In a time when students expect the best bang for their buck, websites for purchasing or renting textbooks are gaining popularity and have become the main competition for on- and off-campus bookstores.   

Sites like BIGWORDS.com, half.com, Amazon and Chegg are offering students extreme discounted prices and free shipping, among other incentives.  

But sometimes no matter what deals are offered elsewhere, the convenience of shopping for textbooks on campus is the best option for students.  

“I buy from the [on-campus] bookstore,” said student Larry Crews. “Although an expensive option, I would rather buy them in one central location knowing that I can actually get all of them.”

While on-campus bookstores have the upper hand when it comes to convenience, what students seem most uninformed about are the cheap prices available to them in the city of Wilmington.  

Instead of making textbook purchases, waiting for shipping or spending hundreds on a few books, students can visit Seahawk Book and Supply, an off-campus bookstore located in the University Landing shopping center on S. College Road.  

“We offer rentals for every new or used textbook, which we feel gives us an edge over our on campus competitors who only offer a selection of rented textbooks,” said manager Marcie McNinch.  

Seahawk Book and Supply’s rentals also include packages required for students.  

With the rental program available at Seahawk Book and Supply, a student can pay a small fee up front and rent the textbook for the upcoming semester. 

There are also low-cost options available for those who wish to purchase their textbooks.  

With the price of textbooks in one semester typically ranging anywhere from $200 to as much as $600 in some cases, McNinch said Seahawk Book and Supply is looking to help students save money. Book and Supply will match prices of the on-campus bookstore and beat them by ten percent. 

Book and Supply also offers up to 50% back on buybacks. “Our best prices for buybacks occur during finals week when professors release their textbook requirements for the following semester,” said McNinch.  

Buybacks are offered year round at Seahawk Book and Supply and hours are extended during the first week of classes.  

“We also are adapting to online competitors by using our website, www.seahawkbooks.com,” said McNinch.  

The convenience of shopping online has led to the website’s success, but McNinch believes it’s the locality of the shop that gives them an edge over online competition. “There’s no hassle of shipping and making sure you have the right textbook.”

Students like Danielle Rudinoff have shopped at University Landing for years for that exact reason.  

“I have shopped at Seahawk Book and Supply because it’s less expensive than the on-campus bookstore and because it is more convenient than online ordering. There is no waiting for shipment,” said Rudinoff. 

This year, however, Rudinoff plans to order her books online. “I hear the prices are more reasonable,” she said. 

For some students, pricing is the utmost concern. For others, convenience comes first. But competition between shops and online stores aside, when it comes to purchasing, renting or selling textbooks, students do have a variety of options.