A smart way to make money as a higher institution student is by selling your used textbook. Leaving those precious textbooks you want to hold onto, you can sell old books that might never be of any use to you instead of allowing them to sit in your rubbish.
Thankfully, you don’t have to be overwhelmed with different book-gifting to sell your used books. There are some really commendable platforms where you can get the best price for your used textbooks. We will connect you with the best places and you will be amazed how much. Follow our step-by-step guide carefully and learn how to sell your used books online.
By selling your used textbooks, you can save money instead of going for student loans, which can take a long time to pay off. You know what happens to higher institution students when they don’t pay off their student loans, right?
Why Resell Your Used Textbooks?
Before you begin, you may wonder why you should even sell your textbooks.
If you have books that you cherish and are valuable for your education in the future, surely you want to keep them.
However, there are other textbooks that have nothing to do with your expertise or that you know will never open again.
If you have them, there are many benefits to selling them, including:
Opportunity to free up space
Books take up space and collect dust easily. If you’re looking for a more spacious living space, selling your old textbooks can be a great way to clean up your space.
Plus, if you’ve ever had to move, you probably know that handling books isn’t fun. Unless you’re a lifter, you probably know that books are a good exercise for going outside. So why not sell them?
You will save money
It never happens that there is more money. Selling your textbooks already in place can be a great way to do it. Not only can you keep the books in the hands of someone who needs them, but you can also help your savings account.
Additional funds to buy new textbooks
If you still have a few semesters to go before you graduate, you might consider using the proceeds from the sale of your current textbooks to buy new ones.
Not only is this a smart financial decision, but it also saves you from using up extra hard-earned dollars that could be spent on other important activities.
To let extra funds go to pay off the loan
Paying off your loans, if you have any, should always be a priority when it comes to financials. Doing this with secondary income can get you moving in a short amount of time.
Any extra dollars you use to pay off your loan now will save a ton of money on your future interest costs. Although the money from the sale of your textbooks doesn’t show up in advance, it can certainly help you cover one or two monthly loan payments.
How to Resell Your Used Textbooks?
First, there are many ways to resell your used textbooks, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. Not about a loss, there are ways to resell your used textbooks and make a decent profit. If you follow these steps on how to sell your used textbooks, you’ll be glad you finally did.
Sell your used textbooks online
Many students buy textbooks online to save money. If you have already used textbooks, you can use these online sites to sell your textbooks to other students.
For example, websites like eCampus make it easy to compare redemption prices so they don’t scam you. Selling used textbooks online is also very simple. Simply enter book information, wait for it to sell, and make your profit.
Although sometimes sending textbooks can be inconvenient if you don’t live near a post office. The good news is that some websites will pay for your shipping cost.
Sell used books directly to students
Some of your subclasses will need to receive the same textbooks that you purchased last semester. You can directly re-read your used textbooks to these students. By doing this, you can potentially make a profit by eliminating the middle man who wants to cut something out of your money.
However, one disadvantage of selling your used textbooks to a student is that it is not always easy to find a buyer. Even students who want to save money may feel uncomfortable paying for textbooks. Students may also miss some classes. If this happens, they may ask you for a refund. You don’t have to pay them back, but it’s an embarrassing conversation that can make you look like a bad boy on campus.
Auction textbooks online
Use auction websites to advertise and sell your old textbooks. Of course, you should think about eBay here.
For example, if you have a popular textbook, you can make a good profit from buyers bidding on each other.
But sometimes students using auction sites hoping to save money often don’t want to pay full price for your textbooks.
Sell Used Textbooks at College Bookstores
Most college bookstores will repurchase used textbooks, especially if teachers plan to use the same text next semester.
One thing you’ll gain from selling them at a college bookstore is that they’ll often pay you cash within minutes. Some people think convenience is more than money.
However, if you sell your books at a bookstore, you could stand to lose. Just don’t expect to make a profit. College bookstores have to earn money by re-reading the books they have purchased. This encourages them to pay as little as possible.
You can rent your textbooks during the semester
You can rent your used books instead of using them.
The truth is that students are prepared to spend more money on textbooks when they really need them. By renting your textbooks during the semester, you can get money off students who haven’t planned ahead. You can earn more money by renting your books multiple times.
However, the one disadvantage here is that there is no guarantee that you will get your books back. Even honest people can forget to call them when they are done. This means that you will have to waste time searching for them.
With a little planning, it is possible to make a profit by republishing your textbooks. Which method is best for you?
Where can I sell used textbooks near me? Best places
If you like the idea of selling your used textbooks online, but still prefer to sell your textbooks in person. There are many ways to sell your textbooks. Here are some of the better places to sell your textbooks offline.
