In this post: What college student couldn’t use some extra cash? Or, maybe you’re the parent footing the bill and providing free storage for a bunch of used textbooks that no one wants. Today, we’re looking at the Amazon Textbook Buyback Program. Get these books out of your garage in exchange for some always-appreciated Amazon store credit.
When you’re on the college circuit, May and December mean two things: the end of classes, and textbook buying season.
Many booksellers and resellers, especially those near campuses, are in the habit of buying used textbooks from students. It’s a win-win for both businesses and students – as long as used books can be bought back and sold But with the rise of online book selling and reselling, more options are now available to offload your used textbooks. At the forefront of the trend is, of course, Amazon, which at its inception was an online bookstore (though it has since become much more).
The great news for college students is that Amazon offers you another way to make money off your old textbooks, especially when the store down the street won’t buy your chemistry books back because the professor is using a different textbook next semester.
Don’t let your books go to waste even if they aren’t used on your own campus next semester! Here’s how to make money Amazon’s Textbook Buyback Program.
How much does the textbook buyback program pay?
On Amazon’s textbook buyback page, the headline says you can get up to 80% of the purchase price back on your old textbooks. It’s as good a deal as you’ll find anywhere if you can get it on your books! Of course, not every book can be bought back, and not every book will ask for 80%, but the books I randomly checked (borrowed from the course catalog at a nearby university) were usually 25% to 50% of what they cost new.
How to use the program
To know the price of each specific book in the program, Check out the textbook buyback site. There, you can enter the ISBN of each book you want to sell. What pops up next looks like a search results page, but look to the right If the book qualifies for the program, you’ll have a clickable link that gives you the option to trade-in and tells you what the trade-in value is.
Once you click on that link, you’ll be taken to a page that will ask you a few questions about the status of the book you’re selling. Answer these truthfully — Amazon is known to be very selective with their trade-in program, and if they don’t get their books in your listing, they may be rejected.
After that, you just choose your return shipping address and you’re good to go! You can continue adding books to your trade-in order, or when you’re done, press the yellow Confirm Trade-In button.
The next step is to package your books, print the free mailing label, and take them to Amazon Once they are received and verified, you will receive a credit for your total trade-in value
The only catch
Amazon’s textbook buyback program is part of their larger trade-in program. This is a great program to sell your unwanted books and other media. So while you’re trading in your textbooks, look for other books, music, video games, and electronics that you can consign for even more money!
The caveat with trade-in programs is that you don’t pay cash. Payments are made with Amazon gift cards. For many people, it’s as good as cash—especially because you can use those credits to buy your books for the next semester.
But if you’re interested in the program because you need a quick little green piece of paper, the Amazon textbook buyback program isn’t going to be the best option for you. You’d be better off looking for local bookstores with a textbook buyback program
How to Maximize Your Amazon Textbook Buyback Results
Once you get started with the textbook buyback program, there are some tips and shortcuts you can use to maximize your trade-in value.
First, look at the criteria they want for their trade-in book. Keep your textbooks as clean as possible during the semester, avoid writing your name and other notes on the covers, and protect them from water damage or excessive wear. This will help you get better odds with trading in the next semester.
Second, roll over your trade-in credits to buy your textbooks for the next semester. Plan ahead for this! Really stretch your dollar by looking at new and used options for every book you need to buy. If you’re quick enough, you can pay less than the sticker price and save yourself a bundle.
Third, buying your textbooks on Amazon makes it easier to resell them If time permits, check out the textbook buyback program at the end of the next semester. If you’re logged in, you’ll have a list of options on the eligible page for your previous purchases. This makes the process easier in the future, saving you both time and money
And as I mentioned before, Textbook Buyback Program This is part of their trade-ins, so always look for other media that you can add to your trade to get more credits back.
I’d also recommend running your book through BookScouter to make sure you’re getting the best price. And if you are interested in selling books online for cash, check out Niche Book Profits.
Interested in making more money with Amazon? Check out the company’s work at home opportunities!
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