With the indefinite closure of Colorado Mesa University’s (CMU) Textbook Brokers, students have been left with few options on hand when it comes to getting the texts required for classes.
After having dealt with the University Center’s (UC) Bookstore multiple times within the past two weeks, I have to say I’m less than impressed with their ability to meet the influx of demand from their own student body.
While I was able to wrangle an impressive three out of 15 books needed for my classes, the rest were back-ordered. That and they simply told me the professor hadn’t told them about some of the books, meaning it was not their problem.
Left to my own devices against a looming threat from professors saying they will stop posting PDFs, I found solace in online textbook stores. Even though the delivery can be a pain, there aren’t many other options. So without further ado, I present to you my top picks for textbook rental websites.
#1- All Bookstores:
Though you cannot buy or rent textbooks directly from All Bookstores, this wonderful database allows the user to compare multiple prices and delivery methods for nearly any textbook with ease.
A positive about this website is it allows you to shop from an array of small online businesses, which always helps one feel more socially responsible. This can be a negative, however, as many consumers tend to err on the side of caution and prefer to buy exclusively from verified big brands.
#2- Amazon Rentals:
While this almost goes without saying, Amazon is a powerhouse in a majority of industries, in which textbooks are not excluded. With decent prices, expedient shipping options and a trusted reputation, Amazon is the way to go if you are looking for a simple buying process.
There are some minor flaws to shopping through Amazon, as the retail giant has an ironically limited selection compared to its peers specializing in just textbooks. Moreover, the prices on the competing websites mentioned in this list are more likely to have a cheaper price, while Amazon is still substantially more affordable than the UC’s Bookstore.
#3- Campus Book Rentals:
With Campus Book Rentals, the process of finding textbooks is very straightforward and user-friendly. What’s more, there is typically a variety of options on when you want to return the textbooks, which is much more flexible than some other sites.
One part about this site that stands out is its customer service. Having rented from them before, I ran into some issues shipping the books back to them. After an efficient call with their customer service, however, everything was quickly sorted out. Nothing sounds scarier than an angry textbook renter, so Campus Book Rentals deserves praise for their amicability.
#4- CampusBooks:
Not unlike All Bookstores, CampusBooks is entirely dedicated to comparing price points on a variety of different textbooks for both rental and purchase. This site is unique in the many customer-friendly policies they maintain, from grace periods to free round-trip shipping, though its interface is slightly more complicated than the other sites on this list.
#5- eBay:
Similar to Amazon, eBay earns points for familiarity and overall reliability, though there are a couple of factors taking away from its ranking. Unlike its competitors, eBay relies mostly on the individual seller, which is not a risk many people want to take with their textbooks.
Of course, the process is usually smooth but delayed shipping or an exaggerated quality of the textbooks can be detrimental to the first couple of weeks of school.
The UC Bookstore may be convenient if you are lucky enough to have your book in stock, but the chances don’t seem to be very high. All things considered, any of these websites will likely be able to get you everything you need for classes, though I would recommend checking out the All Bookstores website!.
