Online Textbook Buying Tips

Buying textbooks while a necessary part of college life is not something most students look forward to. Long lines and hours of waiting aside, most find the idea of walking around a overcrowded book store about as appealing as pulling teeth. Thankfully there are alternative options available today.

There are many web sites available to help you find and purchase the text book you need. These range from generic web sites dedicated to book and textbook sales, to your campus bookstore which can ship textbooks to you, rather than you going to them. With choices abound sometimes it is hard to make a selection. However, we’ve compiled some online textbook buying tips that you should keep in mind. Not only would these tips save you time, but they can also save you money!

Tips
1. Always comparison shop. Some sites offer better prices than others.
2. When possible, try to order your book 1-2 weeks prior to your class start date. Or request expedited shipping for faster delivery.
3. Be sure to match the ISBN numbers on the textbook prior to ordering. This ensures the your receipt of the correct edition.
4. Buy used textbooks rather than new whenever possible for incredible savings.
5. Purchase international copies or softcover textbook copies. The content is the same, but the price tags differ greatly!
6. Ask your professor if an older copy of the textbook would work. Normally these are fine, but are missing a few updates.