[XJ3B]

Well at my school, besides the actual bookstores, we had trucks and booths in the dorms.

I could go to say, the engineering dorm, plop down in front of the booth, and I would probably see 10 people with the book I need in a few minutes.

Easier probably for engineering than other majors since the engineering classes were universal. If you were a first year engineering student, its guaranteed you would be taking X class.

[TDonovan]

Originally Posted by XJ3B

I just thought of something, if you know what classes you are taking next semester, just stand outside the book store or book truck and buy it from students coming in to sell their books the last day. You'll give them more money than the bookstore, win for them, you will get them cheaper, win for you

I thought I was the only one that did this...

Seriously, I walk around the bookstore and find the people who are buying the books that I have. To do this I'll have a route set up where I patrol each section and in between scope out what people are carrying. I then offer them a better deal and make them as comfortable as possible. Many people will not care because their parents are paying with a credit card or some lame crap like that. Some others will think it's too good to be true and just get your email address or something.

You can even sell OLD editions this way. I tell the person that I will be right back, I get my book stamped at the front (where it has been stowed with my backpack) as if I were going to try and re-sell it to the store. I then compare it to the newer books with the person and agree to sell it to them there, or outside of the store which I prefer. If I am questioned about why I'm walking out without paying for a book I say that they wouldn't take any money for it and I show them the stamp.

I can just about break even every semester using this tactic in combination with buying off of half.com. You can also stroll into a classroom during the first couple weeks and sell the book to someone who has not bought it yet. I've done that before and it worked great.

I HATE the bookstore. They gouge me on prices, screw me on buy-backs, and are general pricks about everything. So I like to use their place of business to peddle my goods and get my money back. It's funny to talk to parents of Freshmen when they are dropping their kids off at school. They are always disappointed that their kids aren't trying to get cheap stuff like I am.

Another trick you can use is to use your old notes from the class to help seal the deal. They aren't worth anything to you, so you can either charge a little bit for them, or just use it as a bonus selling point.

[crazyjames1233]

i buy mine off ebay or the bookstore. i sell um back at the bookstore, if they dont take um back then i say fuck it and keep it. maybe i will need it in the future

[TTrent]

my school has a college book store a few miles from it where they pay a lot more than the school book store. obviously ebay/amazon/craigslist is better but if none of them work you may wanna look into something like that. i've also seen people look at the next quarter/semester schedule and put fliers up outside the wall or in some cases even talk to the teacher about telling their students (every teacher i had was always willing to make an announcement if it meant saving their students some money)

edit: for the teacher thing, u can use e-mail too if you find it too invasive to ask in person before their class

[Ring Shark98]

Originally Posted by Valiss

Cash4Books.net - Sell Used and New Books

Lol! They will give me 12 dollars for my 120 dollar text I bought this semester, and won't buy my 140 dollar text I bought last semester.

[Hog-train]

These book companies are a scam and they are in cahoots with the schools. Why do you need a new version of a book every semester? It's to force students to buy brand new, expensive textbooks.

I was poor in university so what I would do is either photocopy the books or just the few pages I needed.

Another thing you can do is go into the college bookstore, buy the book- then the next day, go in with the receipt, pick up another copy and "return" it. Voila- free textbook.

[JustScrap435]

Amazon.com

[BJJK1]

Originally Posted by VENOM...

ebay or amazon. to answer your question about ebay and pay now....yes, there is a way but the bid has to go on. you simply post a "buy it now" price and if people don't want to wait until the bid ends, they can just pay the amount you asked for as "buy it now" and get the book.

just an additional update on that...you can do the BUY IT NOW option, but you have to have 1.) have a certain score on ebay, 2.) go through a verifying process.

I would post a bulletin board at dorms around the campus, list your books on craigslist, if you have a social network site like facebook or myspace where you have a lot of friends from school, let them know what books you have for sale.

[mega-megufan]

My advice: Do not sell books in your major. This is especially true for technical fields. You'll probably want them at some point down the road.

[crazyjames1233]

Originally Posted by mega-megufan

My advice: Do not sell books in your major. This is especially true for technical fields. You'll probably want them at some point down the road.

no way, if the book stores will take um then sell um back. then go to ebay or something and buy a previous edition of the book for like 5 bucks. ive done it with a a few books