In a recent study, college students spent an average of $1,000 a year on textbooks! That equals to $4,000 in textbooks just to get your 4 year degree! With a little work you could easily cut that in half.

The first question to ask yourself: Do you really need to buy the textbook? It is worth while to see what books are available in your schools’ library, which texts are available online and if you can share a textbook with a friend.

The second question to ask yourself: How much does the book cost? If you need to buy the textbook, the most affordable option is to buy online. It is worth while to obtain the ISBNs of the textbooks that you need. Once you do so, it is beneficial to check out an online marketplace like ValoreBooks.com. ValoreBooks.com has some of the cheapest textbooks on the internet. Prices on ValoreBooks are so low because we have over 6,000 booksellers on our website that compete for your business.

Once you have checked out how much your textbook will cost on ValoreBooks.com, you should check out the price at your school bookstore.

After you compare your schools price with the price on ValoreBooks.com, it is time to make your decision. Your decision should be based on a couple of factors, such as the price and the specific date you need your textbook. If you choose priority mail for your textbook, it will take 2-5 business days to arrive. So if you can wait 2-5 days for your textbook to arrive – shopping online is your best bet. If you are unable to wait a couple of days for your book to arrive, you can share a book with a friend for a week, or borrow one from the library until your book arrives.

If you choose to buy online at ValoreBooks.com, we have a few tips to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for, as quickly as possible.

1. Search by ISBN
   There are many variations of each textbook, and searching by ISBN will give you exactly what you need. If you do not have an ISBN, you can search by title and author.
2. Look at the book comments
   Marketplace sellers list detailed descriptions of their textbooks. This is very helpful when looking to purchase a used textbook. Sellers will note if the used textbook has highlighting, notes, cover wear, software included, etc. View the book comments so you know exactly what you are getting.
3. Look at the book condition
   The majority of textbooks and books on our site are used. If you do not need a new textbook, we suggest to save money and purchase a cheap used textbook. Our Marketplace sellers offer millions of used textbooks and books at significantly reduced prices.
4. Choose Priority Mail
   Priority mail is only $3.00 more than media mail and you will receive your books much faster than media mail. All college students that have a time restraint should purchase their textbooks with priority mail.
5. Buy from a reliable seller
   Click on the Marketplace sellers name to view their feedback from past customers, as well as their confirmation ratings. Buying from a Marketplace seller who has been rated highly by other customers will ensure that your book buying experience will be a positive one.
6. Contact the seller with any questions
   You may contact your seller before you purchase your books to ask them any questions that are relevant to your order. You may also contact your seller after your item has been shipped to ask for tracking information. Please allow sellers up to 48 business hours (excluding weekends and holidays) to respond to inquiries.
7. Contact us if any issues arise
   If you have any questions about your order, or any issues arise, please use our Customer Service Center where we have many frequently asked questions. If you can’t find an answer, you can contact us from our Customer Service Center as well.
8. Allow emails from ValoreBooks.com
   Add emails from ValoreBooks.com to your Safe-Sender List or Address book to ensure delivery. Many new e-mail accounts have spam filters that will filter out unrecognized e-mail. Please allow your system to receive e-mails from ValoreBooks.com. We will send out important notifications regarding your order.
9. Leave Feedback
   It is important that all customers leave feedback regarding their purchase. This will help better serve our ValoreBooks.com customers and let them know what type of experience to expect when buying from a specific seller.

Be smart this semester and make an informed decision when buying your textbooks!