If you live in a university town, you can easily sell books. The best time is the beginning of the new semester. Everyone would need books, and their books would be for ransom and at a much lower cost.
Half price books
Over the years, rumors of the death of the traditional bookstore have spread like wildfire. Big names like Borders have taken off and Kindle threatens to dominate the book space. But it’s not over until it’s finished for bookstores and many are still in full swing.
Half Price Books is one of these brands that has experienced strong growth since 1972. With over 120 stores nationwide, the company is the largest family bookstore in the country that sells not only used textbooks, but also music, movies, sports, and collectibles.
The process of selling your books to them is quite simple.
All you have to do is bring your old books to your local Half Price Books store and they will pay you back. The main factors you take into account when buying your used books are 1) condition and 2) supply and demand. An offer will only be made after viewing the book in person and accepting it on your list.
2 and Charles
2 and Charles are found in states across the country, including Pennsylvania, Florida, and Texas. Bring your items and you can leave them there for employees to review and evaluate. You will receive an SMS or email notification when it is ready.
If your books are accepted, you will receive payment in cash or store credit. They offer more store credit, but it’s a great way to make money now if you need to.
Offer up
With OfferUp, you can sell items both locally and online. To sell online, you need to activate the “Sell & Ship Nationwide” feature. 12.99% service fee will be charged for shipped items.
OfferUp is available for iPhone and Android and as an application on desktop. Quickly search your location to see what’s closest to you. You can communicate directly with buyers through the app, and users can rank each other. Weak notes or missing profile pictures can indicate red flags.
ABE Books
AbeBooks is a great place to resell your textbooks, but it requires a bit more work than some of the other places on this list.
You build your own store, ship your own products, and basically run your own store. However, they have good value as a result.
local used bookstore
If you have a used bookstore near you, take a look to see if they buy textbooks. If located near a university campus, these stores often offer popular textbooks.
You’ll need to take your books to the store and probably wait a few minutes to discover their value. Still, it’s a good option for those who don’t have a car but have a bookstore within walking distance.
Where to access online textbooks?
If you’ve already attended college in person, you probably know that you can revisit your books at college bookstores at the end of the semester. But did you know that you can also sell your used textbooks online?
You can more often than not get a better return from the investment at the physical bookstore. We’ve put together the 10 best places to sell your used textbooks online that you’ll want to visit before selling your used textbooks offline.
#1. BookScouter
BookScruter works with 42 purchasing providers, and they even compare all the prices they offer based on their title, just search by ISBN. You have the opportunity to review the seller’s comments before choosing a supplier to sell your used manual.
It ships with them free of charge, and they have a mobile app available for Android and iOS that makes it even easier to check book rebuy deals.
# 2. BookFinder
Bookfinder has been around since 1997 and takes pride in the fact that it has been featured in August publications such as Forbes and The New York Times. They are also linked to buyers who buy over a million titles.
All you have to do is enter your ISBN on their site, look at each offer for your title, and choose the best one. Nor does it pay to ship, its buyers do.
#3. Chegg
Chegg is proud to offer some of the lowest prices on textbooks, and they also buy used textbooks. As with any redemption process, start by entering your book’s ISBN and find out how much they will pay.
If you decide to sell, they provide a shipping label for you to print and use. In addition, you can expect payment after you receive your book or in about 10 to 15 business days.
#4. Cash4Books
Cash4Books buys textbooks in more than 15 regions, which you can view on their site. Or simply type in the ISBN of the textbook you used to get started. They do not charge for their service and will pay for the shipping of their books.
It takes approximately 13 days to receive your payment after you have received instructions to submit your transaction and publish your books. You will receive your payment by check or PayPal payment.
#5. TextbookRush
When you sell to TextbookRush, you start by searching along the ISBN of your used book to see if they are currently buying copies of your manual.
If so, you will need to verify that you have a version of the student book in the United States.
However, if you have another, you can follow a link to see if they buy your particular edition of the book. If not, they will sell your book, give you a prepaid shipping label, and then pay you in cash, PayPal or store credit.
Once you receive a quote for your book, that quote is valid for seven days.
#6. heroine
You can sell your books on Amazon using a personal Marketplace seller account. Please note that you cannot sell more than 40 books this way.
Basically, you create an inventory for the book you need to sell, which involves identifying the condition of your book and setting its sale price, then waiting for a buyer.
For some books, Amazon may offer exchange prices where you can sell your book to them to get credit from Amazon.
#7. Decluttr
Decluttr not only takes your unwanted movies or video games, but also buys used manuals. You can use the site’s search bar and enter the barcode to find out how much they’ll pay for each item. Or you can download their app and use your phone’s camera to scan the barcodes.
