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That doesn't apply beyond freshmen and sophomore classes or popular majors I tihnk Isaac Send a noteboard - 15/01/2010 07:17:25 PM
I mean, yeah, it's fine for convenience, but you're going to lose most of your money. Even something like used on Amazon will probably get you a better deal.


I am a bit dated, it's been the better part of a decade since I had to buy textbooks, but by and large the price differential from ebay/amazon for used compared to the campus store wasn't that massive for books beyond the lower-level classes and electives, especially once shipping was included. I just checked several of the standard physics senior and grad texts, and though definetly cheaper new at amazon, the used wasn't much better than I'd expect at the campus store, including S+H I'd say they might even have been more. Higher level texts just don't have many copies in print and their owneres tend not to sell them. A single freshmen level course might spew back hundreds of it's text post-finals at a single university while a post-baclaurette text might only have 10,000 or so copies in print, 99% of which are either fresh from the printer or sitting on someone's shelf who simply has no intention of selling it. I'd imagine genuine bargain hunting sites might give amazing prices, but I'd be surprised if they had any copies to sell, I was very surprised to see a few dozen copies of Jackson's Classic Electrodynamics (a second year grad physics text) avaliable for sale on Amazon, and the cheapest of those was only 25% below their price for a new one, which is fairly parallel to used at a campus. So while I certainly encourage bargain hunting, I wouldn't expect to see many non-intro texts up for mega-cheap prices anywhere except at a fluke, I hope I'm wrong ;)
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
- Albert Einstein

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Textbooks are expensive - 15/01/2010 05:44:35 PM 653 Views
Usually best to just buy used ones... - 15/01/2010 05:55:24 PM 489 Views
yah, that works fine for undergrad. - 15/01/2010 05:59:18 PM 608 Views
Borrow it till you can buy a copy - 15/01/2010 06:23:27 PM 455 Views
Buying and selling back to the bookstore is the worst option - 15/01/2010 06:35:31 PM 439 Views
That doesn't apply beyond freshmen and sophomore classes or popular majors I tihnk - 15/01/2010 07:17:25 PM 599 Views
Possibly. Campus bookstores are still a ripoff, though - 15/01/2010 08:23:56 PM 506 Views
Re: Possibly. Campus bookstores are still a ripoff, though - 15/01/2010 08:58:59 PM 527 Views
True- hard sciences use the texts more, and more often *NM* - 16/01/2010 04:03:53 AM 176 Views
70? darn americans and their cheap textbooks. *NM* - 15/01/2010 10:53:06 PM 174 Views
While it depends on the major, you're a bit dated. - 16/01/2010 01:55:06 AM 515 Views
Definetly dated then, thanks for making me feel old *NM* - 16/01/2010 02:42:49 AM 190 Views
Happy to. - 16/01/2010 03:55:59 AM 455 Views
So put upon, sigh... - 16/01/2010 06:22:09 PM 507 Views
- 16/01/2010 09:29:53 PM 452 Views
Excellent, face had been saved *NM* - 16/01/2010 09:40:10 PM 177 Views
How about chegg, or another rental site? I've used chegg for many semesters. - 15/01/2010 05:56:36 PM 742 Views
I love chegg. - 15/01/2010 08:38:26 PM 535 Views
Amazon and eBay were always the best for me.... - 15/01/2010 06:15:42 PM 428 Views
abebooks.com might help. *NM* - 15/01/2010 06:40:52 PM 213 Views
abebooks. I have found none better. *NM* - 15/01/2010 11:53:45 PM 171 Views
Whore yourself out to 10 fat guys for $100 bucks a pop - 16/01/2010 02:48:23 AM 450 Views
textbooksrus *NM* - 16/01/2010 04:07:52 AM 188 Views
www.bookdepository.co.uk - 18/01/2010 07:43:27 PM 556 Views
Just wait till you try to sell them back. - 20/01/2010 04:36:15 PM 598 Views

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