There are many resale options for students to choose from when the semester comes to an end. There are three book stores located on or near campus, and there are a variety of online resources that will buy used college textbooks.
Campus Book Mart has been around since 1980. Stan Raye, Campus Book Mart’s manager, said he attributes the store’s longevity to all the services are offered to its customers.
“We offer a lot to the students and alumni,” Raye said. “We try to have the lowest-priced textbooks, and we try to have the highest price at the end of school when students are trying to sell their books back.”
Campus Book Mart is located at 1164 East Lee Blvd. across from the Baptist Student Union. The store also has another branch downtown called Book Mart & Café at 120 East Main St. that will sell and buy back textbooks.
If students want to sell back their books without leaving campus, Barnes & Noble at Mississippi State University is another option.
Belinda McElroy, communication major, said she enjoys the whole environment of Barnes & Noble.
“I really like the overall atmosphere at Barnes & Noble,” said McElroy. “The staff is very friendly.”
Barnes & Noble is located on campus at 75 B.S. Hood Drive on the west side of the football field.
Campus Bookstore’s Hunter Sanders, manager, said if students shop around, they will return to Campus Bookstore.
“We work with more companies, so that enables us to be able to pay the student better,” said Sanders. “We pay better on every single book, every single day.”
Sanders also said he understands what students are going through.
“I, myself, paid for all my books in college, so I know how it is,” he said. “I want to give you guys the best possible deals.”
Campus Bookstore is located at 612 U.S. Highway 12 East.
The Internet offers a variety of websites for students to sell their textbooks. A few popular websites for buying and selling textbooks include amazon.com, uloop.com and half.com.
According to Amazon’s website, there are two ways to sell used textbooks.
“Textbook Buyback” allows students to trade their textbooks in for an Amazon gift card, which can be used on any of the items for sale on the website. Students also have the option of listing a textbook and selling it themselves.
Some other website alternatives include booksvalue.com, campusbooks.com and collegebookrenter.com. There are an unlimited number of websites devoted to buying textbooks, and some will even pay shipping.
Another online option for students is joining a group on Facebook. “Mississippi State Student’s Book Exchange” currently has over 1,000 members. The group’s creator, Trey Higginbotham, sophomore criminology major, said the group is an easy way to sell books.
“I wanted to cut out the middleman,” said Higginbotham. “I knew that most college students like me were broke, and it would be easier just to sell books to each other.”
He said his Facebook group has helped him to sell his textbooks since he created it.
“There’s always going to be new people taking the classes you have already taken,” Higginbotham said. “I’ve sold every one of my books on there.”
A less tech-savvy method for marketing used textbooks is to post flyers on campus bulletin boards. Residence halls, departmental buildings and dining facilities present opportunities for ad placement.
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Textbook options give students a chance to save money
CANDACE BARNETT
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April 14, 2011
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