If you decide to sell them, they will pay the shipping cost and insure the package. They pay the day you receive and check your goods at their warehouse. You can choose to receive your payment via PayPal or via check, direct deposit, or you can do it at a charity.
#8. eCampus
There are two ways to sell used textbooks on eCampus.com. First, you can participate in their standard buyback program – just enter your manual’s ISBN into your search bar and get a deal. If you agree, you will be paid by check, direct deposit or PayPal.
You can also get a bonus in many cases if you choose to get store credit instead of cash. Another way to sell your textbooks is to register with their marketplace and list your book for sale there.
All your customers will see your ad and eCampus.com only 15% when you make a sale. When you make a sale they will also send you a shipping credit to help cover shipping costs.
#9. CampusBooks
CampusBooks.com is another comparison site – enter your ISBN to compare purchase prices to your used textbooks. Once you’ve selected an offer, your sale ends on the merchant’s website.
Many merchants offer free delivery and the method of payment will also depend on the merchant in question.
CampusBooks.com is a facilitator for putting you in touch with other merchants, and they give you great tips to help you get the most out of your used books.
#10. Bookbyte
Bookbyte purchases second-hand books directly from you as long as the books meet the terms of resale. Like any other reselling site, enter your book’s ISBN to find out what they’re paying for this title, or if they accept it.
If you like the price, please accept it, send your book to them and they will pay you 4-14 days after shipment. They pay by check or PayPal, and they also pay to ship.
How to make a profit when you sell used textbooks online?
Reselling your textbooks does not guarantee that you will get the right money to buy the book. In fact most of the times you earn very little from repurposing your used textbook. By earning less, it discourages the college student who specifically wants to relieve the stress they are involved in.
But there are ways to present your textbooks and you will make good profits from it. So, if you want to maximize your profit by selling a book, you can do it in a few simple steps:
Take great pictures of your textbooks
Photos, especially nice ones, bring a book to life for a potential client.
If you’ve used textbooks that you sell online, it’s absolutely essential to make sure you have clear, bright, and well-organized photos. You don’t need sophisticated equipment – your phone will do the job.
But the key is to hold the book from multiple angles and show that it really fits, including the details of the scene.
Make sure it is clean
Books that have been sitting for a while can still be cleaned up quickly. If your books are sitting on a dust collection rack (literally), you can start by simply blowing dust off the edges.
If the dust is persistent, use a soft toothbrush or old towel to do the heavy lifting for you.
Interiors may also need a facet. Often with textbooks, you may find yourself writing with a pencil from time to time which of course leaves sketch marks. Smudges and pencil marks can be easily removed with an eraser to give pages a fresh, clean look.
During the semester, be careful not to eat or drink around the book to reduce the risk of spills and stains on the book.
Be clear about the terms of your books
Today, transparency is everything. If you want to make a big sale, the more honest and simple the positioning of the book, the better. People like to know the details of what they are getting.
Is there a coffee stain in the middle of the book? Be sure to include it.
You want to be sure that the buyer is satisfied with your purchase, and if you plan to sell other books in the future, your positive opinion of this sale will make a difference.
Protect Your Textbooks Properly
If a book is not well protected, especially a paperback, its pages can tear easily at the edges.
Whenever you buy new books, be sure to protect them from wear and tear.
If a book is not handled carefully, it can easily become vulnerable to tears or wrinkles.
The best way to protect yourself from this is to make sure your books are properly secured against a hard surface, either in your purse or when you bring them home.
Options for rearranging your used textbooks
Don’t want to sell your textbooks but want to use them for a good cause? Or perhaps you just can’t find a good enough deal on your previous versions to make the sale worthwhile?
Here are some good options that you can try:
Donate your textbooks to your local or school library
Libraries usually accept donations of new and used books that they use to refill their shelves or to sell at fundraising events.
Not all books are accepted, but if the library believes your books will be useful to your collection, it is likely to accept donations.
Donate Your Textbooks to Goodwill
Another great place to donate your used books is to your local Goodwill.
Goodwill accepts donations of nearly all items, including textbooks, which are then sold to the public.
Best to donate to Goodwill? You do it well for your local community. The proceeds from the sale of items are used to train people in your community and provide services.
Conclusion
Choosing the best place to sell used textbooks online and the best way to sell them depends on where, when, and how easy it is.
Also, many people prefer to use it online to reduce the hassle of going places and simply sell it on online portals. Some people like to go to the store and sell them for quick cash on hand.
Im sure this guide on how to sell your used textbooks will solve your questions
