You may like to agree to the point that cheap textbooks are in all-time demand and that too with good reasons. No matter whether you are in your first semester or the last of your college, finding a place to look for affordable new and used college textbooks stays equally important.
Understanding this need of yours, here is a list of sites that brings you the best deals on textbooks. Deals to which you cannot afford to say ‘NO’.
These sites take care that you do not need to compromise your grades due to lack of availability of the right resources for your education.
However, before getting into details of the sites, let’s take a closer look on what the world statistics says on this issue.
This survey reflects on how the lack of availability of budget college textbooks has affected students and their career globally.
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Learning Points:
Best sites to buy cheap college textbooks
Where to find new and used college textbooks
How to get massive discounts on textbooks
Where can students sell college books online
The Impact of the Rising Inflation on Textbooks Prices in Market Over Students
As a matter of fact, the skyrocketing rise in the price that the textbooks market has showcased in the recent years has aggressively driven a very destructive outcome in the lives of students.
According to the reports of the survey that was conducted in the year of 2013 by the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, this rise of price has pervasive ramifications on the student’s career and educational grades that are equally destructive.
Peak prices of textbooks owe to steady loss of grade points of students:
Students distinctly dissuade themselves from purchasing educational resources like that of college textbooks despite of the fact that it affects their grades heavily.
Statistics say that 65% decides to skip buying textbooks due to their high prices. In fact, 94% of the students skipped the idea of purchasing textbooks intentionally aware of the implications that it had for their consequent poor grades.
Cumulative effect on other academic decisions:
Survey says that the high prices of textbooks have played a decisive role in determining the number of classes that they take up per semester.
Where to Look for College Textbooks that are Affordable and Cheap to Buy
While the current state of crisis speaks loudly of complications, there are ways that can solve this major problem slow but steadily. Following are some methods that can help you to address the issue:
Second Hand Textbooks: Second hand textbooks are a one-stop problem solver when it comes to reducing the cost of textbooks for college and higher studies. However, the only probable hurdle with this is that you may have to compromise on the availability of the newest editions multiple times.
Online Free Encyclopedia: The internet is a great option when it comes to information, especially for study. Plus, these textbooks appear to come free of cost.
E-Textbooks: Although e-textbooks can cost you some price as compared to free encyclopedia, you can always trust this method for getting legal copies of textbooks. You can easily achieve your goals of cost savings and grades effectively. As it is e-books tend to be much cheaper than the hard copies. Also not to forget, you would find online sites where they give incredible discounts on their college textbooks. A plus is that these e-books often come in exclusive rental offers too.
E-Library: An E-library is a great place to get cheap textbooks fast and feasibly. It is gaining support and popularity amongst students due to their high accessibility and vast and flexi options of textbooks to choose from.
Selling of Old Books: The innovative idea to sell college books online is very much helpful in cutting down expense. The books that you do not require any longer can prove to be of much benefit if you sell them online on different sites like amazon, e-bay, etc.
Thus, you can witness that the internet has changed the perception of addressing this major setback in between students and their grades.
Now, let’s reflect upon some major merits that come along when you buy and rent college textbooks online over traditional textbooks.
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Why to Choose e-Textbooks Over Traditional College Textbooks at all?
Easy Portability: The first big opportunity that you will witness when you opt for online textbooks is the hassle-free movement that it allows you. While with hard copies, many times you get to use books that weigh heavy and occupy huge volumes. However, while you use electronic versions of the same like a laptop device or an e-book reader like Kindle, this almost becomes seamless provided the light weightness of the device.
Ease of Accessibility: While using a soft copy of a textbook with the layout you often have the instant benefit of getting of sniffing particulars in seconds that may take good amount of time when done in hard copy of textbooks. Plus, you can have access to multiple books at one time without facing problems.
Cost Effective: Finding the right college textbooks that is pocket friendly is always a basic need for students. This need has been successfully filled by online textbooks.
Access to Multiple Options: There is a multi-dimensional variety of options as to how you want access to online textbooks. You can buy them or even go for a rent.
Vast Array of Textbooks: The internet gives you open access to a vast array of textbooks at a one-stop destination. Thus, possibility is another important aspect that online textbooks render to.
Interactive: While a conventional hard copy of book need careful reading at all times to get the pulse of the book rightly, you can always depend on other media like an audio, video or animations that enhances the assimilation rate of the reader. A e-way of reading enables much easier understanding of the voice of the author than the traditional methods.
