Amazon launches College Textbooks App for Buying and Trade-in Values

Amazon has launched an app specifically focused on college textbooks and students today to complement their Kindle textbook rental store and their textbook buyback program which offers trade-in credit instead of cash for textbooks.  Amazon has been making a big push into the college student marketplace this year as we have chronicled in Amazon stories.  The new app allows college students to quickly check prices on textbooks or any Amazon item they might want to buy online including Kindle book rentals (though it has a very limited amount of titles).  It also allows collegiate students to find Amazon buyback prices for books and electronics, and also allows students students to list any items they want to sell online: textbooks, games, movies, etc.

Basically, the app has a barcode scanning feature that allows a student to scan the ISBN on a school book or a UPC code on a DVD or other item to check current prices on Amazon including apparel, food items, or really anything Amazon carries which is about everything these days.  Users can also add items to their Amazon “wish list” for someone (parents) to buy at a later time.  With Amazon’s College Student Program they are offering free two day shipping for up to six months to those that join up as the program is similar to Amazon Prime membership.

Amazon is also allowing students to check trade-in values on a variety of items: textbooks, video games, DVDs or electronics.  Amazon does provide free shipping like other buyback companies; however, they only offer Amazon gift cards not cash.  However, Amazon is normally offering a great deal more credit than cash, but always get a textbook buyback price comparison.  Amazon says it is currently buying back over one million college textbooks and accessories through it’s trade back program.  In summary, this is just another attempt by Amazon to lock up it’s user with “Amazon currency” instead of allowing a complete price comparison search when attempting to buy textbooks online whether used or renting textbooks as we provide you here at RentScouter.