Half.com

1. Has anyone here ordered books from half.com? I was considering this to save some money. I was wondering if anyone had any problems. Thanks.
2. 

   About nursecher

   Joined: May '05; Posts: 316; Likes: 33

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3. 
   Sep 25, '06

   I personally haven't ordered books from half.com, but have heard good results for other people.
   
   I had great luck getting my books from the actual Ebay.
4. 
   Sep 25, '06

   CB - I used half.com a couple of times with no problems. But usually I get my books from amazon.com since it's usually cheaper. I have gotten some amazing deals buying used books thru amazon's marketplace. And then I've sold a bunch thru there as well. I bought my micro book used for $60 and sold it back there when done for $50 - not bad!
   
   Stephanie
5. 
   Sep 25, '06

   I've used Half.com a few times and was happy each time. I saved lots of money, then I sold the books back on Half.com for the same price I bought them. Basically like renting the books for a few months.
6. 
   Sep 25, '06

   Thanks for the responses. With all the cost of tuition, books, and uniforms over my head, I am trying to save money anywhere I can.
7. 
   Sep 25, '06

   Abebooks.com is better when you want textbooks. They have a listing of used or new books for way cheaper. My A & P class paid around 200 dollars for a text and lab book. I paid 60$ for both. I like half.com also but I tend to use abebooks more.
8. 
   Sep 25, '06

   yeah ive used them once and it was good..but i usually go with amazon.com because they seem to have cheaper prices..but ive had good experiences with both
9. 
   Sep 25, '06

   Half.com and Amazon used books are sold by individuals with varying degrees of professionalism. Some are full-time booksellers with many years of experience. Others are folks who list only a few items at a time. Each seller has a rating that has been determined by customer feedback. In addition, there may be comments, pro and con, about the sellers. Half.com and Amazon provide a common access point and manage the financial dealings, but in the end, it is the individual bookseller you are dealing with.
   
   Abebooks is a bit different in that you deal with them and they deal with the booksellers. They tell you where the book is coming from (could be anywhere in the world) and the name of the merchant, but you deal directly with Abebooks.
   
   I have used all three with great success. I've gotten books from all over the US, a fair number from Europe, and even one from South Africa through Abebooks.
   
   Alibris is another good site and it functions similarly to Abebooks.
   
   These sites offer the potential for great savings on textbooks, but here are some cautions.
   
   Try to use the ISBN (book ID number) whenever possible. This ensures that you are getting the correct edition and cuts down on confusion when books have similar names.
   
   If you don't have an ISBN, verify authors' names, edition, year published, and number of pages. Ask about whether any cd-roms that came with the original books are included. With workbooks, find out if their condition and if the answers have been filled in. With the textbooks, ask about any highlighting that may have been done.
   
   Make sure that you look at the estimated shipping time and price. I believe Amazon and half.com have a uniform price depending on the method of shipping. With Abebooks, the shipping depends on where the item comes from.
   
   Ask, too, about return policy. Abebooks has a good one, if I remember correctly. With half.com and Amazon, it will depend on the individual seller.
   
   Hope this helps.
10. 
    Sep 25, '06

    :yeahthat:I used to get books from Ebay- I always read the feedback left for the seller.
    I never had any problems. I also bought several books from used sellers at Amazon.com- but I did have a problem with one of these books- it was a workbook that ended up being written in.

    Last edit by maryloufu on Sep 25, '06
11. 
    Sep 25, '06

    I usually ask the seller about writing in the books before i get them. Some people "fail" to mention they wrote in the books in the item description.
12. 
    Sep 25, '06

    Do you think it's ok to buy older editions? I noticed that a few books I can get for $7, but it's an earlier edition. I did that for my anatomy class, but wasn't sure how nursing classes were. Thanks.
13. 
    Sep 25, '06

    Depends on the class or the professor, and also if there's much of a difference. I've seen some books that were a newer edition, nd it looked like the book had a major overhaul. I bought an older edition of a book and it's not any different form the new one.
14. 
    Sep 25, '06

    I love half.com and use them to buy all of my books. I always check sellers feedback first though. I also make sure to upgrade shipping and try to buy as early as possible so that I don't have to worry about books arriving after start of class.

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