Renting Textbooks: What to Know at the End of the Semester

renting textbooks

There’s no need to sugar coat it. College is expensive. Between the cost of gas, dorm rooms, classes, supplies, and textbooks, it adds up quickly. 

Although many of these costs are necessary, there are a few ways to save. College is an experience like no other, and you should spend your time there learning, having fun, and discovering yourself. The last thing you want to do is worry about finances. 

Renting textbooks is one way you can save money during your entire college career. Why spend lots of money buying textbooks you’ll only use for one course and never pick up again? When you find good places to rent textbooks, you find ways to save.

Once the semester is over, however, what are the next steps to take? If you’re unsure about how the rental process works, then you’ll want to continue reading below. Here’s everything you need to know about returning textbooks. 

You’ll Have a Return Date

Because most colleges begin and end their semesters around the same dates, textbook rental companies can determine when semesters begin and end. They then use this information to determine your return date. The return date is usually soon after the end of the semester. 

Semester rentals aren’t the only option you have though. You can also choose to rent your textbooks for 60 or 90 days. Once you receive the textbook, your return date should be given to you in form of a receipt, email, or another method. Hold onto this date and write it down on your calendar, planner, or put it in your phone as a reminder. 

It’s important to return your textbooks by this date. If you forget to return them by this date or lose the book, then there are some fees attached. As long as you keep your book safe and remember your return date, you’ll have no issues at the end of the semester.

A Good Cleaning Is Beneficial

Textbook rentals are rented out each semester by different students. It’s important for you to keep your textbook rental in good condition to ensure the next student is able to get full use out of it just as you did. A good cleaning before you return your textbooks is beneficial.

Cleaning them regularly will keep them in great condition. If you placed a cover over the book, then be sure to remove the cover and wipe down the book occasionally. Dust it off first and then use a damp tissue to wipe it clean. 

A clean textbook will show the rental company that you’ve taken good care of it, which helps you avoid any fees. 

The Book Will Be Examined

Do keep in mind that the book will be examined upon return. This is a must because the condition of the textbook determines the rental price. If you return the book in worse condition than when you first rented it, then you could be charged a small fee since the company will then need to lower the rental price for the next student. 

Renting textbooks saves you lots of money in college, but remember, the books aren’t yours. This means you’ll need to refrain from highlighting, bending pages, and writing in the book. Instead, you can use a sheet of notebook paper to make your notes on and bookmarks to save pages. 

You Don’t Need to Sell It

When purchasing textbooks vs selling them, many students try to get some of their money back by selling the book at the end of the semester. Although this can be a good option for those who must buy their books, don’t choose to buy over to rent because you want to get money back. In most cases, you won’t get as much money back as you paid for them.

It’s also important to keep in mind that some textbooks are only used for one semester and then new editions are released. You never know when a new edition might become available, which professors then use over the old ones. When this happens, you could have a difficult time selling your used textbooks. 

If the textbook has a code inside it for online access, then you won’t be able to sell it to another student unless their professor states the code isn’t needed. For these reasons, selling textbooks can become stressful. Luckily, when you rent, you won’t have to worry about selling them. 

Print a Label and Ship for Free

To return your textbooks, you can physically visit the site where you rented them from. You also have the option to print out a shipping label and ship the textbooks back to the store for free! If you decide to ship the textbooks back, then do be sure to communicate with the company about when to ship them back, since it will take some time before the company receives them. 

Shipping them back is convenient because it saves you time and gas money!

Contact the Company for Questions

If you have any questions about return dates, fees, and textbook conditions, then never hesitate to contact the company. If you’re unable to return the textbooks by the return date, then communicate this with the company. For example, if you need the textbooks longer than expected because of a final exam date, then you may be able to work something out as long as you let them know. 

There are also a few other options for renting textbooks, so be sure to ask about cheap eBooks as well!

Renting Textbooks Has Never Been Easier

With this guide handy, renting textbooks and returning them has never been easier. Keep all of this beneficial information in mind when it comes time to rent or return your textbooks. Renting your textbooks is simple, and you can avoid waiting in long college bookstore lines and spending all your hard-earned cash.

For a list of cheap textbooks ready to rent, or to complete a search for a textbook you need, click here to get started now!


Finding the Best Textbook Rental: Everything You Need to Know

textbook rental

Stocking up on materials for your college year? College is expensive enough with tuition and room and board. Cut down on some of your costs with textbook rentals so that you’re not spending more money than you need to.

Keep reading to see how to save money and conquer your school year with the best textbook rentals!

