Is Amazon Student Worth It for Buying and Selling Textbooks?

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Amazon Student offers a six-month free trial that includes benefits like free two-day shipping on millions of items, exclusive deals for students, and release-date delivery for various products. Users appreciate the convenience of quick shipping for textbooks, especially when teachers provide short notice for required readings. However, there are concerns about automatic enrollment in Amazon Prime after the trial period, which can lead to unexpected charges. Some users have successfully received refunds for these charges. The service is not the full Prime experience, and some users have found ways to extend their benefits through multiple .edu accounts. Alternatives like renting textbooks from other services are also discussed, with some users preferring this method for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. There are suggestions for those without a .edu email to provide alternative proof of student status to access the service.
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Anyone use "Amazon Student"?

I wish this was around when I was in school! Nice way to buy texts and sell them back. Free for six months!

- Amazon Prime shipping benefits free for six months
- FREE Two-Day Shipping on millions of items
- FREE Release-Date Delivery on video games, DVDs, books and more
- Deals and promotions exclusively for StudentsAmazon Student

Anyone a member? What do you think? Amazon is trying to make a huge push into education and textbooks.
 
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Sounds like an awesome idea, too bad my college doesn't give us a .edu e-mail so I can't use it
 


I use it all the time actually. It's really great considering my teachers tell me my required books like 3 days before he/she starts assigning homework.
 


WannabeNewton said:
It's really great considering my teachers tell me my required books like 3 days before he/she starts assigning homework.

Ha, amazing in this day and age teachers can only give you a few days notice!
 


I did that. Be careful -- it automatically enrolls you in Prime after six months.
 


jhae2.718 said:
I did that. Be careful -- it automatically enrolls you in Prime after six months.
This happened to me too, but Amazon was gracious enough to give me my refund within 2-3 business days. Not sure if I'm eligible to re-enroll.
 


jhae2.718 said:
I did that. Be careful -- it automatically enrolls you in Prime after six months.
And it's not the full-blown Prime either. Amazon doesn't exactly make this clear.
 
I have a total of 8 student .edu accounts available (from siblings and best friends) which gives me 4 years of free amazon student. We all make our own wish lists and pay with our own cards but same account . I LOVE 2 DAY SHIPPING!

If you have siblings in college or your spouse is enrolled give it a try. When your student account trial is up sign them up. I'll have amazon prime my whole undergraduate career. :D
 
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Free two-day shipping is great, especially since Amazon just bumped up super saver from $25 to $35 minimum. I usually buy textbooks used, though, so the free shipping doesn't apply. I do, however, buy a lot of Dover books, so it's great getting those shipped free and having them arrive in two days.
 
  • #10
How to Rent Your Textbooks Instead of Sell Them

As the header states, that's what I do. I used to use Amazon, but it became a bit too difficult. I simply just rent my textbook from Big Mama. Its so much easier than buying and then having to sell it and you still haven't lowered your damages to the amount you spend on rentals. So yeah, that's why I rent.

And if you still have textbooks that you bought, you can actually rent your textbook out to students across the country on their site. Made a bit of moola doing this before I started renting on their site.
 
  • #11
Woopydalan said:
Sounds like an awesome idea, too bad my college doesn't give us a .edu e-mail so I can't use it
Maybe try emailing them a photocopy of your student ID as an alternative proof. I believe I did something like that.
 
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