If you are looking for an alternative to save money, look no further. Amazon is one of the largest e-commerce sites in United States and it all started out in a garage. That's correct. Jeff Bezos' home in Washington State was his first office back in 1995.
In addition to toys, kitchen accessories, and clothing, they also have books! That's right, books. With thousands of authors and sellers, Amazon has given you the ultimate platform to buy books at a much affordable price. Here are some tricks that I learned after my years with Amazon.
E-Book: Amazon's Kindle can be an expensive item for a college student, but compared to what it can do, it can pay for itself. Instead of buying a hardcover book, have you thought about buying the e-book version? The e-book version is cheaper and it's mobile since it is stored in a digital device. Not only is it cheaper, you wont have to carry multiple heavy books. Also, if you have Kindle Unlimited, most books are free!
Buy used instead of new: A tip that some people don't tell you is that a good used book can be close to being as good as a new book. Amazon has classified different levels of book quality. You can learn the differences between Used, Fair, Good, and Like New and determine what level you're willing to part with. Also lot of books don't come from one big warehouse; instead, people sell their own copies of the book through Amazon.
Prime Prices: Some books are much cheaper if you buy it used with Prime. You cut the cost of shipping AND the opportunity of getting it shipped within two days! If you are like me, I buy my books after the professor states that a book is needed. By this time, I need it ASAP!. It is a gamble, but I sure do save money for my daily habits.
Shipping: I love Amazon because of its shipping program. I haven't seen a book being shipped out in 1 day (with Prime) yet, but it may exists if you have a facility nearby. Best of all, it's FREE! Well, with Prime that is.
Almost Pain Free: I had this issue before. When I order a book, I may have accidentally ordered the wrong edition. Or, the edition stated on Amazon may not be updated. No worries! Contact Amazon (if its Prime) and they will refund your book with little to no pain. If you bought it directly from a Merchant, best of luck.