For college students, the cost of textbooks can be a major source of financial stress. With the average student spending over $400 per year on required course materials, those $200 organic chemistry books and $150 economics tomes add up quickly. Throw in the fact that textbook prices have increased nearly 90% since 2006 (far outpacing inflation), and it‘s no wonder that 65% of students report skipping buying required books due to cost.
Luckily, online textbook retailers have emerged to help students save money and access the materials they need to succeed in their classes. One of the best options is Textbooks.com. Founded in 2006, Textbooks.com‘s mission is simple yet powerful: to provide the most extensive selection of high-quality textbooks at the lowest prices possible.
With over 10 million new and used books in subjects ranging from anthropology to zoology, Textbooks.com is a one-stop shop for busy and budget-conscious students. In this comprehensive review, we‘ll take a close look at how Textbooks.com works, weigh the pros and cons, see what customers have to say, and help you determine if it‘s the right choice for your textbook needs.
How Textbooks.com Works
Using Textbooks.com is designed to be intuitive and hassle-free for students. The process is split into two main actions: buying textbooks you need for upcoming classes and selling used books you no longer need. Here‘s how each part works:
Buying Textbooks
The Textbooks.com student store makes it easy to search for the specific books you need. Simply enter the title, author, keyword, or ISBN into the search bar and browse the results. You can filter books by format (new, used, ebook, etc.), price, availability, and more to narrow down to the best fit for you.
Each book has a detailed description page with all the key information you need to ensure it‘s the right fit for your class – things like the edition, publication date, author, ISBN, cover type, and available formats/conditions. You‘ll also see the list price and Textbooks.com‘s discounted price, which can be up to 90% off, especially for used copies. User reviews and ratings also provide helpful perspectives from other student customers.
Once you find the book you need at the price you want, it‘s easy to add to cart, select shipping options, and check out. Textbooks.com offers free economy shipping on all orders over $25. Expedited options are available for an added fee if you need books in a hurry and they have detailed estimates for how many business days each shipment option typically takes.
Selling Textbooks
One of the biggest perks of Textbooks.com is their simple buyback program that lets you resell your used books to recoup some cash at the end of the semester. Rather than letting old textbooks gather dust on your shelf, you can put that money towards next semester‘s books or earn some extra spending money.
To sell books, just enter the ISBN (the 13-digit code above the barcode on the back cover) on the buyback page to get an instant quote for how much Textbooks.com will pay for your book. They provide a prepaid shipping label to mail your books to their warehouse for free. Once they receive and inspect your shipment, you‘ll get paid via PayPal or mailed check, depending on your preference.
The buyback price quotes are valid for 30 days, giving you some flexibility on when to ship without worrying about the offer changing or expiring right away. The process is quick, convenient, and an easy way to put your old books to good use.
Textbooks.com Pros & Cons
As with any product or service, there are both advantages and drawbacks to weigh with Textbooks.com. Here‘s a summary of the key pros and cons:
Pros:
- Vast selection of over 10 million books in a wide range of subjects
- Significant discounts on new and used books, up to 90% off list price
- Convenient buyback program to easily resell used books for cash
- Free economy shipping on orders over $25
- 30-day return policy for most purchases
- User-friendly website with advanced search filters and book details
Cons:
- No free expedited shipping options, only standard/economy is free
- Only ships within the United States (no international shipping)
- Buying used books can be hit-or-miss in terms of condition (with some customers reporting issues like missing pages, water damage, etc.)
- Buyback prices may be lower than what you could get reselling elsewhere
- No rental program (only buying/selling)
- Ebooks and access codes are not returnable once activated
Ultimately, the pros outweigh the cons for most students – the wide selection and low prices make Textbooks.com a compelling choice, especially if you‘re okay with buying used books. The free shipping minimum is relatively low and return policy provides some reassurance. While serious bargain hunters may find better deals for certain books on other sites, Textbooks.com is a reliable option with a longstanding reputation.
What Do Customers Think?
Of course, the true test of any business is what its customers have to say. Reviews for Textbooks.com are somewhat mixed, but trend mostly positive overall, with many customers praising their low prices, broad selection, and easy ordering process.