High Adjustability: Many times, there are cases witnessed where due to weak eyesight, a reader has to face a lot of challenge during their attempt to reading the book. An e-book simplifies this problem. You can easily plug in to your earphone and listen to what the author has to say in the book. Plus, you can alter the font size to fit your eyesight which is an impossible task with a hard copy.
The Best Sites to Buy Cheap College Textbooks this Year
#1. Amazon.com
Topping the charts is the one big name of the e-commerce industries; Amazon. This site has undoubtedly brought to students, an equally interesting opportunity to get your college textbooks at an unbeatable flat price.
If that too does not work amply well for you, Amazon has your back following you to its “New and Used” section of the Amazon seller. Here, you can get access to flat rate discounts on brand new textbooks and even second hand ones.
Thus, when it comes to sale of textbooks, it is one of the best options to go for. An additional advantage to the site is the Prime membership. You can always self -inspect by visiting the site.
#2. Chegg.com
Being around now what you can call for years, Chegg does some phenomenally satisfying task for students.
You can see most of the time textbooks available at discount rates that are much heavier than your local college store. But that is not all. What is immensely rewarding about this site is that you get to see many times discount rates as heavy as 90 percent.
This site is backed with one of the easiest textbook search over the internet. It has a basic search engine where you have to just type the title or the ISBN of the textbooks you are looking for and the rest of the stuffs are taken care off by the site.
The site even offers homework and internships specializing in various subjects.
#3. Bigwords.com
Although you cannot term this site to be a true retailer, Bigwords is undoubtedly one of the best options when you have to tally the best prices in the market, irrespective of the domain.
One of the best features of this site is that it provides some best shipping costs globally. Also, you have an option of renting books if not buying according to your convenience.
Plus, sugarcoating its services, you can always resell your used books on this site after your use.
#4. AbeBooks.com
This site is a one-stop destination for cheap college textbooks. The best part of this site is that it continually tries and makes arrangements to make it possible for students to get flatter discount rates of all textbooks.
It even ties up with local booksellers in select cities for this transaction to take place. It gives the scope to sell textbooks that you have used beforehand.
#5. DealOz.com
Buying your college textbooks is nearly a cakewalk with this site. Although an aggregator, the site has one of the most effective search engine implanted for the help of students.
It compares many online retailer sites with massive discounts on textbooks for you. Also, the collection of textbooks that you can find here is commendable.
You can search for the textbooks that are older in edition and also of variety publication houses.
Their customer service of live chat is also very responsive and almost right away they deliver you instant solutions to problems.
#6. Bookyards.com
When it comes to buy or rent your textbooks, bookyards does a pretty good job too.
Although the site is not a typical online buying store of cheap college books, you will readily find variety genres of e-format books that include web links, videos, and access to other online libraries from this same portal.
However, the best part of this site is that it is all free that makes it instantly cheaper than your college bookstore.
#7. Textbooks.com
Are you aware of the 90 percent flat discount offers that you get on your buy of college textbooks on Textbooks.com?
Well yes, you heard it right.
You can now buy college textbooks cheap on prices you did not even dream off. Further, the site allows you to sell your college textbooks online. You get a free delivery on an order of over $25.
#8. CampusBookRentals.com
If you are confused on where to buy college textbooks, this site could be probably a satisfying answer.
It is also a fairly good place to get your textbooks on awesome shipping policies, mostly free. However, what you need to remember is that it specializes only in textbooks.
Also, you can sell your old textbooks that you no longer require. To find out for yourself, check their website now.
#9. BookFinder.com
As you may already get from the name, this site specializes in rendering services of textbooks to students via searching the best possible options from the whole internet.
However, what you may miss to notice is its additional offers of international editions that enables you to search for books of definite languages like that of Dutch, German, Spanish or Italian.
Thus, the next time you feel that you do not want to go for buying a book, Book Finder can do the work for you.
The site probably has one of the largest variety of options to find the textbooks you need. Furthermore, it is a great place to buy or sell textbooks that you had already.
#10. BetterWorldBooks.com
BetterWorldBooks allows you to access books at all-time sale prices. However, the brightest aspect of this site is that it renders a portion of all its sales to the development of global literacy rate and libraries.
You get to choose from an extensive option of 8 million titles. Also, this site enables you free shipping on every purchase.
#11. eCampus.com
If you are on a spree to get cheap college textbooks then you can surely scoot to this website.
Extending your exposure to a million of textbooks that come under multi-dimensional spectrum of subjects, this site allows you to rent books any time.
However, if you wish to store them for future, the availability of buying options are also there at your service.
