CampusBooks.com's Innovative New Tool Launches Today Helping Students Predict Whether To Buy Or Rent Their Textbooks

CHICAGO, Jan. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- CampusBooks.com, a leading textbook price comparison website, announces the launch of their new "Buy vs. Rent" price prediction tool, an industry first, that helps students decide with confidence whether they should buy or rent based on current price and future estimated value. In a recent CampusBooks.com survey conducted by Campbell Rinker, eighty-five percent of students purchase textbooks online but nearly two in five students (39%) feel they get "poor" value selling their books at the end of a semester. This "Buy vs. Rent" tool is the first in the industry to provide students who are purchasing their textbooks online with detailed information that can predict whether they will get more value out of buying or renting.

"How to decide whether to buy or rent a textbook is the most frequently asked question we receive from students and parents around the country," says Jeff Cohen, CEO of CampusBooks.com. "This compelled us to work with our creative team to be the first in our industry to introduce a tool that will finally give students the confidence they have been searching for when it comes to shopping online for textbooks."

The "Buy vs. Rent" tool is custom built into the CampusBooks.com website giving users the ability to make an educated decision on how they spend their money. Using a proprietary algorithm, the tool takes into account the depreciation of the book in order to estimate the value of the book in 6 months and estimates the buyback value.

"In an industry that does not see a lot of innovation and creativity, we now stand apart from other textbook price comparison websites by delivering students valuable information to assist their purchasing decisions," says Cohen.

CampusBooks.com's "Buy vs. Rent" tool includes:

• Side by side price comparison: This chart compares prices of buying and renting including the price of the book, buyback price, condition of book and rental cost for the same book side by side to help buyers decide to rent or purchase a textbook.
• Historic buyback prices: Based on the book's serial number, the buyback tool shows the price of the book day by day through a linear chart to further help determine if purchasing a book is worth the cost or if it will depreciate.
• Purchasing Questionnaire: CampusBooks.com personalizes the book buying experience by asking questions to help buyers make smart decisions based on their individual needs for the textbook.
• CampusBooks.com recommendation: Using past sale trends, CampusBooks.com compares prices for every book for the buyer and suggests the best option to ensure the quickest and most cost efficient purchase along with a confidence rating of the purchase.

ABOUT CAMPUS BOOKS
CampusBooks.com carries over 8 million new and used college textbooks in one convenient location. The online resource searches thousands of sellers and compares prices on new and used books, rentals and e-books for students.  For more information, visit www.campusbooks.com.

Media Contact:
Paramount Public Relations, Inc.
Jessica Prah, 312-953-3257, [email protected]
Carolyn Friedman, 312-544-4190, [email protected]

SOURCE CampusBooks.com

Related Links

http://www.campusbooks.com