Barnes and Noble also own many of the campus bookstores around the city and offers digital textbooks through the bookstore websites at Universal Digital Textbooks. This is a relatively new service and selection is limited, but students can download books at a fraction of the price. If the student needed a book for class though, they would have to print it out at their own cost. Printing paper is inexpensive, but printing out 700-800 pages can be a daunting task even if stretched out over the course of a semester. A bulk printing price at Kinko’s or Staples, for example, probably wouldn’t be practical compared to having the actual book in hand.
Students can find International Editions on some websites. A 1998 Supreme Court ruling made it possible for students to buy books from overseas; these editions are guaranteed to have the same content (and pagination) as US editions, but cost much less.
Another option comes from a familiar online market. EBay users auction textbooks off online, many times starting at $9.99. Users on Half.com (a division of eBay) sell their books for a fixed price, usually at half the cost of a new book.
The important thing is to take the time to compare prices while exploring every feasible option. If you have the time to wait, then you can order textbooks online. If you need books immediately, you may have to bite the bullet and pay in person.
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