One of the objectives of this blog is to educate you about the college textbook market in order to help you make more informed buying decisions. That doesn’t necessarily mean buying from us – we just hate to see you walk into a campus bookstore & overspend.
A big reason I got into this business is that it always seemed like students were severely underserved. Students have no say over which books they buy & options for saving money are few. Not only do you have to buy the books assigned by professors, you’re often told, “Have the book by tomorrow.” This presents a terrible disadvantage, as you’re basically forced into walking to the bookstore & paying their price, no matter how high. Find that they’re out of used books? Sorry. You have to have it & end up buying a new one. Chances are you could’ve paid up to 30-90% less through Free Textbooks.
How can you avoid this bookstore deadlock? By ordering your books in advance. If you’re interested in saving money, never wait until the first day of class to buy your books. Free Textbooks compiles course & book data for a number of schools, making it super easy to find out which books you need & order them early. So a couple weeks before class, start shopping. Find a good price with good shipping options & go for it.
What if you do wait until classes start? Do you really have a choice? As mentioned, when a professor tells you to get your book immediately and start studying, you think, “Oh well. There’s nowhere else I can get it in time. I’ll have to go to the bookstore.” This is a mentality Free Textbooks is trying to fight. Not only do we use free expedited shipping services, we will also offer overnight and 2-day shipping services to give students the flexibility they need.
Example: Let’s say you attend your Psychology 101 class on a Monday morning & your professor asks you to have the book by Wednesday. What can you do? Buy it at the bookstore? Order it online? Let’s compare your choices.
Psychology, by Ciccarelli, 2nd edition. ISBN 0136004288.
Bookstore’s new price: $137.00
Bookstore’s used price: $91.10
Free Textbooks’ used price: $75.60
You know that the Free Textbooks price is cheaper, but you need it by this Wednesday & it’s Monday. So, you say, “There’s no way I can order it online. It won’t get here in time.” Well, if it’s from us, you’re wrong.
Bookstore options:
- Buy new at bookstore for $137.00 + tax.
- If it’s in stock, buy used at bookstore for $91.10 + tax.
Free Textbooks options:
- Buy used for $75.60 + free FedEx Ground. Arrives Wed-Fri. Total = $75.60
- Buy used for $75.60 + $10 FedEx 2-day. Arrives Wednesday. Total = $85.60
- Buy used for $75.60 + $19 FedEx Overnight. Arrives Tuesday. Total = $94.60
$75.60, $85.60, $94.60 < $137 or $91.10 + tax
No matter how you spin it, Free Textbooks can get you the book(s) you need faster & cheaper. Give us a chance to prove it.
Questions or comments? Post your thoughts below…
What is Free Textbooks? Founded in January 2009, FreeTextbooks.com is an online textbook buyer and seller with a real-world presence at the University of Alabama, Samford University, the University of Alabama-Huntsville, Auburn University, and Troy University. We sell for less, buy for more, and offer a unique cash back program (so you can earn free books). FreeTextbooks.com is also a social venture, helping to meet the underprivileged’s most basic needs – food, clean water, clothing, education, and health.
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