Renting Offers College Students More Affordable Option For Books

When Blake Thompson decided to change careers and go back to college, he expected it to be costly. But he did not expect the sticker shock he encounters each semester at the campus bookstore.

“I have one book for each class. I have four classes. The original total [for the books] was $583.95,” Thompson, a student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said.

Rather than pay full price, he was able to save about $100 by purchasing half of the books used, but even that, he says, was not cheap.

“One used book was still $125,” he said. “Like one book is one night of work for me. If I work one night, I just paid for one textbook.”

In addition to used, digital textbooks, when available, can be bought for even less, but the newest and often cheapest option is rentals – available through websites like Chegg.com .

Barnes and Noble College Booksellers has also launched a rental program called Book Renter on select titles last year, which is now offered on roughly 25 campus bookstores across the country, including the Borough of Manhattan Community College.

Used Textbooks

Short film was made by a student team at the University of Alberta in Edmonton for SellMyTextbooks.org. Shows the pain we all feel when selling ...

The Home-Based Bookstore: Start Your Own Business Selling Used Books on Amazon, eBay or Your Own Web Site

Weber Books

List Price: $18.95
Price: $17.13
You Save: $1.82 (10%)

Product Description

Want to know the most profitable, lowest-risk idea for your home business? It's selling used books online, which is growing 33 percent annually, according to a November 2005 study by U.S. publishers.

Here is the complete text of the most popular book about online bookselling of all time: The Home-Based Bookstore: Start Your Own Business Selling Used Books on Amazon, eBay or Your Own Web Site

Learn how to start your business part-time, then work as little or as much as you want. This step-by-step guide, written by one of the most successful and highly rated sellers on Amazon.com and eBay, includes everything you need to know:

-- Where to find books

Find books in your own neighborhood to resell profitably to a worldwide pool of ready buyers. Get the best sources for valuable used books at low prices.

-- Where to sell Learn

How to list your books to sell at the best price on Amazon.com and eBay, and even your own Web store. -- Which books to buy What to look for in fiction, nonfiction, and collectibles to resell at the highest profits.

-- Grading and pricing your books

How to describe and price your books. Learn what buyers are looking for.

-- Handling customers

Tips on handling online book buyers. See the author's time-tested scripts for responding to customer issues. Learn how you can get and maintain high feedback ratings.

-- Fulfilling orders

Easy-to-use ideas for storing, organizing, and shipping your books and handling returns.

-- Automation tools

Maximize your efficiency with these tips on automating your business. Automatically notify customers about shipments, and print postage to ship your books without leaving home.

-- Taxes and legal requirements

How to register your business to obtain the proper permits and be exempted from paying sales tax on your inventory.

-- Exclusive list of wholesale book distributors

Exclusive profiles and contact info for 32 wholesaledistributors of used and new books. Order inventory at up to 90 percent off retail, shipped right to your door.

About the author:

Steve Weber started his home-based bookstore as a hobby in March 2000. Two months later, he quit his day job to sell used books full-time on Amazon.com and eBay, using his one-bedroom apartment in Virginia as warehouse and shipping depot. In the meantime, he has sold more than $1 million of used books to buyers in all 50 states and 31 foreign countries. In this step-by-step guide, Weber tells you how he took $80 in savings to buy his first batch of books, then invested the profits to build a successful business, and how you can too.

The Home-Based Bookstore: Start Your Own Business Selling Used Books on Amazon, eBay or Your Own Web Site

Weber Books

List Price: $9.95

Product Description

Want to know the most profitable, lowest-risk idea for your home business? It's selling used books online, which is growing 33 percent annually, according to a November 2005 study by U.S. publishers.

Here is the complete text of the most popular book about online bookselling of all time: The Home-Based Bookstore: Start Your Own Business Selling Used Books on Amazon, eBay or Your Own Web Site

Learn how to start your business part-time, then work as little or as much as you want. This step-by-step guide, written by one of the most successful and highly rated sellers on Amazon.com and eBay, includes everything you need to know:

-- Where to find books

Find books in your own neighborhood to resell profitably to a worldwide pool of ready buyers. Get the best sources for valuable used books at low prices.

-- Where to sell Learn

How to list your books to sell at the best price on Amazon.com and eBay, and even your own Web store. -- Which books to buy What to look for in fiction, nonfiction, and collectibles to resell at the highest profits.

-- Grading and pricing your books

How to describe and price your books. Learn what buyers are looking for.

-- Handling customers

Tips on handling online book buyers. See the author's time-tested scripts for responding to customer issues. Learn how you can get and maintain high feedback ratings.

-- Fulfilling orders

Easy-to-use ideas for storing, organizing, and shipping your books and handling returns.

-- Automation tools

Maximize your efficiency with these tips on automating your business. Automatically notify customers about shipments, and print postage to ship your books without leaving home.

-- Taxes and legal requirements

How to register your business to obtain the proper permits and be exempted from paying sales tax on your inventory.

-- Exclusive list of wholesale book distributors

Exclusive profiles and contact info for 32 wholesaledistributors of used and new books. Order inventory at up to 90 percent off retail, shipped right to your door.

About the author:

Steve Weber started his home-based bookstore as a hobby in March 2000. Two months later, he quit his day job to sell used books full-time on Amazon.com and eBay, using his one-bedroom apartment in Virginia as warehouse and shipping depot. In the meantime, he has sold more than $1 million of used books to buyers in all 50 states and 31 foreign countries. In this step-by-step guide, Weber tells you how he took $80 in savings to buy his first batch of books, then invested the profits to build a successful business, and how you can too.

I Used to Play Piano (Book & CD)

Alfred Publishing Company

List Price: $24.95
Price: $16.47
You Save: $8.48 (34%)

Product Description

I Used to Play Piano is an innovative approach for helping adults resume piano study. This 152-page book is divided into 11 progressive, well-rounded units, each containing diverse styles ranging from classical arrangements to jazz, boogie, blues, and ragtime to traditional favorites and popular styles. Using strategic review sections, adults can progress quickly to the unit that best matches their ability level.

Gold Book : Used Vehicle Value Guide C-W Gold Book : Older V


Price: $135.00

The Incredible Dash (The Incredibles Step into Reading, Step 3)

RH/Disney

List Price: $3.99
Price: $3.99

Product Description

AFTER BEING FORCED to live normal human lives, the Incredibles have the chance to rediscover their superhuman abilities. But will these superheroes learn to work together as a family to defeat evil? Find out in this action-packed Step 3 reader based on the hit film, The Incredibles.