Book sales go online

Junior Andrew Yaffe could not help but breathe a sigh of relief when he took his trip to the IU Bookstore Wednesday.\n"I will never forget my first disastrous experience buying books," he said. "I was a freshman. I had no idea where I was going and when the store clerk asked me what my section number was, I thought he was referring to the location of my dorm."\nEvery year students must face the inevitable task of buying textbooks. Long lines, hot temperatures and costs big enough to wipe out your summer savings are just a few of the problems that often come along with the job. Luckily for Yaffe, there are a few ways to avoid some of these annoyances and make your book-buying experience slightly more enjoyable.\nThe IU Bookstore and T.I.S. College Bookstore Web sites offer the option of reserving books online, which can make the process a lot less stressful.\n"We have to start pulling books, which can become a pretty large task, so we have to stop the reservations in order to give ourselves some organization," said Paul Hazel, store director of the Indiana Memorial Union IU Bookstore.\nThe online reservation service allows students to bill their books to their Bursar account or pay when they purchase them, and online ordering offers additional options, including student school supply packs and study guides. Students can choose to pick up their books from either the IMU or Eigenmann Hall.\nHazel said the average cost of textbooks is between $325 and $350, however it varies depending on student standing, the student's major and the number of used or new books.\n"We do have a number of students who do not spend that much, but there are also some who spend quite a bit more," he said.\nHalf.com, a site started by eBay, recently introduced its first online textbook superstore that sells a large selection of books at discount prices. The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education reported that tuition and required fee charges have risen significantly since 2002 in many states, so students are looking for ways to cut academic expenses.\n"Buying and selling textbooks online is a growing trend among college students looking for ways to cut costs and avoid the hassles of visiting crowded college bookstores at the start of each semester," said Mike Aufricht, vice president of half.com and eBay's entertainment categories.\nOn average a used college textbook at a campus store costs $60.17, while a textbook at half.com is only $24.57.\n"Ordering books online is definitely becoming more popular," sophomore Lindsey Brown said. "The only pitfall is that you lose that much-needed book money by selling back your books at the end of the semester."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Kaplan at lkaplan@indiana.edu