| The issue of purchasing textbooks is like many things | | | | that price comparison sites tend to display the price |
| in life an issue of timing and risk analysis. If you wait | | | | of the book with the cheapest shipping. |
| until the class starts (your safest approach because | | | | As far as the best time to buy the book in order to |
| you might drop the class) you risk on missing out on | | | | get the best deal I would recommend buying the |
| all of the used copies of the required book, both in | | | | book 1-3 weeks before the start of the class. This |
| the university bookstore, and online. If you buy the | | | | should ensure both that you get the lowest price |
| book too early, you may lose out because you may | | | | (because you will get the cheapest books before |
| drop the class. As always the issue is one of timing. | | | | they are sold out) as well as giving you enough time |
| If you plan to purchase a used copy of the book at | | | | to receive the book in the mail. You may still drop |
| your school bookstore (something I do not advise) | | | | the class but in that case you could always sell the |
| then you have to wait until the first week of the | | | | book the next year or semester. |
| new semester, since most university bookstores do | | | | Another important thing to note about looking for |
| not put books out before that time. | | | | the best price for a book on price comparison sites is |
| If you are planning on looking for a deal for your | | | | that many of the price comparison sites archive their |
| book online, you have to expect at least a week and | | | | results in order to speed the search. This greatly |
| a half for the book to be shipped, so if you are | | | | diminishes the quality of the returns, and makes it |
| expecting an assignment on the first day of class, | | | | very difficult for you to find an up to the minute deal. |
| then you will need to either share with a friend, or | | | | At We Compare Books every search you do is live, |
| use the library reserve copy. You can always choose | | | | and although this may lead the search to be a bit |
| to pay for express shipping, but that tends to nullify | | | | slower this is the only way to ensure that you are |
| much of the savings you'd otherwise have. Also, note | | | | getting the most accurate price information. |