Your favorite site for used books?

[Meadowlark]

I'm looking to piece together next years curriculum and need suggestions of websites where I can cheaply get used books. I want to know the quality (good, very good, acceptable for example) and free shipping of course. I can afford to wait for the best price too so if you know of a great site and they have a special during the year, tell me that too. Thanks so much!

[MeaganS]

Most used books sites aren't going to have free shipping because they are from individual sellers, not a giant warehouse.  That said, abebooks is consistently the lowest-priced used book seller I've been able to find for my needs.  I usually check a few sources, though.  My big three are Amazon, Half.com, and Abebooks.

[umsami]

The two where I've had the most success are Amazon and eBay. (Pretty mainstream, I know!) 

[Lanny]

One thing I noticed, recently, on Amazon, for the next textbook we need to buy for DD, is that sometimes the Sellers, in the "Condition" column, state things that violate the Amazon Condition guidelines for Used books. The following is an example, and the Seller has a 98% positive feedback on Amazon during the past 12 months. This book is listed as "Very Good", but should be listed as "Good". I try to send a message to the Sellers, via Amazon, to confirm Condition, before clicking to buy.

 

"Used - Very Good

MULTIPLE COPIES AVAILABLE - Very Good Condition - May have writing or highlighting - May have school stamp - May have some cover wear - DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY CDs OR ACCESS CODES IF APPLICABLE"

 

That textbook should be listed as "Used - Good" according to Amazon's Condition guidelines for Used books, because Highlighting and  Writing on pages isn't allowed for "Used - Very Good"

 

I did buy one used textbook from an eBay Seller and it was a steal.  

 

As of this time, Amazon and eBay are the only places we have purchased textbooks (new and used) from. I prefer Amazon Sellers and we haven't had any disasters, so far. I would be happy to purchase from any of the Sellers we have purchased from, again. GL

 

[Lori D.]

I have swapped textbooks, and even whole box curricula (like a SL core), with several friends who used similar materials, when we were using them in different years. I scored a year of getting to borrow a friend's high school biology that way.

 

- Local used bookstores -- the #1 place I find most books cheap (no shipping!)

- Local homeschoolers -- "for sale items" often listed on a group's website, or you can post a "want to buy" (no shipping!)

- Local homeschool used curriculum events

- Local Craig's List -- good way to find used material from homeschoolers NOT in a group (no shipping!)

 

 

After that, I looked online. I liked to look for "box lot" listings, as I often could get a number of titles (anywhere from, say, 4 to 15 books) for a specific curriculum in one bunch for a cheaper price, as it keeps the shipping costs down. I got most of my boxlots, or specific curriculum, from:

- here, at the WTM Classifieds board

- Vegsource website homeschool sale/swap (listed by age ranges)

- Homeschool Classifieds

 

I do NOT find it economical to buy individual paperback books used. Honestly, because sellers have to cover their shipping costs, by the time you add $4 for shipping for one paperback, it's usually 70-80% the price of brand new -- FAR more economical where I live to buy at the local used bookstore for 1/2 the cover price. OR, try and find as part of a "box lot" online.

 

 

After that, I have had good luck with:

- Amazon.com -- usually the cheapest; sometimes free shipping (I have bought books, textbooks, Thinkwell CD sets, Teaching Co. DVD sets, etc.)

- Abe.com -- usually pretty good prices; no free shipping

- e-bay -- WIDELY varies; I just set a limit for myself and don't bid above it; no free shipping

- Half.com -- years ago I used them a few times for textbooks, but they were usually on the very high end of price -- not much less than new; no free shipping

- Alibris -- good quality, but usually a bit more expensive; no free shipping

 

No personal experience with it, but this might be a good way of getting individual paperbacks just for the cost of shipping: Paperback Swap

 

Happy bargain hunting! :) Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

[prairiewindmomma]

I have had good luck getting older versions of basic college texts on paperbackswap... I have offered up my unneeded homeschool curricula there as I don't want to deal with selling used.

 

I have purchased 40-50 things used through amazon this year. About 20% exceed expectations, 10% are bad transactions and 70% are good. Amazon buyer protection was helpful in the ones that went bad (wrong book, in unusable condition, badly misrepresented, etc)....

 

Abebooks is the other place I look.

 

I have been burned by too many private transactions to want to buy expensive books that way. I need protection outside of paypal...

[tkdkidsmom]

I use bookfinder.com  

It searches several bookseller sites and then gives you a listing according to price -  both new and used.  You can search by title and ISBN.  

