As student fees and book prices increase, selling back textbooks
for a good price has grown increasingly important to students.
While retailers are attractive for convenience reasons, selling
online often provides the best financial benefits.
Each of the options offers maximum advantages in certain ways
““ usually either in terms of convenience or finance. Some
markets, such as the MyUCLA forums, manage to provide a balance
between these two important factors.
For those students who find convenience to be the most important
factor, Ackerman is usually thought to offer the best option.
“I’m not going for value, I’m just trying to
get rid of my books, taking what I can get,” said Raymond
Mata, a second-year political science and sociology student.
It seems many students share Mata’s sentiments, as 63
percent of books purchased from the textbook stores on campus are
sold back to the Student Union and its various campus affiliates,
according to Associated Students of UCLA.
Selling back to Ackerman is convenient because the transactions
are instantaneous and students sell their books for cash. During
finals week, students can sell back their books at additional
locations on campus.
In terms of the prices paid for used books, Ackerman’s
policy is similiar to other university bookstores. ASUCLA will buy
back books for up to 50 percent of the book’s value.
“We’re in the industry standard in college
bookstores in terms of buyback,” said Neil Yamaguchi,
director of Academic Support.
Some other markets offer better financial options. But they may
require more time investment and effort.
For example, students can visit retail stores outside of campus,
such as TextbookPlus located in Westwood.
Owner Tony Shal, in business for over three years, credits his
success to “word of mouth.”
Since he is directly competing against the Student Union on
campus, he works to offer better pricing options.
“It’s a matter of business strategy. “¦ When we
buy back books, we have to pay more,” he said.
TextbookPlus, only a short walk from campus, provides time
convenience and gives students a chance to receive a better price.
Like the Student Union, used book stores buy books for cash.
With the rise in e-commerce, some students have looked to the
Internet to find the most lucrative prices on old books.
Online vendors, such as half.com and amazon.com, allow sellers
to set their own prices. This flexibility allows students to sell
books at the rate they desire.
For students who want to maximize their return, the Internet
proves to be a good choice.
In addition, outdated editions can be sold online, whereas
bookstores may not buy them back.
But selling online has its disadvantages.
The most notable risk of selling online is the possibility of
not finding a buyer. If other sellers offer the same book for
cheaper prices, it can be difficult to find a buyer. Additionally,
the book might not be in demand.
Sellers also need to invest extra time and effort to sell in
these forums.
Once the book has been sold, the seller has to ship the item in
a timely manner to ensure good reviews. Otherwise, those who want
to sell books online but lack a highly rated user account may find
it difficult to sell items in the future.
The internet has also opened doors to selling books on the
MyUCLA forums.
In a section of the forums, “Marketplace ““
Textbooks,” students can post their books for other UCLA
students to purchase.
The forums allow students to sell books for a better price
compared to many other venues and allow for the convenience of
meeting on campus to exchange the books. Yet again, there is no
guarantee that the books will be sold.
Although there are many options for students to sell back their
books, each has its pros and cons. Only after carefully weighing
each choice should students sell back their textbooks.