#12. Student2Student.com
Are you in search of a website that will let you access your client directly without any middle man entry? Well then, this site is the right answer for you.
Not only does it cancel out all the third-party involvement but also makes sure you get your buyer/seller in your campus only.
However, if particular textbook is not available in the campus, it acts as an aggregator showing where you can find your requirements at the best price.
Plus point of this site is it’s no transaction charges policy.
#13. ValoreBooks.com
This site makes it easy for you to get a huge plethora of books at really flat rates.
Alternatively, when you do not want to buy books you can readily avail the option of renting the same.
Plus, its 30-day money back guarantee that states if you are not satisfied with your purchase due to any reason you get a full refund is a sure bonus to go for this site.
You can also sell college books that are no longer your requirements here too.
#14. TextbookRentals.com
This website is amongst one of the coolest place to rent books for college students.
It is not a typical book selling portal but it allows you compare multiple different sites at the same time and reach to a best deal possible in the market.
The site further lets you to select rental options like the periods for which you want to do that. Once you finalize that, it redirects you to the partner site and puts the textbook in your shopping cart.
#15. TextbookRecycling.com
If you are planning for buying textbooks for your new semester, this website is one goal for you to consider.
Here you can find new and used college textbooks at best prices. It allows you the access to both traditional hard copies and E-textbooks.
However, the shipping might disturb you in some way. You only get free shipping on a purchase of over $75.
#16. StudentBookTrades.com
The concept of this website is a bit different from others. Where in most of the websites you get to rent or buy textbooks, this site enables you to trade, buy and sell online through their website portal.
It also features some pleasing monthly giveaways. This is perhaps the best place to find cheap college textbooks that too at your own convenience.
#17. DirectTextbook.com
One of the most competent aggregator, this site gives you the opportunity of buying cheap college textbooks online.
Here, you can find low prices on textbooks that are up to 75% cheaper.
However, the main USP is the exciting discount coupons that you may get on this site.
#18. Alibris.com
Incepted at the time of 1997, this site knows every ins and outs of the art of selling books. No matter what is your requirement, the site has it all.
If you are looking for new edition textbooks it is definitely the best place to reach.
According to Alibris, you can save up to 80% on your college textbooks.
The site also features college textbooks for sale for many seasons. Thus, the next time you plan to shop for textbooks, you should definitely consider this site.
#19. AffordABook.com
Why to go for used college books when you can get new at the same price? This site is absolutely a remarkable place where you can find your all textbooks at cost effective prices. Surely it stands on its name.
This site is more of like an aggregator and less of an online retailer. Here, you can avail some of the coolest of the discounts offer across all niches of books. No matter what you opt for, whether you buy textbooks or rent them, you would definitely cherish this site off late during your academic sessions.
In their website you can see how strongly positive the reviews of their customers are.
#20. ProjectGutenberg.com
This site has huge contribution to make in the e-learning sector. Aided with millions of e-books that are even free it has surely set goals for transforming education for students.
However, the only negative factor regarding this site is the undermined efficiency of usability.
#21. OnlineBooksPage.com
Loaded with a plethora of real e-book downloads, this site is much more than just links to e-book sites. It has many a times been rated a whopping 4.5-star rating by many reviewers.
It is maintained and edited by John Mark Ockerbloom, a digital library planner and researcher with a curated collection of priceless store of books.
#22. Scribd.com
Scribd is a very popular name amongst e-book readers. It has an extensive PDF book library that is offered to you for free.
All the books over here are the outcome of either the users of the site or uploaded in charity. Thus, it is one of the best places to get your books.
#23. WorldPublicLibrary.com
Claimed as the world’s largest digital library of PDF format e-books and other various formats, you can always try your hands when you need some special study like a research.
However, to get a full access to this library you need a membership of this site.
#24. AllBookStores.com
If you are a fan of online aggregating sites, then this site may turn to be your favorite.
Offering you a plethora of books under one roof, you can readily search for the best deals in market at one go, on this portal.
Access Amazon, eBay, Barnes and Noble and many others all at one time and get your best bet from this website.
#25. EBOKEE.com
While taking the internet into account, this search engine work wonders. If you are amply tech savvy you are probable to be satisfied with the results of finding the textbooks you need here.
This open directory gives you extensive chances to download free e-books and even download links on your devices.
Last Word
College life is one of the most memorable phases of your life. However, it can be pretty expensive too.
Thus, to evade such terminals that come between you and your college education, these 25 websites can prove to be pretty helpful.
So now you can happily say adieu to your local popular place for college textbooks and embrace this way of textbooks.
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