Used Books At Amazon

kaneohe · 08-06-2008, 07:48 PM

This is probably old stuff to most but I just discovered it. Books that cost $30-35 new (in this case, cookbooks at Amazon and local Barnes and Noble) cost about $4 used at Amazon.com. I was quite skeptical thinking at that price there must be something to be lost in quality,etc. I called the local library hoping to get some idea what they bought their books for. I didn't get an answer but I did find out from them that libraries often sell excess books that they get from contributions at good prices on Amazon.

I ordered a couple of books w/ the additional charge of $4 shipping/book
(shipping free if ordered new). They arrived within a week or so and they are in , to me, fine condition esp. for the price. In fact because they were in such good condition, one was returned by mistake to the library (we kept the other one in error and had to arrange an exchange). Amazon had a deal for $30 credit if you got their card, so net cost was zero (in fact still have $14 credit left).

two4theroad · 08-06-2008, 09:10 PM

Check out this site

http://www.paperbackswap.com

They have hardbacks too. The books are free! You only have to pay shipping on the books you mail out to others to gain credits. You can also buy credits if you do not want to bother with the trading. I have saved hundreds of dollars on this site.
Have fun,
2fer

**CuppaJoe** · 08-07-2008, 12:09 AM

Oh, yeah, IMO, Amazon.com is sliced bread shaped like a wheel; I buy and sell many used books with them. I use their rewards credit card exclusively. Can't wait for my next statement, should qualify for another $25.00 coupon to apply towards a textbook for a class I'll be taking. SO's sister didn't want to retire cold turkey so she took an on-line job with Amazon; something about helping people decide what to buy. I think her career was in IT.

Walt34 · 08-07-2008, 08:21 AM

I discovered Amazon.com not long after they opened and bought most of my textbooks there since they were much less expensive and I didn't have to drive 45 minutes to the college bookstore.

**Sarah in SC** · 08-07-2008, 08:42 AM

Walt, try ABE.com as well--I priced some of my textbooks there as cheaper than Amazon, and they bought them back at the end of the term, easy as pie.

Jessica08 · 08-07-2008, 10:06 AM

I like to purchase books on the Barnes and Noble site. Many of the books can be bought for a fraction of the retail price from one of their authorized sellers. I have bought many books for $5 and under.

CitricAcid · 08-07-2008, 10:15 AM

For textbooks, half.com is still the best IMO, and you can't forget eBay. Most mainstream books or somewhat out of the loop books you can find used or even new for very cheap prices on eBay. Amazon is still fantastic in selling used books, I would almost suggest never buying new when you can get them cheaper used... they are usually in fantastic condition and you save substantial costs.

**bssc** · 08-07-2008, 10:22 AM

I try to get my books used off Amazon for .99 plus $3.98 shipping. Never had any problems.

**CuppaJoe** · 08-07-2008, 10:27 AM

One problem with textbooks is that it's somewhat important to have the most current revision so sometimes I resort to buying new; at least at Amazon the book I'm looking at is already discounted new (with free shipping) and that precious $25.00 coupon from the credit card makes the price tolerable. Thanks for all the info, I, too, will look at the other sites.

TromboneAl · 08-07-2008, 10:33 AM

For textbooks, check out the international editions.

AbeBooks.com: Buy International Edition Textbooks FAQs

+1 on Paperbackswap.com.

Midpack · 08-07-2008, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CitricAcid

For textbooks, half.com is still the best IMO, and you can't forget eBay. Most mainstream books or somewhat out of the loop books you can find used or even new for very cheap prices on eBay. Amazon is still fantastic in selling used books, I would almost suggest never buying new when you can get them cheaper used... they are usually in fantastic condition and you save substantial costs.

Ditto. I buy most of my books at half.com. You can choose from new deeply discounted or used. Prices are usually stunningly low...

**CuppaJoe** · 08-07-2008, 05:48 PM

Plan B: I checked an old version (1994 instead of 2003) of the textbook out of the library today; it's due on Sept. 4 and can be re-newed for a month. A librarian was kind enough to tell me they keep no records of what people check out. So maybe I'll put it back in the library in early October, check it out again in mid-October, and re-new it again until finals. Cheap B*astardhood, here I come.

I remember one of my instructors from the same dept. complaining that that is how textbook companies make their money, alway have a new version to require. A funny thing happened, he himself didn't read the new "required" version and had a question on a take home test from the previous version. Well I found it in my 20-year-old book (worth all of one penny on Amazon) but no one else was able to answer the question. Turns out experts in that field no longer believe in that concept and edited it out of the new version.

BTW, the library had a blurb some time ago about not having any info to give to Homeland Security. That would not be the case with on-line sellers.

Hillbilly · 08-07-2008, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bssc

I try to get my books used off Amazon for .99 plus $3.98 shipping. Never had any problems.

Same here,

Hillbilly

Moemg · 08-08-2008, 03:09 PM

I sell all my books on Amazon after I read them . I usually get books from the library but sometimes I don't want to wait so I just buy them and resell them after I've read them.

Ed_The_Gypsy · 08-10-2008, 12:32 AM

I find almost all of my technical books, especially out of print ones, at ABE books. They are dynamite.

