It’s the end of the semester again and I’m sure as many of you are packing to go home, you’re wondering what you’re going to do with all those textbooks. Although there are some books you may want to keep, you’re going to want to sell most of them back and there are several ways to go about recouping some of the money you invested.
Many campus bookstores will buy back the book for 40 to 50 percent of the price you paid for it – used or new. If the edition is being updated, however, you might want to consider selling it elsewhere because your return will be much lower.
Online book retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble will buy textbooks back from you directly. Just recently, Amazon was offering $35 for a book I paid $45 for so I’d say it’s a very good deal. (They give you a free shipping label, too.) Amazon also lets you sell your books through their site to other students. The downside here is you will have to ship the book yourself, which will usually run more than the $3.99 fee Amazon charges, and Amazon takes 10 to 20 percent profit of what you make, including applicable tax and shipping fees.
You can list books on Craigslist or even around your campus. Put up a posting online or in your dorm and have students contact you if they need those textbooks.
There are ways to get money back for your textbooks but make sure to do it as soon as you can after the semester ends. You’ll get a better return this way – funds you can put toward next semester’s books!
Radha Jhatakia is a communications major at San Jose State University. She's a transfer student who had some ups and downs in school and many obstacles to face; these challenges – plus support from family, friends and cat – have only made Radha stronger and have given her the experience to help others with the same issues. In her spare time, she enjoys writing, reading, cooking, sewing and designing. A social butterfly, Radha hopes to work in public relations and marketing upon graduation.
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