Textbooks are manuals that provide information on every branch of study. The contents are prepared according to the needs of the educational institutions. Alternatively, they also provide standard information on a particular subject, which might not be necessarily linked to a particular course or class.
Initially, all textbooks were in the printed format. Today, however, they are also available as electronic books, which can be accessed online. The test book market operates differently markets associated with commercial products. Because the end user, the students do not have any say in the selection of the product, they follow a different pricing policy. This often makes the prices completely disproportionate to the costs involved. Profit margins are quite high.
Students resort to purchase of used textbooks, which are comparatively cheaper. Many colleges also offer used copies at a discounted rate to its students. Most of the bookstores nowadays buy back the books from students at the end of the term at discounted prices. However, students can now find cheap textbooks online through retailers or used books sellers. The disadvantage of using e-books is that though they are cheaper than printed versions, they do not offer the advantage of resale at the end of the term. Students have to invest in new books without having the advantage of the price gained from sale of used books to offset the costs.
The latest trick that manufacturers and suppliers resort to is bundling. Here, additional items like CD ROMs, workbooks and the like are added as supplements to the textbooks. Often, students have no use for these supplements and they are a complete waste of money and materials. Bundling is also used as a tool to segment the used books market.
Students can circumvent these problems by selling the textbooks used for the term to the college bookstore, fellow students or a number of online websites that specialize in buying educational textbooks. Campus stores usually pay back half the cost, if the same books are valid for the next term. The condition of the textbooks and its edition are of course important deciding factors. Online selling is usually carried out at fixed prices for particular editions. Some sites have an online auction format or sell the books at a fixed price. Students are required to create a listing for each book and wait for a buyer.
An online company in Santa Clara, CA in the United States has set the initiative for what perhaps is the best option for students using textbooks. The students rent books online for a fraction of the price they would originally spend and return the books at the end of the term. The general opinion among experts is that in the coming years, a majority of textbook sales will be dominated by online sources. The flexibility in terms of usage and the huge difference in prices are making students resort to online purchase options.
An online search for textbooks is done using the title, author, keyword and the ISBN number. Comparison of prices can be done using various on line tools. Always opt for a reputed and experienced online company to buy your textbooks college course materials and other educational products.