Community

Book buying not just at local stores

Students can go online to find more options

By Alex Piazza
Staff Reporter

August 25, 2005

Amazon.com. PimpMyBook.com. CheapestTextbooks.com. Bigwords.com.

All have been receiving quite the buzz around college campuses, because they are among the many Internet companies that sell college textbooks online.

The recent popularity of these sites is attributed to the lower cost of books online than at on-campus bookstores. But for a trade-off, students do not have the reassurance that these online companies are reputable and will deliver the correct books by the time their classes begin.

Still, popularity for these sites is rising by the day.

“Distribution is definitely the biggest thing driving us and our company,” said Ed Rohen, an employee at PimpMyBook.com. “Bookstores buy back books at such a low price and then sell them for such a high price. We’re just trying to get books to students for a decent price.”

A better resale price is another major incentive for students to sell textbooks online. Rafael Wolf, an employee at PimpMyBook.com, estimates that bookstores pay 15 to 20 percent less for used books than online bookstores do.

Illinois sophomore Katie Wahl tried buying her books from an online book company for the first time last semester and found it to be much cheaper than buying her books at either of the two local bookstores, the CMU Bookstore and the Student Book Exchange.

“I spent so much less money than I did my first semester with buying them at the bookstore,” Wahl said. “I would suggest buying your books from an online company to anyone because it is easy and extremely cost-effective.”

CampusBooks.com gives students the option to compare prices for textbooks all over the Internet, showing as many as 14 different prices and locations for one book inquiry. A new site, http://www.bigwords.com/, offers students books as well as school supplies, games, music and employs a computer services to ensure students get the right books.

Bigwords.com expect 450,000 students to buy cheaper books off its Web site this year, resulting in an estimated $3 million in student savings.