices. Budget minded students are already familiar with the savings of buying textbooks online. Some students worry about timeliness and reliability of purchasing from online vendors. When purchasing from a marketplace, students are encouraged to purchase items from sellers with high customer feedback ratings.  Choosing a seller with a proven track record of reliability and timeliness eliminates possible order problems.  Besides choosing a recommended seller, many marketplaces offer fast shipping options. Choosing Priority Mail or faster is the best option for students in a time crunch. Lastly, purchasing from an online marketplace gives students the backing of the customer service department at that marketplace. In the event that a vendor sends an incorrect item or any issue surfaces throughout the order, this is important.

Buying Textbooks Online:

·         Inexpensive

·         Variety of editions and sellers

·         Must account for shipping time

·         Able to sell back qualified titles

Renting textbooks is another option that has gained traction this year; however current textbook rental prices can be deceptive. There are fees for late returns, lost or stolen books and books that are returned in a worse condition. Renting textbooks also does not leave students with the option to sell the book back through a textbook sell back program or list it on an online marketplace to recover some additional cash when they are done using the book. Lastly, students who wish to keep their book at the end of the semester should not rent textbooks.  The option to purchase the book at the end of the rental period is currently very expensive and students can end up paying the list price of the book or greater. The advantage to textbook rentals is that students can spend less money upfront, though that is not always true. Depending on the book, it may still be cheaper to buy the book used online.

Renting Textbooks:

·         Low upfront cost

·         Late/Damage/Replacement/Purchase Fees

·         Must account for shipping time

·         Unable to sell back

The three options above have both pros and cons, so it is important to weigh your needs when choosing where and how to acquire your textbooks.  We want to know where you bought your college textbooks this semester! Please make your selection on the poll below and share any comments about your experience!

Ah, tis’ the month of love. Whether you are in love, looking to find it or have sworn it off for good, we have Valentine’s Day must-reads for you. If you’re a love bird, snuggle up and get lost in Other People’s Love Letters by Bill Shapiro or Bright Star: Love Letters and Poems of John Keats to Fanny Brawne. If you’re on the prowl this February, check out Art of Seduction by Robert Greene and Meeting Your Half-Orange: An Utterly Upbeat Guide to Using Dating Optimism to Find Your Perfect Match by Amy Spencer. Did your last relationship leave you with a sour taste? Six-Word Memoirs on Love and Heartbreak: By Writers Famous and Obscure is a must have for your personal library. Below, check out more popular titles at sweet prices that are sure to put you in the mood for the month of love.

While supplies last. Prices are subject to change at any time. Excludes shipping costs.

Six-Word Memoirs on Love and Heartbreak by Larry Smith $14.95 $2.40		Other People’s Love Letters by Bill Shapiro $22.50 $16.87		Bright Star: Love Letters and Poems by John Keats $14.00 $6.07
Monday Hearts for Madalene by Page Hodel $16.95 $10.41		Love Stories by Diana Secker Tesdell $16.00 $9.64		Valentine Promises by LeAnn Weiss $14.00 $9.00
Love by Ferdinand Protzman $19.95 $16.07		Drenched: Stories of Love and Other Deliriums by Marisa Matarazzo $14.95 $8.99		Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey $14.95 $9.95
The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene $18.00 $10.00		Meeting Your Half-Orange by Amy Spencer $22.95 $16.52		Dear Old Love by Andy Selsberg $9.95 $7.67

You already visit ValoreBooks.com to get great deals on cheap college textbooks, but we want you to know we are more than just textbooks! We also offer many additional genres including bestselling novels, biographies, cook books and self help books as well as other popular genres. Even better, most of these titles can be purchased for under a dollar, many for just a penny!

In 2010, we have pledged our commitment to making education more affordable for you. We are doing this by offering heavily discounted textbooks and books, hosting a textbook scholarship and giving away textbooks to lucky students across the country. Penny books are just one example proving our commitment to our cause.  Send penny books as gifts, order them for yourself and catch up on previous bestsellers over your spring break, or check out the penny books that were made into movies.  Below is a partial list of penny books currently offered on our site.

While supplies last. Prices are subject to change at any time. Excludes shipping costs.

Snow Falling On Cedars by David Guterson $14.95 $0.01		Big Fish by Daniel Wallace $13.00 $0.01		Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck $14.00 $0.01
Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fieldling $14.00 $0.01		The iPod Book: Doing Cool Stuff with the iPod by Scott Kelby $16.00 $0.01		Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier $14.00 $0.01
It’s Not About the Bike My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong $14.00 $0.01		Bringing Down The House by Ben Mezrich $15.00 $0.01		30 Minute Meals by Rachael Ray $14.95 $0.01
Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand $15.95 $0.01		All the President’s Men by Bob Woodward $14.00 $0.01		John McCain: An American Odyssey by Robert Timberg $15.00 $0.01

We are in the process of creating an entire webpage on our site devoted to these cheap titles, so stay tuned. We’ll update the blog, our Twitter and Facebook pages once the page goes live.