Textbooks: Buying Vs Renting
The overwhelming reason for renting versus buying textbooks is economics. College budgets are slim. Every penny saved will be more money to get necessities. Renting books offers the student an opportunity to save on classes with multiple books or other expensive supplies that are needed. Students who are away from home have less to pack.
The Old Buyback Tradition
Traditionally, companies bought textbooks back at reasonable rates. This was a way to alleviate some of the expense of buying books. These programs scaled back greatly, and they pay considerably less than they once did. This leaves a student with the option to find buyers themselves or simply lug textbooks around. College textbooks are constantly updated because research is so much more accessible in the internet age. Professors need updated information nearly every semester. This not only causes textbooks to become obsolete sooner, it also causes professors to add update guides and other material that make the overall price of attending their classes higher. Often, renting is the only way to allay these costs.
Pay Attention to Wear and Tear
Finally, new professors are coming into the business constantly, and they may use different textbooks than the previous professor. This will also make a book obsolete and unsaleable in buyback programs. Often, students do not find this out until they are in buyback lines. Renting books has eliminated that problem for cash strapped students as it takes the guesswork out of all the changes a school might implement. The buy backs come at a time when money is a commodity and to have these issues worked out with no surprises is a plus for students and families that are helping to fund their education. Textbook rentals save students over fifty percent off the new book price and twenty five percent from used textbook costs. Shipping is free to receive and return the books.
Neebo, a website where you can sell and rent textbooks, has been in business since 1915. They are the largest textbook company in the nation. They sell textbooks to over 250 campuses nationwide. This represents millions of students. They also have collegiate licenses from over 250 national campuses. Neebo carries fan gear for practically every sport and activity at these campuses. They can be reached at almost every social media platform available.
Its true that renting textbooks has a smaller initial outlay, but I think when you sell your used textbooks back online (not the campus bookstore), you will recoup much more of your expense. The trick is to not overpay in the beginning. Compare used textbook prices on a website such as FindersCheapers.com that specializes in textbook price comparison.