Cash for books: what students should know
Posted by The Skyliner on April 29th, 2009Rachel Ham
Staff Writer
While students are busy studying for exams, the staff in the college bookstore is working hard to set up and run the end-of-semester textbook buyback.
Many students are frustrated with the prices they receive for their used books. But they are not always told why some book prices seem low or why some books are not bought back at all.
New editions of textbooks are what usually keep the prices of textbooks up. And when publishers decide to come out with a new edition of a textbook, students are almost always stuck with their old edition.
Unfortunately, the bookstore itself does not have any control over when new editions will be printed. Printing new editions is how publishing companies make most of their money.
Because new editions are printed frequently, it is better to buy used copies of textbooks whenever possible.
If a textbook is being used again, but not the following semester, students will receive a wholesale value for the book. Wholesale prices are less than if the book is being used in the immediate future, but it is better than having to wait until after the next term.
If the textbook is being used for the following semester, the bookstore can buy back students’ used copies until they have reached their needed quantity. Some quantities are reached quickly, and the value of certain books may drop. It is suggested that students sell their books back immediately before or after their exam.
There are a few conditions that must be followed in order to for a book to be bought back by the college store or wholesalers.
Any CDs, booklets, or other additional material that came with the textbook must be returned with the book in order to receive the current buyback value. Even if your class did not use the supplemental material, the next class may use it and will need the material that normally comes with the text.
Also, keeping your textbook in good condition will ensure you get a fair price if the book is being used again. All original binding and covers must be intact, and pages should not be torn or missing. Books that are water-damaged cannot be bought back because they cannot be resold the following semester.
One tip is to keep your book in the condition that you would prefer to buy it in.
International and instructors’ editions are not allowed to be resold and therefore are not able to be bought back at the end of the semester. The alternate editions can be found online for a cheaper price and may seem like a good idea at the time. But more than likely you will be stuck with the textbook at the end of the semester.
Buyback is simply an example of supply and demand, and there are few guarantees when you buy a textbook at the start of classes. But if you keep your books and supplemental material in good condition, then you have a good chance of getting up to half of the original price back if the book is being used again.
Book buyback at the North Greenville College Store starts on Thursday, April 30. Buyback will continue on the following Friday, and then pick back up on Monday, May 4, and go until Tuesday, April 5. The bookstore will be open for buyback from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm with a break for lunch between 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm.