Frustrated with college textbooks

@rpegan (596)
United States
April 26, 2008 1:13pm CST
I went to sell three of my textbooks back at the store the other day, and ALL THREE OF THEM have a new edition. The company has changed maybe three words, and now the old editions are completely useless. Students will be required to purchase the new editions, and the old ones will go to waste. This is more than a little frustrating. Anyone else have issues with the college textbook industry?
1 person likes this
12 responses
@danzer (2723)
• Philippines
26 Apr 08
That's the problem with so many schools today. Those books called new ones have some few additions yet it already outdated the previous ones. And those schools require new editions as textbooks. I think that the old editions does not go to waste because you can still use them or you can donate them elsewhere, they will thank you and more than happy to have it. With the dawn of the internet, those textbooks are limited.
@rpegan (596)
• United States
26 Apr 08
Still, I know several students that are dependent on money gained from selling back books to purchase books for the next semester. I just think that the industry is a bit ridiculous.
@geno1260 (30)
• United States
6 Jul 08
your only real option is to get the books ata cheaper price. to find the best prices on books check out www.wecomparebooks.com
@rpegan (596)
• United States
6 Jul 08
How does that help me sell textbooks?
• United States
27 Apr 08
I am in college and I do know how bad it is. My History textbook was close to $100. I heard that as you get to the upper class level the prices go down.
@rpegan (596)
• United States
27 Apr 08
I certainly hope so. My chemistry book cost me $130.
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
26 Apr 08
I hate that. If the company only switched chapters around or something like that, I've found that usually I can still sell them to other students who want a discount. It means you won't get back as much for them, but you'll still get something. And you have to go to the classrooms and ask people if they'd be interested in buying the books. Some teachers require the new editions though. I had an economics professor that let us use editions up to 5 editions back because the only thing that changed was the chapter order. So I bought the one 5 editions back for $5 instead of spending $150.
@rpegan (596)
• United States
27 Apr 08
That's one thing I appreciated about my English professor- he said that he didn't care what edition we had as long as it had all of the short stories in it.
@friendship (2084)
• Canada
27 Apr 08
I had similar experience with you when I was in the college. You said that "the company has changed maybe three words". If so, it doesn't change too much. I am sure that you can still use your old editions because knowledge won't change drastically (in Math, 1+1 = 2. It will still be same until the end of time ) However, you should compare with new editions especially for review questions, case studies, and discussion sections. Because when your professor asks to do those things, you will have to be sure that you're on the same chapter -- you know what I mean. If not, please borrow your professor's or friends' new editions and copy only those I mentioned above. Alternatively, IF you just purchased your old editions, you could return them to the store you bought. I believe that they have a return policy, haven't they? Thus, you can get new editions. Or you can sell your old editions to other online bookstores such as Amazon.com. Of course, you have to be willing to sell it much cheaper.
@rpegan (596)
• United States
27 Apr 08
The book stores around here have figured out that they won't make money from older editions. You can only return books within three weeks of the beginning of term. Therefore, if you use a book for the entire semester and the company comes out with a new edition- you're out of luck.
• United States
27 Apr 08
OMG!!! I was floating in the same boast with you a semester ago. And really truly deep down i believe that this is another way for colleges to make more money. Its sad because so many students pay all of this money for the text books. Only to use them for a couple of months. Mot of them are barelly used and when the student has the chance to return the book back to the book store they dont even get half of what they paid for the book. Or they will not take them back because of new editions. I really believe that it is a rip off.
@rpegan (596)
• United States
27 Apr 08
The publishers benefit the most. They switch around a few words just to say they've "updated" the text. They don't make money when students sell old text books to one another.
@anup12 (4177)
• India
27 Apr 08
Yes it's a common problem actually do not worry.
• United States
26 Apr 08
I know how you feel. I've been jipped with text book sales on several occasions. They either give you too little back, or claim that it can't be taken back because they're not using that book next year, they've moved onto a different text. Or, they can't take it back because there is a new edition and it's useless. I hate buying books for that reason and try to buy cheap books from other sources when possible.
@rpegan (596)
• United States
27 Apr 08
I know that the book store can't help it that the company just happened to come out with another "MUST HAVE" edition, but it's so frustrating. I'm a poor university student, and I needed the few dollars that can be scavenged from selling back my books.
@wisedragon (2325)
• Philippines
27 Apr 08
I share your frustrations. I remember back in college textbooks are one of the biggest expenses. I didn't want to burden my parents too much, so I only bought those which were really necessary. I had to do without the other ones.
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
26 Apr 08
I am in college right now and I swear it is a plot to keep students poor! Have you considered selling the books on EBay? I buy the old issues of the books simply because I don't want to spend the $100+ for each book. You'll be surprised at how many students feel the way that I do. Especially if the editions are like the 7th and the new one is the 8th. Another site to attempt to sell the books is Amazon.com. I cruise both for the text books I need. It works out so much better than buying them at the college bookstore.
@rpegan (596)
• United States
27 Apr 08
I've deeply considered selling my old books on ebay, but I wasn't sure if students would buy the older edition. However, now that I know that at least a few people do it I might try.
@febinsoft (213)
• India
27 Apr 08
Ya i am really sad with these things . What all hell are there to study. I feel really bored. I can survive more. I really get headache.
• Malaysia
2 May 08
This usually happens among all of us.Here in my country the college textbooks change every year.It is a compulsory thing to do for the publisher to update the book.What you should do is to write down or photocopy and paste the changes in the new book to your book that you are going to sell.And sell it at low price like I did.You can sell it if you try.