Used books at the UofC

[powerslave]

What's the deal with the two places selling used books? First there's the actual bookstore where you can buy either new or used version of a book, but beside it there's another smaller store also selling used books? Which one is cheaper?
Also, if I was to sell my books after the semester, where should i take them, to the bookstore or the other smaller place?

[Weapon_R]

The used bookstore is funded by the Student's Union and works by taking student's text books on consignment. When they sell them, they give you 80% of what you were asking for the book (ie - when you sell a book for $100, you'll get $80, they keep $20).

The new bookstore also has a buy back policy, where it purchases student's text books straight up (usually at a low, low price) and sells them again (usually at a high used price, slightly lower than the cost of new).

Which is cheaper? That depends. I've found that the new bookstore is sometimes very similarly priced to the used book store concerning used books. For example, I purchased a used book from the new bookstore today for $42. In the SU student's bookstore, the cheapest I found it for was $40. For the added $2, I have the peace of mind of ensuring that I can return it within 2 weeks, should I no longer need it (with the SU's used bookstore, all sales are final).

The benefit of the SU bookstore is that you are able to search through various texts that student's have placed at the bookstore concerning your needed textbook, and choose the cheapest one. There may be 10 books there for the one u need, so you can look thru them all and find the cheapest one (students set their own prices). In the end, the used bookstore is almost always cheaper, but not every time.

HTH

[girlRACER]

What I don't understand is why they charge me GST on a Used book at the Used bookstore and did not charge me tax on a Used book at the New bookstore. I would assume that you wouldn't have to pay tax on something that's used. :dunno:

[nismodrifter]

Originally posted by girlRACER
What I don't understand is why they charge me GST on a Used book at the Used bookstore and did not charge me tax on a Used book at the New bookstore. I would assume that you wouldn't have to pay tax on something that's used. :dunno:

:werd:

[no_joke]

Just wondering if most people are actually able to sell off their books at the used book store (SU store). Seems like a waste if they just sit on the shelves for a year. You can also pull your book out of the store at anytime if you happen to need it or something, right?

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by no_joke
Just wondering if most people are actually able to sell off their books at the used book store (SU store). Seems like a waste if they just sit on the shelves for a year. You can also pull your book out of the store at anytime if you happen to need it or something, right?

I've never had any problem selling any books there. As long as it's still being used the following semester and your selling price is reasonable (less than the bookstore's new editions and/or about the same as their used editions), there's a pretty good chance you'll sell it.

Starving students can get very resourceful when it comes to saving a buck here and there! This semester I'm taking 5 courses and managed to get away without having to buy any textbooks! Hahaha!

[RSeXy]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz

Starving students can get very resourceful when it comes to saving a buck here and there! This semester I'm taking 5 courses and managed to get away without having to buy any textbooks! Hahaha!

Share your wisdom O wise Kobe Beef master!! :D :rofl:

...no seriously. :(

[hampstor]

Originally posted by RSeXy


Share your wisdom O wise Kobe Beef master!! :D :rofl:

...no seriously. :(

I'm not sure if this is the case here, but a lot of people take advantage of the '2 week refund' policy offered by the new bookstore. However if you do it too often, they can and will refuse your return :)

Also, I had a few cases where the textbook was available at the library!!

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by RSeXy


Share your wisdom O wise Kobe Beef master!! :D :rofl:

...no seriously. :(


Well, first thing is I never buy books until atleast after the first week of classes, usually the second. That way you can determine of the course actually follows the textbook closely. I never understood why some people went and bought their books before the classes even begun. Why? To beat the long line ups? They have enough people working the registers so that you don't have to wait long anyways.

Some classes tell you to get such and such book but don't touch into it until some time into the semester. By then, how much of a 400 page textbook do you REALLY need?! Usually not much! I can't justify spending $90+ on a textbook when $4 of photocopies will suffice if it's just a few select chapters/pages. Sometimes waiting until the textbook is actually needed before buying it will help determine whether it's worth buying it or not. In the past, I've purchased textbooks that have only been used once or twice the entire semester.

Also, wait and see if the instructor provides a list of readings. If he or she does, sign the book out of the library and copy what you need! Sure, you may laugh and it may violate various copywright laws, but last time I was in the library, they did have photocopiers there for a reason! And I know I'm definitely not the only one doing it (if you think I'm wrong, go to the student copy center any time during the first week of classes)!

If the course is a course that involves group work, let someone else buy it and borrow theirs! If they want the entire group to contribute, they're not going to turn you down! Or if the course isn't one that requires intensive reading, go halfers with a friend and share it.

Also, find friends who have already taken the course, but either don't want to sell the book or haven't yet and borrow it (or purchase it cheaply). In many instances, people who have taken the course before can no longer sell the book because a new edition is being used. Borrow it and use that, since oftentimes, very little has changed and the only thing that may be off are the page numbers. If that's the case, the library usually has copies of textbooks currently in use, to which you can just go sign it out and match up the pages with the current edition.

If you're taking a technical course (ie: computer science, engineering, etc...) You'd be surprised at how often you may find the textbook floating on the web in PDF format. (Don't PM me asking where to find it, because I'm not disclosing that information, nor will I explain how to get it.)

That's all I've got! Anyone else have any suggestions? :thumbsup:

[szw]

Anyone else have any suggestions?

Don't lose your reciepts

[max_boost]

Wow Nutz, I didn't do any of the above in your post, no wonder I failed University. LOL:rofl:

[nismodrifter]

bah shit.....I could have photocopied one of mine which I only needed a bunch of short stories out of :(

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by max_boost
Wow Nutz, I didn't do any of the above in your post, no wonder I failed University. LOL:rofl:

That, by no means, guarantees good marks! Just enough change left over after tuition for a steady diet of President's Choice macaroni and cheese dinner throughout the entire semester! Kraft dinner if you're blingin'! :rofl:

[RSeXy]

Originally posted by szw


Don't lose your reciepts

haha! excellent advice...for book reviews...i bought the book, read it in a couple days then returned it. why pay 40 bucks for a book you only need for one measely report??

Kobe Beef Man: That's some frugal thinking!! Mmmm...Kraft dinner...:drool: haha! anything beats that place you work at!! mwhaha!

[max_boost]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz


That, by no means, guarantees good marks! Just enough change left over after tuition for a steady diet of President's Choice macaroni and cheese dinner throughout the entire semester! Kraft dinner if you're blingin'! :rofl: I forgot to add, and I wasted my money. :rofl: