ValoreBooks

Full review
I recently needed to purchase a finance textbook for a night course which I am taking. While not many people necessarily find finance and banking particularly interesting - including the majority of my family members - there were some things which I needed to solidify for my job. The course called for a certain, overpriced textbook to be purchased - one which could be priced at nearly $125 if purchased brand new at the rip-off bookstore. My response? "Fughettaboutit."

I decided to take a look online to see if I could find a better deal anywhere. Used textbooks tend to be much cheaper than new books, and I knew that I would be able to save a pretty dime if I checked the Internet. Using Google Shopping, I typed in my books ISBN number, and I was given prices and results from various online stores. I was happy to see prices over 50% lower than the brand new price.

The one search hit which interested me most was for a used book in "good condition" from Valore Books. I clicked on the link and found that the site was selling the book for $49, which doesn't include shipping. The page displayed all information that I needed about the book, including its ISBN number, its price, the authors, the amount of pages, as well as a color picture of the book. It even listed the edition very clearly, which is something that may seem trivial but is extremely important if you have a demanding professor.

Some additional cool features about the search results page is that it displays a plethora of used books which can be purchased. This way, you can take a look at the comments to see if there is any writing or highlighting in the book, which may correlate to a cheaper price. The website also has tabs of the "recommended books", which are specific copies of the book that Valore Books has approved for sale at that price. Individual sellers can also list their books on the site, but Valore doesn't necessarily guarantee what is said in the item description.

I decided on a book copy which was recommended by Valore - the one which was hit on Google for $49. I was told that the book was like new, which retailer was selling the book, and from where the book would ship. I was also given two shipping options: standard mail for $3.95, and rush delivery for $6.95. At a small price difference, I decided on the rush delivery which was guarantee to ship within the next two business days. Standard mail could take up to ten days to ship, which I find to be unacceptable.

Placing my order was rather straightforward. I didn't have to sign up for a shopping club or anything of that sort, and I could choose to add items to my shopping cart and continue shopping. I did find the shopping cart feature to be a little bit confusing and old-fashioned, but I did eventually get used to it. The rest of the order was a breeze - just entered my billing information and contact information, submitted my order, and received a confirmation e-mail with seconds. To my surprise, the book shipped later that day, and I received yet another e-mail confirming the shipment.

My book arrived four days later, which I found to be in line with the website's promise. It came delivered in a small USPS cardboard box, and I wasn't required to sign for it. The book came just as promised - like new, with no writing or highlighting, folds, torn pages, etc. At over half the price of the new book, I must say that this was the ultimate steal. The book looks like it's new, and it's the one I ordered and needed. Further, my credit card was charged correctly. Not bad.

Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to shop at Valore Books again. The website saved me over $50 (including shipping charges), it was pretty user friendly, and there was a gigantic selection of used and new textbooks for any subject or class. I would certainly recommend visiting the website if you can't afford a brand new, overpriced textbook. You may just strike gold.