08-06-2008, 07:48 PM	#1
kaneohe Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 287	Used Books At Amazon This is probably old stuff to most but I just discovered it. Books that cost $30-35 new (in this case, cookbooks at Amazon and local Barnes and Noble) cost about $4 used at Amazon.com. I was quite skeptical thinking at that price there must be something to be lost in quality,etc. I called the local library hoping to get some idea what they bought their books for. I didn't get an answer but I did find out from them that libraries often sell excess books that they get from contributions at good prices on Amazon. I ordered a couple of books w/ the additional charge of $4 shipping/book (shipping free if ordered new). They arrived within a week or so and they are in , to me, fine condition esp. for the price. In fact because they were in such good condition, one was returned by mistake to the library (we kept the other one in error and had to arrange an exchange). Amazon had a deal for $30 credit if you got their card, so net cost was zero (in fact still have $14 credit left).

08-06-2008, 09:10 PM	#2
two4theroad Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 166	paperbackswap.com Check out this site http://www.paperbackswap.com They have hardbacks too. The books are free! You only have to pay shipping on the books you mail out to others to gain credits. You can also buy credits if you do not want to bother with the trading. I have saved hundreds of dollars on this site. Have fun, 2fer __________________ Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.<br />-Robert A. Heinlein

08-07-2008, 12:09 AM	#3
CuppaJoe Moderator Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Where "the Water is Fine" Posts: 2,024	Oh, yeah, IMO, Amazon.com is sliced bread shaped like a wheel; I buy and sell many used books with them. I use their rewards credit card exclusively. Can't wait for my next statement, should qualify for another $25.00 coupon to apply towards a textbook for a class I'll be taking. SO's sister didn't want to retire cold turkey so she took an on-line job with Amazon; something about helping people decide what to buy. I think her career was in IT. __________________ It's not about timing, it's about time.

08-07-2008, 08:21 AM	#4
Walt34 Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: WV Panhandle Posts: 1,225	I discovered Amazon.com not long after they opened and bought most of my textbooks there since they were much less expensive and I didn't have to drive 45 minutes to the college bookstore. __________________ Retired six years ago at age 52

08-07-2008, 08:42 AM	#5
Sarah in SC Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 2,733	Walt, try ABE.com as well--I priced some of my textbooks there as cheaper than Amazon, and they bought them back at the end of the term, easy as pie. __________________ "Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference." - Mark Twain DINKS, 37 and 45, plan for his ER at 50, mine few yrs later.

08-07-2008, 10:06 AM	#6
Jessica08 Dryer sheet aficionado Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 44	I like to purchase books on the Barnes and Noble site. Many of the books can be bought for a fraction of the retail price from one of their authorized sellers. I have bought many books for $5 and under.

08-07-2008, 10:15 AM	#7
CitricAcid Full time employment: Posting here. Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 546	For textbooks, half.com is still the best IMO, and you can't forget eBay. Most mainstream books or somewhat out of the loop books you can find used or even new for very cheap prices on eBay. Amazon is still fantastic in selling used books, I would almost suggest never buying new when you can get them cheaper used... they are usually in fantastic condition and you save substantial costs.

08-07-2008, 10:22 AM	#8
bssc Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 2,667	I try to get my books used off Amazon for .99 plus $3.98 shipping. Never had any problems. __________________ Angels danced on the day that you were born.

08-07-2008, 10:27 AM	#9
CuppaJoe Moderator Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Where "the Water is Fine" Posts: 2,024	One problem with textbooks is that it's somewhat important to have the most current revision so sometimes I resort to buying new; at least at Amazon the book I'm looking at is already discounted new (with free shipping) and that precious $25.00 coupon from the credit card makes the price tolerable. Thanks for all the info, I, too, will look at the other sites. __________________ It's not about timing, it's about time.

08-07-2008, 10:33 AM	#10
TromboneAl Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 4,168	For textbooks, check out the international editions. AbeBooks.com: Buy International Edition Textbooks FAQs +1 on Paperbackswap.com. __________________ - Al -- Always serious, never joking. No, wait. Never serious... Always... I forget.

08-07-2008, 05:48 PM	#12
CuppaJoe Moderator Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Where "the Water is Fine" Posts: 2,024	Plan B: I checked an old version (1994 instead of 2003) of the textbook out of the library today; it's due on Sept. 4 and can be re-newed for a month. A librarian was kind enough to tell me they keep no records of what people check out. So maybe I'll put it back in the library in early October, check it out again in mid-October, and re-new it again until finals. Cheap B*astardhood, here I come. I remember one of my instructors from the same dept. complaining that that is how textbook companies make their money, alway have a new version to require. A funny thing happened, he himself didn't read the new "required" version and had a question on a take home test from the previous version. Well I found it in my 20-year-old book (worth all of one penny on Amazon) but no one else was able to answer the question. Turns out experts in that field no longer believe in that concept and edited it out of the new version. BTW, the library had a blurb some time ago about not having any info to give to Homeland Security. That would not be the case with on-line sellers. __________________ It's not about timing, it's about time.

08-08-2008, 03:09 PM	#14
Moemg Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sarasota,fl. Posts: 3,096	I sell all my books on Amazon after I read them . I usually get books from the library but sometimes I don't want to wait so I just buy them and resell them after I've read them.

08-10-2008, 12:32 AM	#15
Ed_The_Gypsy Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,872	I find almost all of my technical books, especially out of print ones, at ABE books. They are dynamite. __________________ "Ain't got no money for no old-age pension; I'm so broke, I can't pay attention!"

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