Amanda Blank
Staff Writer
alblank@valdosta.edu

Many students are choosing to buy their textbooks online rather than in stores due to the expensive costs and limited supply. Websites such as Half.com and Amazon.com allow students to buy new and used textbooks for less.

Most internet textbook retailers let students comparison shop by price, quality, and seller reviews. They also make finding books easy with searches categorized by title, author, or ISBN number. Also, certain websites, such as ISBN.nu and Gettextbooks.com, allow students to see the lowest prices of the book they need from every online textbook retailer.

Daniel DeMerssemen, a junior English major, bought some of his books online this semester.

“I prefer ordering my books online because the prices are cheaper and are often better categorized by condition,” DeMerssemen said. “Also, in my experience, they’re more likely to include good highlighted and underlined information in used copies.”

Some students have decided that they will purchase their books online in the future.

Hunter Casey, a junior public relations major, bought his books at the VSU Bookstore the week before classes began. He says there are advantages and disadvantages to buying at the bookstore instead of online.

“The book store gives you an advantage if you don’t know what you are looking for because someone can help you,” Casey said. “But they may be out of [the book you need] and it’s most likely going to be expensive.”

Lee Miller, owner of Lee’s Bookstore, said that online book buying has had no effect on in-store sales. The store has remained strong and has continued to see growth in key areas.

“I attribute this to our book reservation program,” Miller said. “This program allows the students to reserve their books at no cost and insures they receive the correct edition and the first opportunity at the used books.”

Lee’s Bookstore is also competing with online retailers by offering online reservations as well as selling merchandise on their website.

Students do need to remember there are usually shipping and handling costs attached to online book buying and in some cases it can take a little over a week to receive the book. In the end, there are both advantages and disadvantages when buying books online and in the stores, and it is the student’s choice which one they prefer.