To Sell Books, or Not to Sell?
That is the Next Question

To answer the “To Sell Books” question we’ll first examine the reasons people elect not to sell their books. I’m always amazed during buyback when a graduating senior brings in two or three boxes of books to sell after cleaning out their apartment. After kidding them about the huge course load they must have just completed, they inform me that these were books they'd used throughout college and thought they'd keep. Asking why they wanted to keep them yields numerous answers, but the most common are:

• I thought I’d need them for reference later.
• I thought they’d look good on my shelf.
• I always feel like I’m being taken advantage of at the bookstore buyback.
• I assumed I wouldn’t get enough money back to make the trip worthwhile.
• I forgot, was too lazy or didn’t have time.

Obviously this student experienced a change of heart and eventually decided to sell them. Unfortunately, with new editions being issued every two or three years, textbooks lose their residual value quickly. If you wait as long as this student, you’ll be lucky to get a cash offer for half your books. Let’s address why you should question the validity of each excuse and consider selling your books back immediately while they still hold a value.


There aren’t many books that you’ll truly reference frequently enough to justify keeping. Besides, there’s so much information available over the Internet it’s rare that you couldn’t find the information you need with a simple Google search. I fell victim to this belief myself. I still have a few textbooks (now worthless) collecting dust on my shelf. I would’ve gladly taken the money if I had it to do over again.

If you’d like to start a personal library make sure you start with books on subjects you have a passion for. There can’t be more than a handful of textbooks that you'd claim to be passionate about. If you really are attached to a textbook and can’t bring yourself to sell it, here’s a strategy for you to consider:

Textbook Time Decay

You can only feel like your being taken advantage of at buyback if you don’t educate yourself. Once you understand the process, you can explore all your choices and refuse any offers that don’t meet your objectives. Once you've finish this article, you’ll be one step closer to that education.

Everything else really is just a feeble excuse that doesn’t require a rebuttal. Don’t be left holding the bag while your books lose their value; you should pass on those hot potatoes while you still can. Now that we’ve debunked the common reasons for not selling your textbooks, here are some of the good reasons why you should sell books:

• To sell books is recycling and helps the environment.
• Capturing the residual value reduces the overall cost of textbooks during your college education.
• You’re paying it forward by giving another student a chance to save money by buying your textbook at the used priced.

I hope you now believe the reasons to sell books back always outweigh the reasons not to. It’s time to complete your education by showing you the choices and strategies to follow when you’ve made the decision to sell your textbooks:

Capturing the residual value when it’s time to sell books

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