 "Photo: Special to The Daily Gamecock")
As the school year draws to an end, students flock to the bookstore to sell back their books with the hope of making back some of the money spent on books at the beginning of the semester. Now, there's a chance to exchange them online instead.
The main options for selling back books are various bookstores in Columbia, as well as Web sites.
Anne Rusinak, a third-year political science student, said the most you can get back at a bookstore for a book is half price.
"Sometimes they have too many books and won't take them back," she said. "Or there's a newer edition of the book being used next year, and they still won't take them back."
Ito Eta, a third-year business administration student at the College of Charleston, said he agrees, which is why Eta built a textbook exchange Web site.
Eta said his history class was discussing money and value when the subject of textbooks came up, and www.collegetradefair.com was created. The Web site is designed solely for students to exchange textbooks. There is no purchase option.
Eta said students can search for a book by title, author or ISB number. If the book is in the database, the person who has the book can be contacted by e-mail to arrange the trade.
Eta said he insures the privacy of the traders is protected. Students never have to reveal their names, although an address is necessary for an exchange by mail.
"I'm not trying to make a large profit," Eta said. "This is to allow you to get your textbooks for next to nothing. If you want to buy books, go to the bookstore or eBay."
Eta said he charges $5 per year for access to his Web site.
Lucas McBryde, third-year biology student, said he is fed up with the current system.
"With changing books almost every semester, I feel that on average I get back less than one-fourth of what I paid in the fall," he said.
There are some students who are fine with the status quo.
Collin Eaker, a third-year chemical engineering student, said if he gets money back at all it is a plus for him.
"I've accepted $5 back for a book, but I've also been given back a sizeable portion of the money I spent," Eaker said. "It's luck of the draw."
Eaker said he thinks the bookstore makes a large profit, but students do benefit from the bookstores because they can buy used books for less money.
Eta said he thinks his Web site is the solution to textbook buyback woes. By eliminating the middleman through trading, Eta said "instead of spending $500 a semester on books, you can save and pocket that money."
Another option is for students to trade books through scbookexchange.com, a Web site founded by a student from University of Kentucky.
South Carolina Bookstore declined to comment.
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