Is there a system I can use that will tell me how much bookstores are willing to buyback textbooks for?

Is there a system I can use that will tell me how much bookstores are willing to buyback textbooks for?
Today, I returned a book I don’t need for a college class anymore to get a full refund and was curious what I’d get if I was to sell it back the used (it’s a few days into the semester). I asked and he pulled up a webpage, scanned the barcode, and it pulled the book’s page up, listing the national price for about (the book cost .50 USED). He said it was simply because of supply and demand obviously, but also because he was trying to get books out the door, not in. The big graphic on the page was “ta online” which ends up being a database service from MBS Systems (mbsbooks.com/Systems/Online/TAonline.htm). How can I gain access to a database like this or any system that can give me insight as to what bookstores are willing to pay to buyback books? Thanks for any help.
PS. It’s not a matter of “where can I sell my books back to a few dollars more than regular.” It’s about trying to make some extra dollars as a college student. I ordered my books off the internet again this semester and once again, found big differences in used books prices (i bought a book for when at the bookstore it was listed at ). If I could buy more of the same book for similar prices and sell it to the bookstore, I could make some extra money for myself. So, if I could find a system like I described, I’d be able to find the biggest discrepancies between prices. Hope that clarifies my intentions.

Best answer:

I’m not sure how to gain access to the a national database, or even the wholesalers database (who do alot of buyback), but I do know that some universities advertise their buyback online (like the University of Calgary) and you can imput the books ISBNs to find out how much you will get back for the book.
I believe there is also a website (something to the effect of sellmytextbooks.com or something like that) that is basically a place to post textbooks you have for sale for other students to buy.

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1 Comment for Is there a system I can use that will tell me how much bookstores are willing to buyback textbooks for?

  • 1. Kathryn  |  June 30th, 2007 at 9:53 pm

    Just don’t expect to get much.
    The book stores like to rip the college students off.
    Try selling them to your friends other classmates that will be best for both of you.
    You sell them to another student for more then the bookstore would buy them back for but less then the other student would have to pay for them.

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