Books, an integral part of the Hopkins educational experience, have long caused financial woe to students looking to find the sometimes obscure assigned reading. The Johns Hopkins Bookstore, while great for Hopkins clothing, Hopkins mugs, and just about anything with the Hopkins insignia somewhere on it, is one of the most expensive spots to purchase reading materials. However, after some searching and a little more legwork, it is possible to find new and used books in decent shape for a much lower cost.
As a point of comparison, this article will use the book The Coming Crisis: Nuclear Proliferation, US Interests, and World Order by Victor Utgoff, a book assigned for a class this upcoming semester. The JHU Bookstore offers Coming Crisis new for $45 and used for $33.75. With the advent of the Internet, ordering online from different sellers has made finding bargains much more accessible to students on a budget.
Both Barnes & Noble and Borders Booksellers also offer a large variety of books online provide used and new book sections. Additionally, having memberships with the companies allows for a further discount on purchases.
The Barnes & Noble price for Coming Crisis is $42.75, a five percent difference from the JHU listing price. A B&N membership card will get you the book for $40.61. Used books from B&N authorized sellers range in price from around $16 to around $35. All books listed in the used section are said to be in good condition.
The Borders online store is teamed with Amazon.com, so buyers receive listings from both sources. Borders.com lists Coming Crisis for the same $45 as the JHU Bookstore does, but it has used listing beginning as low as $5.
Again, used sellers are authorized by Borders, and are held accountable for shipping speedily and selling high-quality books.
One of the more well-known online booksellers, Amazon.com, is another great site to buy new and used books for excellent prices. Coming Crisis is also listed at $45, but used books listed in "Like New" condition can be bought for as little as $5.
Being both an Amazon buyer and seller myself, I vouch for the services provided by the Web site. I have purchased many used books from the site, and they all arrive looking like they were described in the listing. Amazon uses an automatic crediting system to compensate sellers, and the money is withheld if a customer voices unhappiness with a purchase, making it difficult for sellers to mislead purchasers.
"I made the mistake of purchasing all my books at the bookstore first semester," said freshman Natalie Baer. "This semester, I bought them all on Amazon and saved about forty percent overall."
Half.com, a Web site sponsored by EBay, offers books for less than what the bookstore offers, both new and used. The listings for Coming Crisis for a brand new copy range from $22-$52.
Clearly, although some listings actually cost more than the bookstore prices, it is possible to cut the price nearly in half for a brand-new volume. In the "Like-New" used listing, the prices for Coming Crisis range from $10-$25.
Abebooks.com, another online bookstore, displayed one listing for Coming Crisis, selling for $15. The book is described as being in good condition and is said to ship within two business days. The site accepts a variety of payment methods, including four major credit cards, checks, money orders, invoices and bank drafts.
Textbooksx.com is a wonderful Web site to buy bonafide textbooks, such as those for Engineering, Economics, or Science classes. Unfortunately, the Web site contained no listings for Coming Crisis, as it is not a textbook, merely a book assigned for reading. The prices, compared to those at the Hopkins bookstore, are generally lower on textbooksx.com.
Hopkins does have an online used book exchange, found at www.hubex.org, but there are only one hundred and seventeen listings currently found there. Books are sold for less money than at the bookstore, and some prices are even negotiable. Since other Hopkins students are selling these books, they are easy to receive and most likely in good condition.
Shipping costs involved with purchasing books online are often minimal and, even with this inclusion, are often still cheaper than bookstore prices.
According to freshman Rachel Poor, who ordered her books yesterday for the beginning of semester, "it was cheaper to buy my books on Barnes & Noble, with my membership discount and pay for overnight shipping than to buy my books here on campus."
Additionally, some Web site, such as Amazon.com, offer free shipping when a certain amount of money is spent, and as all Hopkins students know, books, even when bought for less money, still add up to an impressive bottom line.
If ordered enough time in advance, some companies will ship the books for free, but it will take at least a week or so for them to arrive.
With all of the alternative options out there, it is difficult for the Hopkins bookstore to compete. If a student takes the extra five minutes to shop online, huge discounts can be found.