 

[FairProspects]

 

One thing I noticed, recently, on Amazon, for the next textbook we need to buy for DD, is that sometimes the Sellers, in the "Condition" column, state things that violate the Amazon Condition guidelines for Used books. The following is an example, and the Seller has a 98% positive feedback on Amazon during the past 12 months. This book is listed as "Very Good", but should be listed as "Good". I try to send a message to the Sellers, via Amazon, to confirm Condition, before clicking to buy.

 

"Used - Very Good

MULTIPLE COPIES AVAILABLE - Very Good Condition - May have writing or highlighting - May have school stamp - May have some cover wear - DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY CDs OR ACCESS CODES IF APPLICABLE"

 

That textbook should be listed as "Used - Good" according to Amazon's Condition guidelines for Used books, because Highlighting and  Writing on pages isn't allowed for "Used - Very Good"

 

I did buy one used textbook from an eBay Seller and it was a steal.  

 

As of this time, Amazon and eBay are the only places we have purchased textbooks (new and used) from. I prefer Amazon Sellers and we haven't had any disasters, so far. I would be happy to purchase from any of the Sellers we have purchased from, again. GL

 

 

This is SO true. I've had to return books and get Amazon involved. It can get messy and is super frustrating!! To their credit, Amazon central has been great about refunding and investigating when claims get turned in but there are plenty of dishonest sellers misrepresenting book conditions there. I've tried to educate sellers sometimes that these are standardized conditions and not a subjective seller decision but because Amazon lets anyone post their books for sale, sometimes people just don't get it.

 

 

[Lori D.]

Wow! I guess I'm running on "borrowed time"! I've only once had a bum purchase from a homeschooler, and I really don't think she realized it (one of the 2 different computer CDs was scratched and wouldn't play). It came in the original jewel case with all its print material, and the other similar CD program was fine, so I just think she didn't think to look at it before selling.

 

If anything, I've had homeschool sellers go above and beyond -- sometimes throwing in EXTRA books, or charging extra-low rates due to a coffee spill... Jane in NC voluntarily *gifted* me with a textbook one year, and I had not even asked -- she initiated the gift!  :001_wub:

 

I've never had any issues with Amazon or Abe. But maybe it's because more of what I get is out-of-print books...

 

I am always careful to read through the description and seller info, and to send the seller a request for additional info if I am concerned. And much as I know it is an undercutting practice, I'm embarrassed to say that I *have* purchased from the big vendors who offer a book for $0.01 + shipping, and never had a problem.

 

Maybe it's because, I've had to purchase FAR LESS in the past 6 years (DSs now in college, and previously, in high school), so things may have changed from years back when I was much more heavily purchasing used curriculum from resale boards. :(

[ElizaG]

And much as I know it is an undercutting practice, I'm embarrassed to say that I *have* purchased from the big vendors who offer a book for $0.01 + shipping, and never had a problem.

 

We used to avoid the big vendors, but for a couple of reasons, I've reversed my position on this.

 

1)  We have mold sensitivities in our family, and the large companies have rarely, if ever, sent us a book with a noticeable moldy odor.  (I'm guessing that they reject them because they don't want a warehouse full of books getting contaminated.)   On the other hand, we've received numerous more or less stinky books from mom & pop dealers and antiquarian book shops.

 

2)  We usually end up buying a bunch of books at once, and if we can get them all from one place, the decreased packaging seems better for the environment.

 

Wonder Book is one of my favorites.  They don't have the biggest selection, but they sometimes have the lowest price if you're buying several titles (they start at $1.99, with $3.99 flat rate shipping), and I appreciate that they don't put inventory stickers on their books.

 

Thriftbooks can also be good, especially for children's books that were published fairly recently.  They have free shipping, and give you 50 cents off each additional book from the same warehouse. 

 

I can't exactly say that I have warm and fuzzy feelings for Better World Books, though we do end up shopping there often.  Their stickers are sometimes impossible to remove from older paperbacks and dust jackets without doing damage.   The books are often listed in the database with misspelled titles and author names.  Their "Recommendations" that keep appearing on the screen are just standard bestsellers, and their "Most Viewed Items" tend to have some smutty covers that I don't want my kids seeing (what does this say about their clientele?  :huh: ).  But they have some treasures, especially if you're looking for very old books and don't mind the library markings. 

 

 

That said, I do tend to give preference to the small dealers we've come to like and trust over the years, even if the price is higher. 

 

The whole undertaking of buying books sight unseen, from across the country, is really kind of nuts when we're just looking for Encyclopedia Brown, Don Quixote, old encyclopedias, or anything else that has a huge number of copies or a high ratio of weight to value.   I wish there were a straightforward way to search and shop online for used books from local bookstores, or from fellow homeschoolers in the same area, or from a large vendor that would ship to a central pick-up point.  Then we could inspect them on the spot.