Six Strategies to Successfully Sell College Textbooks

All about textbooks By The BookScouter Team May 8, 2019 Last Updated on October 3, 2023 by Olivia Smith Tags: buy rent textbooks, buyback, how to sell textbook, selling college textbooks No Comments

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The semester is wrapping up and you are preparing for final exams. Yes, that keeps you very busy, but don’t let the semester end just yet. You need to sell college textbooks! Why? You have gotten the most out of your textbooks the semester. Now it’s time to let them go, and earn some money along the way.

Whether it be to make extra cash or save yourself some room in the boxes you are taking home (let’s be honest, the extra cash is great!), you plan to sell college textbooks as soon as you turn in that final paper.

You may be surprised to read this, but adding some strategy to your selling college books could result in more cash in your wallet for your summer break adventure (or next semester’s textbook load).

So, how can you sell textbooks for the most money? There are 6 simple strategies to sell college textbooks.

6 Simple Strategies to Sell College Textbooks

Timing.

Put into practice what you learned in Economics this semester. Use basic economic theory to navigate when prices for buybacks may be higher. Selling college books at the end of the spring semester and directly before the summer term starts is one of the BEST times to sell. For more insight on timing, check out our post on the three best times to sell textbooks.

Find out the best times for selling college books on this blog from BookScouter.com!
Consider Your Selling Options.

BookScouter has a comparison tool to help you see over thirty textbook buyback options at once! We take care of the search, you just sell college textbooks. If you prefer in-person selling, many college towns have book exchange shops where you can sell used textbooks. Be sure to call around to see who is offering the best rate.
The Future Of The Book.

This one involves a bit of forwarding thinking and can be applied to buying textbooks as well. Ask your professors if they plan to use the book again for future semesters. If so, your chances of making decent cash back for your book are higher. When looking to buy textbooks ask your professors that same question. If they do plan to use it again, you should feel fairly confident in buying and then reselling the book. If not, consider renting.
The History of The Book.

If the book has either been used by the department for several years or it is a brand new edition, the book has a higher chance of being bought back by your school or a local college bookstore for a decent price. If you do not need the book for another course, be sure to sell it.
Demand.

Is that textbook commonly needed by other students at your college or at another university? If so, definitely resell your book! You could make some (or all) of your money back. Do a Google search of syllabi that include that book to verify the demand.
Post The Book.

Share what you’re selling the book on your student portal or on a student-to-student book exchange facebook page. You’ll save your friends the hassle of buying elsewhere and minimize the chance of shipping costs.