ValoreBooksBlog.com

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!

Textbook rental companies charge additional fees for late returns, lost or stolen books and damaged books. You can even end up paying more money than the list price for a book that is lost or stolen during the rental period!

This is the second post in a series we are calling MythBreakers, where we dispel common myths about textbooks and other issues that plague college students. We are on a mission in 2010 to make sure that you have access to the cheapest textbooks possible in order to defer other rising education expenses. Our previous post, MythBreakes Presents: Is Renting Cheaper Than Buying? showed that students save more by buying a used textbook and selling it back at the end of the semester at ValoreBooks.com than renting it. In this post, we are revealing some of the hidden costs of renting textbooks. These costs are the additional costs you would incur if you forgot to return your book on time, it was lost or stolen, or if the rental company considers your book damaged at the end of the rental.

If your textbook is not received by the rental company by the return date, you will automatically be charged an extension fee. The extension fees range from about 25% of the rental price, all the way through 20% of the list price. The extension ranges from 7-15 days extra. For the books we tracked, the extension fee ranged from about $3.50 to $36.16, depending on the rental company and the textbook.

What happens if your book is returned after the extension period, or is lost or stolen during the semester? You will be charged a replacement fee, a hefty replacement fee at that. The cost of the replacement fee is about the list price of the book. For our research, the replacement fee ranged from $52.86- $165.80. Keep in mind that the list price is much higher than the rental price. For our research, the average list price was $128.19.

How about damaged books? A damage fee is assessed depending on the extent of the damage, and whether or not insurance was purchased on the book. Please see the expanded data below.

To be sure that you won’t be hit with any unexpected costs, purchase a used textbook from a marketplace such as ValoreBooks.com. You can own the book for much less, and never have to worry about being charged additional fees. Even better, since you own the book, you have the right to sell it! You can participate in our sell back program or register to become a marketplace seller and set your own price! If you have any questions about buying and selling at ValoreBooks.com, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Do you have any other myths you would like us to explore?

* Buy and Sell prices are based on available pricing on 1/28/2010 at 10:00 AM. All prices are subject to change at any time based on the actions of marketplace buyers and sellers. Renting prices are based on the average prices for available book rentals at 10:00 AM on 1/28/2010 from bookrenter.com, campusbookrentals.com, chegg.com and ecampus.com. Rental prices are based on the duration of one semester. All prices are subject to change at any time.

No! You can save more money by buying and selling your textbooks at ValoreBooks.com than by renting your textbooks. In a time where somber news reverberates across U.S. college campuses surrounding budget cuts, tuition hikes and decreasing aid programs, ValoreBooks.com is on a mission to offer affordable education to students. One of the main ways you can save money is by cutting the cost of your college textbooks. We are committed to saving you money by providing cheap textbooks. We also think it’s important to provide you with information that will aid you in your search for affordable textbooks.

Part of this effort is debunking the myth that renting textbooks is cheaper than buying textbooks. After a weeklong comparison of prices from ValoreBooks.com and four major textbook rental companies, the verdict is in. Buying and selling back on a marketplace such as ValoreBooks.com can save you more money than renting.

Price comparisons from ValoreBooks.com and the average rental prices from four major textbook rental companies on January 18th, 2010 show that you can save more money by buying and selling a textbook, than by renting it. The net cost of buying and selling Biology and Mastering Biology, ISBN 0321543254 on ValoreBooks.com is $37.95, while the average cost of renting the same book is $81.29, a savings of $43.34. The same goes for Calculus:Early Transcendentals, ISBN 0495011665 with a savings of $35.23 as well as Consumer Behavior , ISBN 0136015964 with a savings of $35.16. An expanded list can be found below.

* Buy and Sell prices are based on available pricing on 1/18/2010 at 11:00 AM. All prices are subject to change at any time based on the actions of marketplace buyers and sellers. Renting prices are based on the average prices for available book rentals at 11:00 AM on 1/18/2010 from bookrenter.com, campusbookrentals.com, chegg.com and ecampus.com. Rental prices are based on the duration of one semester. All prices are subject to change at any time.

You can save even more money by listing your textbook for sale on the marketplace. Here, you are able to set your own price for the book, and get paid once the item sells. You can purchase Exploring Psychology, ISBN 0716771411 in good condition for $41.87 from the ValoreBooks.com marketplace and then resell the item on the marketplace in the price range of $41.87-$63.00 when you are done using it. The net cost for the textbook could be nothing, and you could even make money on the transaction!

Since you can acquire your textbooks from several different outlets, it is important to shop around and find an option that best suits your budget.

ValoreBooks.com has launched our About Us Page!  You already know that ValoreBooks.com is the #1 marketplace for cheap college textbooks.  Now, you can discover what we are all about.  We, at ValoreBooks.com, have come a long way from our humble beginning.  What was once an operation out of a dorm room in the small upstate New York college town of Fredonia, NY is now a busy office in San Diego, CA.   

CEO Bobby Brannigan’s vision for the company in 2002 was simple and smart; to build an online college textbook marketplace that would specifically cater to college students and include a student-to-student, commission-based, marketing program.  Today, that vision is alive and thriving.

The ValoreBooks.com online marketplace offers cheap textbooks to students from over 10,000 booksellers across the country.  We pride ourselves in offering cheap textbooks, providing great service, and dedicating ourselves to giving back to students.  We are not sitting still.  We are constantly working on ways to improve the site and make it even better for our customers.

Check out our About Us page to find out more about our CEO and our company!  You can watch a video with our CEO, Bobby Brannigan and read about our history, current position, customer guarantee and our goal.  When you are done checking us out, we would love to hear from you!  Please leave your comments and feel free to contact us anytime.

Buying cheap used textbooks not only helps your wallet, but it also helps save trees. It has been estimated that 4 million trees are cut down a year to print new textbooks. This year, if you have the choice to buy a new or used textbook, make sure to grab the used one!

The ValoreBooks.com Marketplace has over 10,000 booksellers that resell used books to college students across the country.  ValoreBooks.com helps prevent millions of used textbooks find new customers instead of finding landfills across the country! The used textbook industry allows students to Save Green in two ways: Save Cash, and Save Trees.

Here are a few helpful tips that you should know when you are looking to buy cheap textbooks.

SEARCH BY ISBN

• There are many variations of each textbook, and searching by a textbook ISBN will give you exactly what you need. If you do not have an ISBN, you can search by title and author at our Advanced Book Search.

REVIEW BOOK COMMENTS

• Marketplace sellers all list detailed descriptions of their textbooks. This is very helpful when looking to purchase a used textbook. Sellers will note if the used textbook has highlighting, notes, cover wear, software included, etc. View the book comments so you know exactly what you are getting!  If you have any questions about the book before you buy it, make sure to contact your bookseller!

REVIEW BOOK CONDITION

• The majority of textbooks and books on our site are used. If you do not need a new textbook, we suggest to save money and purchase a cheap used textbook. Our Marketplace Sellers offer millions of used textbooks and books at significantly reduced prices.

REVIEW BOOK SELLER

• Click on the Marketplace sellers name to view their feedback from past customers, as well as their confirmation ratings. Buying from a Marketplace seller who has been rated highly by other customers will ensure that your book buying experience will be a positive one.

CHOOSE PRIORITY MAIL

• Priority mail is only $3.00 more than media mail and you will receive your books much faster than media mail. All college students that need their books as soon as possible should order priority mail!  Priority mail orders usually take 2-5 business days to receive, and media mail orders usually take 4-14 business days to receive.

USE OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER

• If you have any questions about your order, or any issues arise, please use our Customer Service Center where we have many frequently asked questions. If you can’t find an answer, you can contact us, and your seller from our Customer Service Center.

ALLOW EMAILS FROM VALOREBOOKS.COM

• Add emails from customerservice@valorebooks.comto your Safe-Sender List or Address book to ensure delivery. Many new e-mail accounts have spam filters that will filter out unrecognized e-mail. Please allow your system to receive e-mails from ValoreBooks.com. We will send out important notifications regarding your order.

LEAVE FEEDBACK

• It is important that all customers leave feedback regarding their purchase. This will help better serve our ValoreBooks.com customers and let them know what type of experience to expect when buying from a specific seller.

KEEP THE RECYCLING PROCESS ALIVE AFTER THE SEMESTER!

When you are finished with your textbooks at the end of the semester, you can donate them or sell them back to ValoreBooks.com for cash!  It does not matter where you purchased your textbooks from, ValoreBooks.com will buy them back. We offer instant price quotes! Click here to Sell Textbooks Back Now!