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Monday, January 24, 2022 • The Daily Beacon
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4 ways to save, earn money on textbooks for spring semester AUTUMN HALL Staff Writer
Buying new textbooks each semester can be one of the greatest and most painstaking struggles of college life. Between searching for the correct editions and lowest prices, the should-be simple task of purchasing books can quickly become a very frustrating one. It can be annoying to have old books lying around after the semester, never to be used again. Although it can be tempting to throw these textbooks away, with the help of these selling options, you can easily clear off your bookshelf while making money. While purchasing and selling textbooks is inevitable, it does not have to be difficult. There are several different in-person and online options available.
VolBooks VolBooks is by far the most common way that students purchase textbooks on campus. This resource is a section of the VolShop, and it offers a variety of books for specific classes at the University of Tennessee. Physical books
are available for in-store pickup or shipment. The website gives shoppers the option to search for materials by course code, making it much easier to ensure that you are receiving the correct editions. VolBooks also has many Inclusive Access materials, which are charged to student accounts each semester. These books are digital and are automatically provided, making the books buying process much simpler. If you do not wish to purchase the materials this way, you can opt out through MyUTK, just make sure you meet the opt-out deadline. Not only can textbooks be purchased from VolBooks, but they can be sold as well. VolBooks holds an online textbook buyback program each semester. Books do not have to be purchased through VolBooks, but some books will not be accepted for the program. You can check to see whether or not your book is resalable by searching the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) on the VolBooks website. If there is a buy price, the book can be sold. If not, there are several other potential resell options available.
eCampus eCampus is a digital tool that allows users
to compare several pricing options from different booksellers. Books can be searched for in a variety of ways, including ISBN, author or title. In addition to its warehouse of buyable and rentable books for purchase, eCampus allows students to enter the ISBNs of their own books in order to determine their selling price. After this, the books can be posted on the website for resell, allowing you to clean off your bookshelf while making extra money.
Chegg Many students know Chegg as an online homework help resource, but did you know that they are also one of the oldest online textbook sellers? Although Chegg is one of the priciest options of the online sources, students can buy or rent textbooks for a price that is often cheaper than that of university bookstores. Books are not available for direct reselling through Chegg, but they can be sold through independent buyer GoTextbooks. You can visit the website to search and receive a quote on your book’s resell price.
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McKay’s McKay’s is a local bookstore that allows community members to trade their own books in for store credit. This way, your old books will be available to those who need them, while you are receiving a discount on the new-to-you books that McKay’s has to offer. The Knoxville store can be found at 230 Papermill Place Way, and it offers a variety of discounted textbooks. While you’re there, you can also browse their wide collection of records, CDs and video games.
