Buying Used Books

BY JEREMY HAN, MACINSIDERS

The start of university is approaching quickly and the book list has already been released. Every year students look at the book list and see the hundred and even thousands of dollars they have to spend. What can a student do? Buy Used!

Buying used books is a great way to save money, but where can you find used books? Here are a couple options:

Undercovers: A service provided by the MSU where upper year students can sell their books.

MacInsiders Marketplace: MacInsiders post the books that they are selling in this Marketplace.

Amazon.ca: You can save money on buying new textbooks (up to 37% off) and you can buy used books for even cheaper (up to 90% off)!

Abe Books: They claim that you can save an average of 50% off your book list.

Barnes and Noble: Save up to 30% on 100,000 titles. Also free shipping until September 25th

Half.com (by eBay): This is eBay's website to find textbooks.

Learnlink: You can also find people selling their old textbooks using this discussion and collaboration application.

The Tank: If the books you need are located in The Tank, then upper years may be walking around there trying to sell their books.

Your reps and CAs! Your reps and CAs are students just like you and they may be selling their books. Go ahead and ask them, they won't bite.

If all else fails you can also buy your books used at Titles if they are in stock.

Note: Search for your books using the isbn in order to get the correct edition. (But you should still check the edition to make sure it's the right one).

Also, a great website is Book Prices. You can compare prices on your textbooks.

For even more great links and information check out these threads:
http://www.macinsiders.com/showthread.php?t=1768 9
http://www.macinsiders.com/showthread.php?t=1710 2

you can also search the classifieds on titles website to buy books from upper years...

http://icbb.sellmytextbooks. org/me...ex=UBCSE ARCH

Don`t forget that facebook is a great way to get books sold!

i tried registering for half.com, but I think you need to live in the US? anyone know?

Originally Posted by stevennevets

i tried registering for half.com, but I think you need to live in the US? anyone know?

That's really odd... I can't change the country either, but it should also be available in Canada since it says "Province" (But no provinces are actually listed) and "Postal Code".

Learnlink is also now open to only the Faculty of Health Sciences as well as certain other associated departments like the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences.

As a result, a lot less books can be obtained this way, but if you've got access, go right ahead and use it : ).

Is there a major difference between the regular edition and the "International Edition".

The only difference I saw was that the international one is Softcover. Any pressing issues I should know about them?

Originally Posted by Bumchoda

Is there a major difference between the regular edition and the "International Edition".

The only difference I saw was that the international one is Softcover. Any pressing issues I should know about them?

For the most part they're exactly the same.

Just note that it may be harder to resell them to other students.

Originally Posted by Jay

Don`t forget that facebook is a great way to get books sold!

I got my used books through facebook.

As for LEGAL options: You can rent textbooks, you can buy textbooks, buy eBooks (or just not bother buying it as some do). I kind of laugh when I see a LOT of students every year paying full price for their textbooks in the Titles, when a little work on the computer, a credit card or cash, and a few hours would be sufficient to get them substantial savings.
In addition to the popular eBay, here is a list of places to buy textbooks, and some coupons to help out. If you have more please to do post a reply.

Chapters Canada
Buy new and used textbooks. Used often costs less, but shipping is a flat $6.49 per used book. Coupons won’t work on used textbooks.
• Coupon Code: AUG2012
• Discount: $5 off $30
• Expiry: 31st, August 2012

If your order is shipping within Canada and the total comes to $25.00 or more (after any coupons or discounts and before taxes), then simply select "Free Shipping" as your shipping method when you're ready to checkout. Note: To receive Free Shipping, please be sure that you select "Free Shipping & Handling" when you make your purchase. Orders valued over $25 will not automatically receive Free Shipping. Parcels eligible for Free Shipping average a 3-9 day delivery.

