The end of a semester or school year for a starving college student means recouping some of the money originally spent on expensive textbooks. Hopefully you, the student, made price comparisons prior to purchasing in the first place to get the best price possible. Regardless, it’s time to get rid of the textbooks you’re no longer using and get some real cash for them. Chances are you’ll use this cash to buy the next set of textbooks (what a drag!), but try to make sure you look for your best options first.
There are several buyback mistakes that have been made time and time again, so it’s no wonder college students wonder why their buyback price is so low; they didn’t bother to take all of the precautionary steps.
This blog will share what NOT to do when selling back textbooks:
Sell Back Damaged Goods
This might seem incredibly obvious, but it’s worth a mention here. Basically, try to keep your books in as pristine a shape as possible. If you purchase them with full awareness that you will absolutely sell them back, don’t shy away from this. I would even recommend refraining from highlighting or bookmarking.
This is very important. When you’re dealing with an online company for selling back your books, things can get tricky. Some online sites require books to be in tip-top condition and will ream you in your payback if they’re not. Others are a little more lenient in the shape the book is in (and sell it to future users accordingly), so they will be more accepting. The most important thing is to understand the company’s policies and how you can get the biggest payback when selling your books.
Sell Back an Incomplete Textbook
Nowadays, textbooks often come with supplemental materials, such as DVDs or CDs. It’s fine to use them, but don’t forget to include them in the books when you’re selling them back. You want to sell the book back almost exactly the way you received it so keep all additional items in there. Remember, book buyback companies can be strict on this rule too; they may not even consider your book if it’s missing essential items to sell in the future.
Rush Through the Process
This tip takes on multiple meanings. The first is that you want to ensure that you’re following all the rules when selling your book back online. When you’re choosing the company, be sure to read through all of their expectations, including the fine print. Also be wary if one company is offering a dramatically higher payback than the other ones. Sometimes that might mean that there’s something fishy going on.
The other way you can potentially rush is if you expect pay back quickly. The fastest way to receive your money is through your PayPal account. But be warned: PayPal charges for transactions. Each time a transaction occurs, PayPal takes a certain percentage, and that fee comes from your pockets. So while that option seems to be ideal, it might not be for your situation. If every dollar counts, consider having the buyback company mail you a check.
If you have more textbook buyback mistakes to avoid, please share them with us in the comments below!
