Its that time of year again where semesters are ending, and people are selling their books back at what they think is a good deal for cash.

Get some cash together, hit up your friends, classmates, etc, or even hang out in front of the bookstore.

For example, I matched the price one place here was willing to pay for my friends book, 60 bucks, that book in new condition is still being sold online in the 160 range, and used in the 100 range. I duplicated this feat several times, and after I take this final I plan on doing a little more.

I decided to stake out their parking lot for a bit, saw a young guy walking out looking frustrated, they wouldnt take his book back, I said "Ill give ya 10 bucks for it" looked it up online its being sold for 50-60 from various booksellers in used condition.

Granted, it usually costs around 5-8 bucks to ship your average book. But it doesnt take long to make some decent spending money if everything falls in place.

Just thought Id share the love.

:?
Not exactly honest IMO, but whatever floats your boat man. Where are the website that you can sell your books on?

Sounds like a pretty good idea to me. Nothing dishonest about it, IMO. One man'* junk is another man'* gold.

amazon.com is the most popular place to resell books.

nothing dishonest about it at all. nancys been doing that for a couple of semesters, but first she lets them know they can sell it for more online. if they dont want to, then she offers to buy their books at about $5 more than the bookstore.

now shes got a couple of people who every semester just sell their books to her, without going to the bookstore.

My school'* stores bought books back that weren't going to be used for $1. Most knew they'd be sold to other school'* stores that would use them.

I dont really think that its dishonest, its not my fault that people think because the bookstore wont buy their books back that theyre of no worth to them any longer. If I decide to capitalize on that, I dont see the harm, thats why they call it capitalism.


I ended up with somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 books. Total spent $240.

If I use flat rate shipping at $8.95 it makes my break even price for each book at around 21-22 dollars, not counting Paypal fees etc.

For those of you who know the prices of college textbooks, getting an average of just over 20 bucks shouldnt be too hard. Anything above that will be pure unbridled profit.

We'll see how this goes, and who knows, it may become a semesterly pilgrimage. Only next time Ill get more sophisticated and get ahold of a laptop with a wireless connection, so I can get a rough idea on the spot of how much certain books are goin for.

Your idea is ingenius, I need extra spending money for Christmas shopping and now I have a way to.

Its not a bad idea, but it can be risky, when you head online theres A LOT of competition. Some people are selling books for what I would assume to be a profit, for the the prices I felt like I was stealing them for.

Im finding now that several of these books are in fact being used again next semester at the college I just graduated from, so I can market them on places like Facebook to that particular school as well, not too mention they have prices from the bookstore on campus online, so I can price accordingly.


Just some things to watch our for, make sure any bookstore you stake out at doesnt have a no loitering sign, a no soliciting sign, or anything of that nature. You are on their property, and since you arent buying anything from them, they can elect to have you removed, which brings me to my next point:

I would strongly advise against approaching people as they are entering the bookstores, and saying youll match their prices or whatever, because you will most certainly attract the attention of the management, you will anyway. But if someone goes in, gets a quote, then walks back out and sells to you, it will be on like donkey kong, and any competent manager would have the police on you like white on rice. I think youre safe at picking up the leftovers, as its business they already turned away.