Cheap Textbooks?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by RobbCD, Aug 13, 2007.

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  1. RobbCD

    RobbCD New Member

    Has anyone had experience with the cheap textbook sites like ecampus.com's marketplace? http://www.ecampus.com/textbookpage.asp

    They have some incredibly cheap prices for textbooks, but generally the texts offered are soft-cover "international editions" of the text searched for. I used the 13 digit ISBN number to search for the text.

    Anyway, the item description says that the international edition is the same as the US edition "word for word". That alone makes me hesitant to use the site.

    Any horror stories, or recomendations for other sites?
     
  2. eric.brown

    eric.brown New Member

    I've always had good luck with Amazon and Half.com but you do have to be careful with the 'international editions'. I've found these to sometimes be low quality reproductions of the "US version". About half of the 'international version' books I've purchased were not very well made and made me think that they were pirated versions.

    I found the following website compares prices on books...you enter the book you are looking for and it gives you a comparison of prices at various websites. It might be worth a shot.

    http://www.booksprice.com
     
  3. Jeff Walker

    Jeff Walker New Member

    Ask your prof if there is specific content that requires the newest/domestic edition.

    International versions are usually less expensive and older editions are often super-cheap. Sometimes they suffice.
     
  4. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    If all one needs is the text during one course, then the quality of the book may not be the primary concern. And considering their prices and pointlessly frequent update cycles, if commercial textbook publishers aren't pirates, I don't know who is.

    -=Steve=-
     
  5. saabsrule

    saabsrule New Member

  6. eric.brown

    eric.brown New Member

    You'll hear no argument from me.

    Give me access to an online version of a textbook for half the price (or even a quarter of the price) and I'd be much happier.
     
  7. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member


    I have purchased a lot of IE books from abebooks.com You should look for the sellers that say "Contents exactly the same as US version". When possible, I also select the ones that say they have color print. I have had no problems.


    Abner
     
  8. KF@UNA

    KF@UNA New Member

    I bought international editions on several occasions. No color, cheap paper, paper-bound, printed in India. It worked for me, but I have heard that some examples and/or case studies may differ. My preference was to buy a used US edition when possible, but sometimes the price was worth the risk (ie $15 vs $120).
     
  9. geoffs

    geoffs Member

    international editions

    As a teacher, I had students buy the International editions of a text that our bookstore sold for a 30% markup above MSRP! I asked to borrow one from a student and found the following:
    1) the pages were of a poor quality
    2) the text wasn't as dark
    3) the extra diagrams in the jacket cover were omitted

    Other then that, looked the same to me!
     

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