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Saturday, January 16th
TextbookX has a goal to find students the lowest prices for their course materials. They are owned by Akademos, Inc., a company that operates online college bookstores and provides college textbooks, educational materials, and other student resources. They receive an A rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Mixed customer feedback
Customers who have shopped through TextbookX generally have good things to say about their customer service. More recently, however, students have reported issues with their orders not shipping, or receiving the wrong books. Other feedback from customers is positive, saying that they had a smooth experience and felt well taken care of. We recommend reading through the company's policies to make sure there is a clear understanding of how refunds, shipping, and exchanges work before ordering.
Dissapointing refund policy
We will save you the hassle of looking into all the fine print at TextbookX and spill it here. Items purchased from the marketplace through TextbookX cannot be returned to the company because they are bought and shipped through third-party sellers. Some books are also marked "non-returnable" and those can't be sent back either. As long as customers return their other materials within 30 days to TextbookX in new condition (no scratched off access codes, wrappers left unsealed), the return is eligible for a refund minus a 10% restocking fee. We are not a big fan of restocking fees in this case, since it makes it harder for students who add/drop classes or realize they didn't need their college textbook after all. It's not a good way to genuinely help students save money.
Easy to search
To find a textbook for sale, customers search by ISBN, author, keyword, or title. A list of products will appear and show the pricing options right away. Titles might be available as a brand new purchase, used, and or through the marketplace (third-party sellers offering their used books at different price points). It is an easy process that operates similarly to many of their competitors.
Selling your textbooks
Students have the option of selling their college textbooks through the marketplace operated by TextbookX. To do this, visit the website, go to the "Sell" page, and follow three steps:
No rentals
We have two main hang-ups with TextbookX. The first is the fact that they don't rent books, so students will likely be paying more here no matter what. The second is the restocking fee for any books that are returned for any reason. These two things together make TextbookX seem like a less affordable option, so they have not earned our highest rating. We do think their customer service is helpful for students and it's nice that they have a marketplace to sell books back, but we don't see how they stand out above our higher-rated college textbooks retailers.
At the beginning of every semester, students anxiously head to their new classes to find out their course outline and get a fat list of textbooks they will need. Even hands-on classes that don't require a lot of writing or book studying usually require textbooks.
Whether you're in an automotive class, dance, physics, woodworking, English, or business analytics class, you'll probably need to buy textbooks. Gone are the days of having to hunt these textbooks down store by store, waiting in huge lines, and paying outrageous prices without being able to compare costs with other retailers.
Textbooks can range from $15 to hundreds. These prices make many students cringe - because they're already paying top dollar for their tuition and housing costs. On top of it all, college textbooks are not where students want to spend the rest of their savings. Shopping for textbooks online is the best way to go because you can get the best deals out there on new and used books - or even rent them instead!
It is not uncommon for classes to require not just one textbook for the course material, but sometimes two or even three. From the time students are given the list of needed textbooks to the time assignments roll in that require their use, there is usually only about a week's time. It is imperative for many students to find an online store that provides the textbook they need, in the updated edition being used, and have it shipped and ready for class as soon as possible.
When searching for college textbooks online, consider the following things to ensure you get the best deal and online shopping experience:
TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best college textbook stores online. We hope these reviews help you find the textbooks you need for your classes in a timely manner and at affordable prices.
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