F....College Textbooks

Gmanc711 · 01-12-2007, 06:13 PM

Now I thought the textbook industry was always a big FU to us students, but this takes the cake....

I took a winter class so I could graduate this May. I bought it two weeks ago for 115 dollars...ONE HUNDRED FIFTEEN DOLLARS. I finished up the class, and went to return the book today in a buyback, so that they could have the book since I had no use for it anymore and they wanted to give me....

FOURTEEN DOLLARS. 14. FOURTEEN!!! I then asked how much they were selling the used copies for now, and he said 115. So I told him i'd rather have it sit on my shelf and rot than you guys make 100 dolalrs off me.

Unreal.

cpayne5 · 01-12-2007, 06:19 PM

I hate when they say "We're not buying this book back, but if you just want to give it to us, we'll take it". Right. I'll just give you something you'll ship to another school and sell for $100.

saden1 · 01-12-2007, 06:59 PM

Same exact thing happened to me while I was in college. I remember buying an Astronomy book for $114.99 and when the semester was done I wanted to sell it. They told me a new edition was coming out soon but they would be willing to buy it back for $5. I was enraged, I told them I would rather give the book away to a friend or keep it than sell it for $5! Needless to say, I kept the book and I enjoy reading it now and then.

A big FU goes out the the publishing industry. They certainly know how to frisk college students. I have even heard that publishers smooch university employees responsible for choosing and procuring books pharmaceutical industry style. What's even more amazing is that professors are willing to change to new editions of books even though there were no significant changes.

Gmanc711 · 01-12-2007, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saden1

Same exact thing happened to me while I was in college. I remember buying an Astronomy book for $114.99 and when the semester was done I wanted to sell it. They told me a new addition was coming out soon but they would be willing to buy it back for $5. I was enraged, I told them I would rather give the book away to a friend or keep it than sell it for $5! Needless to say, I kept the book and I enjoy reading it now and then.

A big FU goes out the the publishing industry. They certainly know how to frisk college students. I have even heard that publishers smooch university employees responsible for choosing and procuring books pharmaceutical industry style. What's even more amazing is that professors are willing to change to new editions of books even though there were no significant changes.

I think the thing that pisses me off more than anything, is that the book is sitting on the shelf right now and I walked back and checked and sure enough is selling for 115 bucks.

The other thing that pisses me off, is I bought it two weeks ago. So you mean to tell me the value of that book has depreiciated 100 dollars in two weeks? Common.

MTK · 01-12-2007, 08:12 PM

The best thing to do is buy your books on Amazon and sell them back there too.

College bookstores are running quite the racket that's for sure.

jbcjr14 · 01-12-2007, 08:29 PM

That is horrible! I remember when I was in college back in 88, the same thing happened to me. F...these thieving whores!

TheMalcolmConnection · 01-13-2007, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gmanc711

I think the thing that pisses me off more than anything, is that the book is sitting on the shelf right now and I walked back and checked and sure enough is selling for 115 bucks.

The other thing that pisses me off, is I bought it two weeks ago. So you mean to tell me the value of that book has depreiciated 100 dollars in two weeks? Common.

Come on man, you know that as soon as you drive it off the lot, it depreciates 50%.

mooby · 01-13-2007, 05:44 PM

Well now i'm not looking forward to going to college lol

CooleyAsCanBe · 01-14-2007, 09:52 AM

Even worse prices in law school. Bought one for $200 once.

At my school a student organization would hold its own used book sale as a fundraiser every spring and sell text books around 60% off. I would buy one there for $40, use it a semester, then re-sell it on half.com for $100. It was a nice change to be paid to use text books.

I've also bought several books off half.com, good site.

BDBohnzie · 01-15-2007, 11:53 AM

If you can, always buy used! And most times, you can get away with an older edition...just be sure to buddy up with the hot chick in class, so you can borrow if need be.

I was fortunate that the company my Mom works for used to have a partnership with Follett (publishing company), and I used to get my textbooks hellacheap. So we were just about breaking even at the end of the semester when selling them back.

firstdown · 01-15-2007, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gmanc711

I think the thing that pisses me off more than anything, is that the book is sitting on the shelf right now and I walked back and checked and sure enough is selling for 115 bucks.

The other thing that pisses me off, is I bought it two weeks ago. So you mean to tell me the value of that book has depreiciated 100 dollars in two weeks? Common.

The reason they only offered you % bucks is that they new the book had been violated. Which means read while sitting on the john.

GhettoDogAllStars · 01-15-2007, 01:40 PM

I REFUSE to be bullied by the school and the publishers. I had to pay $175 for my Calculus book, and $190 for my Physics book. Both are intended to be used for multiple semsters (Calc for 3 and Physics for 2). However, they change editions and try to get you to buy the new one. F THAT. I will NOT do it. I just use the old edition -- and NOTHING changed -- and if they won't let me (which never happens), I just say, "fine, I'll take the course at a different college -- so f*ck you, and your racket!"

firstdown · 01-15-2007, 01:47 PM

When reading this thread I was thinking that a site where you can buy and sell used text books would be a great idea. After a search there is several sites like this Sell college text book, buy college books and college textbook auctions which are free that may save some bucks. I have a daughter in college and find the prices for some books is just crazy so I'm going to give these sites a look next year when time comes.

