Free College Books For Students

[stevo510]

Sounds good, thanks to both for the replies. From that, my last concern would be that the dispute on a book wouldn't be looked at fast enough if there are many, or many exchange problems to handle also. A week, a day even is critical when the course already starts and you need that book..sounds like a good idea though, just want to iron out the details before I try it out this quarter

 

[QueHuong]

I think you should begin to categorize books, such as engineering and science books, then business books, then literature, etc. Engineering / science books tend to run $100 and upwards...whereas literature probably runs for $20.

By the way, is this a for-profit business? If not, how are you able to break even?

 

[FDF12389]

I signed up, great Idea, I hope it works.

 

[stevo510]

I think if many students use the site (even non-students), it will work out fine trading a cheaper book for a more expensive one, because they're all worth one point so with that point for your cheap/expensive book you should be able to find a match for another book. Don't know if I'm getting my point across clearly..

 

[khornschemeier]

We were written about on mashable.com today, http://mashable.com/2007/09/07...ialbib/#comment-945266. We were a little disappointed in the article because it doesn't really specify that you can receive free books from our service and doesn't say why our service is unique or helpful. It also goes on to say that college students prefer to sell their books for a little bit of cash, which we don't believe based on all of your great comments.

We were really hopeful that an article on mashable would get us a lot more traffic - which would allow more students to get books for free, but we're afraid that after that article no one will want to go to the site.

Feel free to read the article and post your comments to let the writer, and other users, know how you feel about the article and our site. And tell others to feel free to do the same.

Thanks!

 

[Ctrackstar126]

Sweet I have about 25 college books I still have.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: EternalVortex
I like to keep my books. Never know when you might need them.*

Sell them when you are finished, when the edition changes, buy back your old edition for next to nothing.

 

[krazydimund]

Awesome idea, just wish it had been around 4 years ago. I still have Goethe's Faust and my Biochem books. I'm not sure which one is more useless.

 

[duragezic]

Interesting idea. Will check it out.

A little off topic, but how can you guys possibly spend so much $$$ on books every semester? While waiting in line last week to sell my VLSI book (that I bought for $18 shipped online and got $13 back for it), I noticed the person in front of me with a $594 receipt. $600 for one semester?! I've maybe spent $600 on books in the past 3 years, and I have a full schedule every semester. Might even be less than that if you count selling books back, which I generally do if they are crappy books, plus the library has so many books on all topics that it's pointless to keep them. The ones I do, I think, "oh this will be a good reference"... yah, good intentions, cept I never touch the damn thing.

Buy online (addall.com). Buy soft cover, international edition when possible (though I prefer to buy these from USA sellers). At least check into alternative methods of buying books before dropping $500+ at the bookstore.

My book costs for the past few semesters:

This fall: Just realized last night I still needed the one book I couldn't get online sicne it's written by the Prof who teaches the class. It is $40 new at the bookstore. Jumped on the school forums, to the FS section, sure enough, 8 hours earlier was a FS post for the book I needed. Like-new condition, $20. I'm meeting him later today. Cost: $20 (will be less once I sell it back)
This summer: Bought book online for $18 shipped, sold back to school for $13. Didn't bother with this other BS book that was required but never used. Net cost: $5
Last spring: Borrowed some books, even sold one of the borrowed books back (the guy seriously would not accept it, cause well it was a useless POS). Net profit: $7
Last fall: Borrowed some, bought one for very cheap online and made some of it back selling it. Probably net cost of $20-30 at most.

 

[ViviTheMage]

I have about 20 textbooks I could throw on there...I will give this a shot next semester for sure.