Amazon Canada
Another good place to buy textbooks and the marketplace sellers can give you a great price on used and new textbooks as well. If you use Amazon.com you can even use your MacInsiders credit!
There is also Free Amazon Prime for Students. Students save $79 A Year on Amazon Prime Membership. Get FREE Amazon Prime + Free 2 Day Shipping! While I haven’t signed up yet, here is what it is about. Amazon Prime shipping benefits free for six months

• FREE Two-Day Shipping on millions of items
• FREE Release-Date Delivery on video games, DVDs, books and more
• Deals and promotions exclusively for Students

http://www.amazon.com/gp/student/signup/info


Alibris
If any website is going to have your book, Alibris will. It works sort of like the Amazon marketplace with many sellers listed within it. You can search for books and buy from Alibris, or you can note the name of the seller and try to find out if it is cheaper through their own store (if they have one). Alibris has a plethora of coupons usually, here is just one:
• Coupon Code: VOYAGE
• Discount: $3 off $30
• Expiry: Unknown

BetterWorldBooks
For those who want to do something good, for every book bought they donate a book. This place also has free shipping worldwide and decent prices.
• Coupon Code: BOOKS4GOOD
• Discount: 10% off 2 or more used books
• Expiry: Unknown

Kijiji
My favourite place as I don’t have to pay for shipping, there’s no tax (something you overlook when comparing), and I get good deals from students who just want to sell. Make sure to check your home city if you can if there’s another university in it. There’s a good chance to get your book if you look under Toronto Kijiji. You can also set the search to the whole of Ontario. Just be careful as some lie to sell almost full price and make sure you know what edition and condition the book is in to see if it is really a good deal.



Abebooks
Another big retailer, they have a ton of used textbooks.
Check here for specific coupons
http://www.retailmenot.com/view/abebooks.com


Book Depository
Free shipping worldwide so you can use the US (or UK version since there’s some coupons at the link below.) Prices posted in Canadian dollars when I checked.
http://www.retailmenot.com/view/bookdepository.co.uk


Awesome Books
Another UK based place, you might score yourself a deal. Free shipping to Canada on orders of 2 books or more.
To note: Since some of these are US websites, or UK websites. Customs/duty may apply. Some people who have ordered have gotten these so it’s up to you to check. I am not the big saver I may see to be… buying textbooks is when I got started and the only time I really care about saving lots of money.


Renting
I rather buy textbooks as you can sell them over but if it’s one of those courses where like I read on the forums recently they have had three textbooks in three years. McMaster uses Skyo. Also an option if you don’t want to go through the trouble of reselling. I would be nice if all the textbooks were actually offered though. If you have a full year course…renting is definitely not the root…too expensive.







Curious when you guys actually get your textbooks. Post how much it would cost full price with tax and how much you actually spent.

I'm renting etextbooks through CourseSmart. I did a couple of years at Mohawk and beyond the cost of even used textbooks I found it was a huge pain to lug my books around. Most of my books for this year are available through them and the cost is less than half of buying them outright. They have apps for Android and Apple gadgets but their website works really well for reading on my Playbook as well. Even if I had to go out and buy a new tablet to use it the $200 I'd spend on a Nexus 7 would pay for itself in one semester. I think there are a few other publishers that offer similar deals, if you go to the publisher's website they'll have a link to the ebook option! (And it's legal).

Originally Posted by ashleighp

I'm renting etextbooks through CourseSmart. I did a couple of years at Mohawk and beyond the cost of even used textbooks I found it was a huge pain to lug my books around. Most of my books for this year are available through them and the cost is less than half of buying them outright. They have apps for Android and Apple gadgets but their website works really well for reading on my Playbook as well. Even if I had to go out and buy a new tablet to use it the $200 I'd spend on a Nexus 7 would pay for itself in one semester. I think there are a few other publishers that offer similar deals, if you go to the publisher's website they'll have a link to the ebook option! (And it's legal).

You can buy most textbooks outright for about half of what those ebooks sell for on that site. I looked up 3 textbooks I had and the prices there were terrible.

Unless you're taking a course that requires super new, novel textbooks never seen before on this earth before (such as quantum hyper xenoastrobiology) I'd stay away from ebook rentals

Abebooks seem to give the best price for brand new books.

i've gotten out of buying course packs by finding the readings online/in the library/racer. takes a lot of work though!