01-12-2007, 06:13 PM	#1
Gmanc711 Thank You, Sean. Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Age: 39 Posts: 7,506	F....College Textbooks Now I thought the textbook industry was always a big FU to us students, but this takes the cake.... I took a winter class so I could graduate this May. I bought it two weeks ago for 115 dollars...ONE HUNDRED FIFTEEN DOLLARS. I finished up the class, and went to return the book today in a buyback, so that they could have the book since I had no use for it anymore and they wanted to give me.... FOURTEEN DOLLARS. 14. FOURTEEN!!! I then asked how much they were selling the used copies for now, and he said 115. So I told him i'd rather have it sit on my shelf and rot than you guys make 100 dolalrs off me. Unreal. __________________ #21

01-12-2007, 06:19 PM	#2
cpayne5 Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 3,807	Re: F....College Textbooks I hate when they say "We're not buying this book back, but if you just want to give it to us, we'll take it". Right. I'll just give you something you'll ship to another school and sell for $100.

01-12-2007, 06:59 PM	#3
saden1 MVP Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Seattle Age: 45 Posts: 10,069	Re: F....College Textbooks Same exact thing happened to me while I was in college. I remember buying an Astronomy book for $114.99 and when the semester was done I wanted to sell it. They told me a new edition was coming out soon but they would be willing to buy it back for $5. I was enraged, I told them I would rather give the book away to a friend or keep it than sell it for $5! Needless to say, I kept the book and I enjoy reading it now and then. A big FU goes out the the publishing industry. They certainly know how to frisk college students. I have even heard that publishers smooch university employees responsible for choosing and procuring books pharmaceutical industry style. What's even more amazing is that professors are willing to change to new editions of books even though there were no significant changes. __________________ "The Redskins have always suffered from chronic organizational deformities under Snyder." -Jenkins

01-12-2007, 08:12 PM	#5
MTK \m/ Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: NY Age: 52 Posts: 99,518	Re: F....College Textbooks The best thing to do is buy your books on Amazon and sell them back there too. College bookstores are running quite the racket that's for sure. __________________ Support The Warpath! \| Warpath Shop

01-12-2007, 08:29 PM	#6
jbcjr14 The Starter Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Austin, Texas Age: 54 Posts: 2,015	Re: F....College Textbooks That is horrible! I remember when I was in college back in 88, the same thing happened to me. F...these thieving whores! __________________ "Work Harder: millions on welfare are counting on you" - Obama 2009 address to Congress.

01-13-2007, 05:44 PM	#8
mooby Hug Anne Spyder Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 20,468	Re: F....College Textbooks Well now i'm not looking forward to going to college lol

01-14-2007, 09:52 AM	#9
CooleyAsCanBe Special Teams Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Fairfax, VA Age: 47 Posts: 421	Re: F....College Textbooks Even worse prices in law school. Bought one for $200 once. At my school a student organization would hold its own used book sale as a fundraiser every spring and sell text books around 60% off. I would buy one there for $40, use it a semester, then re-sell it on half.com for $100. It was a nice change to be paid to use text books. I've also bought several books off half.com, good site.

01-15-2007, 11:53 AM	#10
BDBohnzie Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Frederick, MD Age: 45 Posts: 4,628	Re: F....College Textbooks If you can, always buy used! And most times, you can get away with an older edition...just be sure to buddy up with the hot chick in class, so you can borrow if need be. I was fortunate that the company my Mom works for used to have a partnership with Follett (publishing company), and I used to get my textbooks hellacheap. So we were just about breaking even at the end of the semester when selling them back. __________________ Bad Things man, I mean bad things... “WE TOOK HIM IN THE SIXTH ROUND SO WE'RE NOT SMART EITHER.” - Shanny on what the Skins saw in Alfred Morris

01-15-2007, 01:40 PM	#12
GhettoDogAllStars Playmaker Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Denver Age: 42 Posts: 2,762	Re: F....College Textbooks I REFUSE to be bullied by the school and the publishers. I had to pay $175 for my Calculus book, and $190 for my Physics book. Both are intended to be used for multiple semsters (Calc for 3 and Physics for 2). However, they change editions and try to get you to buy the new one. F THAT. I will NOT do it. I just use the old edition -- and NOTHING changed -- and if they won't let me (which never happens), I just say, "fine, I'll take the course at a different college -- so f*ck you, and your racket!" __________________ To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid, you must also be well-mannered.

01-15-2007, 01:47 PM	#13
firstdown Living Legend Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: chesapeake, va Age: 60 Posts: 15,817	Re: F....College Textbooks When reading this thread I was thinking that a site where you can buy and sell used text books would be a great idea. After a search there is several sites like this Sell college text book, buy college books and college textbook auctions which are free that may save some bucks. I have a daughter in college and find the prices for some books is just crazy so I'm going to give these sites a look next year when time comes.

F....College Textbooks

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