What’s It With Textbooks Prices – Rent Them
Saturday, August 7, 2010, 9:32 AM | Leave Comment
Anyone going to college these days and for the last so many years know [and feel] very well how much textbooks cost. The textbooks, over the years, has become a monopolistic industry of the utmost.
On the average it costs more than $100 to buy a book. Most often, many books will set your wallet back by $150 or more.
“Students at four-year U.S. colleges spent $1,122 a year on textbooks on average in the 2009-10 academic year,” the College Board reports, a 32% increase from five years ago. So a four-year stint will cost you almost $5,000 in textbooks or maybe more if the trend for price increase continues.
Along with tuition and other fees, prices of textbooks are way up in the stratosphere. Yet, most students, after the semester is over, don’t need the textbooks or by the time they graduate 4-year college, these books have become outdated and the graduates don’t need them anymore.
What’s the solution?…
During the recent so many years, some organizations have tried to solve the problem with renting-out textbooks niche market which is slowly but surely becoming a mainstream entree’ on the textbook buying-menu. Renting the book online or from the college bookstore not only solves this problem but typically saves 50% or more over the price of a new copy.
Who is trying to solve the problem?…
Amazon.com charges almost full price. It’s discount is less than 10% for hard-cover textbooks. To get a better discount to the tune of 50% or sometimes more, the students need to rent the book. Most students, after the semester, sell them back to the school bookstores anyway for a meager price.
The following websites provide textbooks rentals:
- chegg.com
- Campus Book Rentals
- BookRenter.com
- Using your favorite search engine, find a textbook renting site that suits your needs.
When you compare the renting price, include shipping charges. Also, read fine prints if any.
Returning Policy…
Underlining and highlighting is allowed, within reason. If a book is lost, damaged or stolen, expect to pay the replacement cost, which could be the full retail price. Also, don’t be late with a return. Rental firms do offer a grace period, but the window is short.
In a Nutshell
Renting textbooks will definitely save you money, most often more than 50%. It’s an excellent way of saving money for those students who don’t want to keep textbooks for any reason.