Benefits of Renting vs. Buying

With the prices of college textbooks rising, now more than ever is the best time to start renting your textbooks. According to BU Today, students are spending less on textbooks because they are renting them. 55% of all college students rent their textbooks rather than buying them outright, saving them a lot of money.

By renting instead of buying, you would be able to save hundreds of dollars a school year. And with college tuition prices rising every year, this means a lot. When college students buy textbooks, they can spend almost $1,200 on textbooks per year. 

There are several perks to renting your textbooks rather than purchasing them. When you buy a textbook, you may try to go throw the reselling process to get your money back.

According to StudentLoanHero, it’s difficult to resell your textbook for the same price that you bought it for. That means that when you buy a textbook, you’re already losing money if you can’t resell it for what you bought it. Even if it’s through a campus bookstore, you most likely won’t get back the value of the book.

Also, it’s better to rent from a textbook rental website that guarantees the lowest cost, rather than renting from a campus book store where prices are most likely higher, even for rentals.

Another benefit of renting is that you have a rental period that works with your semester. With some services, you can also customize your rental period to best fit your needs.

When you’re done with your book you can just send it back! Most textbook rental services pay for shipping when you return your textbooks. 

Getting the Best Deal

There are a lot of options out there for textbook rental services. It’s important that you’re getting the best deal and saving the most money. So where do you start?

Consider Your Options

Before going with the first rental offer you see, peruse different rental sites to find the best price. Sites like TextbookRentals.com compare prices from other rental services so that you’re always getting the best deal.

Make sure you do your research so you know what different rental services offer. If you’re looking for a rental service that lets you customize your rental period, don’t forget to read the services rental policy! 

According to ConsumerAffairs, most rental services allow leeway for rental periods. You can do a short-term rental (30 or 60 days), which is a great option if you just need a book for a term paper. Or the most common rental period that rental services offer is a quarter or semester-long period.

Try an E-Book

Another way you can save money and space in your backpack is by trying an e-book! An e-book can be a great textbook option, especially if you already have a lot of materials you need to take to class. 

You can save a lot of money by getting e-books instead of buying hardcover books. Sites like CheapEBook.com compare the prices of e-books on different sites so you can find the cheapest price.

Also, an e-book is a lot more accessible since you can access it on your computer, phone, tablet, or Kindle (depending on the e-book service). 

Another obvious perk is that, unlike hardcover textbook rentals, you don’t have to wait to get your book, you get it immediately to your device! And you don’t have to worry about shipping it back when you’re done.

Choosing a Rental Service

There is a cornucopia of textbook rental websites to choose from. Sites like Amazon, Chegg.com, and Barnes and Noble are popular sites that offer hardcopy textbook rentals and e-books. These rental sites can vary in prices and service benefits. 

Amazon offers a large selection of e-books that you can download on a variety of devices, including phones, tablets, Kindles, and Amazon Fire tablets. With Amazon Student, you can get your books shipped to you for free.

According to The College Investigator, Amazon Rental Services do have potentially daunting rental rules such as an additional fee for highlighting your rental book too much or sending it back late.

Chegg is a well-known textbook rental service that offers a lot of discounts on textbooks. Renting from Chegg is a fairly simple process–when you’re done with your book you simply mail it back in the box Chegg sent you. Chegg also offers an online study tab that can provide you with answers to textbook questions, as well as online tutoring.

Chegg offers free shipping off of an order of $50 or more, but keep in mind this offer ends in September.

Barnes & Noble is another popular option that offers textbook rentals. Their selection is as large as Amazon’s so you can definitely find the book you need here. Their only drawback is that they don’t offer free shipping. Barnes & Noble does however have supplemental add ons for textbooks that offer rental sites may not offer.

How to Find the Best Price

When buying your books, apart from finding the right book, the most important thing is that you get them for the best price. One way to do this is by browsing a bunch of textbook rental websites, or you can save time by using Textbook Rentals powerful comparison system. Textbook Rentals searches dozens of stores and provides you with the cheapest prices for the books you’re renting.

Textbook Rentals also price compares e-books so if you want your textbook to be more portable, you’ll be given the best selection to choose from. 

This tool provides you with the rental periods offered by the rental service for the book you’re looking at. This way you know which service to rent your book from based on your desired rental period.

Textbook Rentals Are a Click Away

Now that you have the tools you need, it’s time to get your books! The price comparison tool from TextbookRentals.com will point you in the right direction for getting your hardcopy or e-book textbook rental. Save money and save time so you can make the best of your college experience! Click here to start!