On Google Reviews, Textbooks.com has an impressive 4.8-star rating. Satisfied customers often comment on the significant cost savings versus their campus bookstore, speedy delivery, and smooth buying process. One customer raved, "Great prices, and great customer service. I was able to purchase a required custom textbook sold by my college, which is normally $154 new and $89 used in the college bookstore, for only $15 from Textbooks.com! I was able to pay an additional $12 for 2-day shipping and was still way ahead. Outstanding!"
However, not all customers have been thrilled with their Textbooks.com experience. On Trustpilot, the company has a much lower 1.8-star rating. Most negative reviews relate to issues with the condition of used books not matching the description, problems with returns/refunds, or lack of responsiveness from customer service. While the volume of complaints is relatively low compared to the positive reviews, it‘s still something to be aware of. No company is perfect or can satisfy every single customer interaction.
The reality is likely somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. The vast majority of Textbooks.com customers seem to have positive experiences and would recommend the site to other students. Issues like damaged books or shipping delays are unfortunate but not necessarily the norm. As a shopper, it‘s always wise to thoroughly read item descriptions, check seller ratings, and review policies just in case.
Key Facts & Findings
To give more context to this Textbooks.com review, here are some interesting statistics and data points about the college textbook industry as a whole:
- The U.S. college textbook market was valued at $5.76 billion as of 2020
- The average college student spends around $415 per year on required textbooks and course materials
- Textbook prices increased by a staggering 88% between 2006 and 2016, over 3 times the rate of inflation
- Digital materials like access codes and ebooks are the fastest growing segment of the market as print declines
- Textbook rentals have expanded significantly in popularity as a more affordable alternative to buying
- Nearly 80% of students report buying used textbooks as a tactic to reduce costs
- About 65% of students say they skipped buying a required textbook due to costs
- Around 45% of students use some combination of financial aid and scholarships to help cover textbook costs
As far as market share, Amazon is the dominant player in the textbook retail space with around 30% share as of 2021, followed by Barnes & Noble (25%) and Follett (11%). Textbooks.com‘s parent company, MBS Textbook Exchange, is much smaller at just under 3% of the market. However, smaller does not necessarily mean worse – Textbooks.com differentiates through its niche focus, low cost structure, and student-friendly policies.
To see how Textbooks.com stacks up on price, here are a few comparisons on popular textbooks and what they cost at various retailers (as of April 2023):
Campbell Biology (12th Edition)
- Textbooks.com: $79.95 (used)
- Amazon: $95.49 (used)
- Chegg: $64.99 (60-day rental)
- Barnes & Noble: $109.99 (used)
Fundamentals of Physics (11th Edition)
- Textbooks.com: $117.57 (used)
- Amazon: $145 (used)
- Chegg: $92.99 (90-day rental)
- Barnes & Noble: $159.99 (used)
Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry (8th Edition)
- Textbooks.com: $137.95 (used)
- Amazon: $177.34 (used)
- Chegg: $92.99 (90-day rental)
- Barnes & Noble: $191.99 (used)
As you can see, Textbooks.com had the lowest price on the used version of two out of three of these popular books. Chegg may have cheaper options for certain titles, but these are only rentals, not something you can keep forever or sell back when done. These examples show how Textbooks.com delivers competitive pricing and makes it a smart choice for penny-pinching students.
The Bottom Line
For college students looking to save serious cash on textbooks, Textbooks.com is absolutely worth checking out. With its vast selection, rock bottom prices, and easy-to-use buyback program, it succeeds in its mission to make higher learning more affordable and accessible for all.
No company is without flaws, and Textbooks.com has room for improvement in areas like international shipping and customer service. But the overall value and convenience still makes it one of the best textbook sites for budget-conscious students. As long as you‘re comfortable with buying used books and okay with standard shipping speeds, you‘re likely to have a positive experience and recoup major savings compared to campus bookstore prices.
Of course, it always pays to compare prices between multiple sites, as certain books may be cheaper at different times in different places. But Textbooks.com has earned its positive reputation and widespread popularity by consistently delivering awesome deals and a seamless way for students to acquire the course materials they need without breaking the bank.
So if you‘re a college student stressing over shelling out hundreds of dollars for next semester‘s required reading list, take a deep breath and check out Textbooks.com. Buying used books from their expansive catalog can quite literally pay off, both in the short-term savings and long-term knowledge those textbooks provide. Your wallet (and maybe even your GPA) will thank you.
