Students: how to sell your old textbooks quickly

Textbooks are expensive new, and most of them only get used for a year. Selling yours locally helps the next student save money, and puts some cash back in your pocket before the new term starts.

1. Check what you’ve got

Gather your books and note the title, author, edition and ISBN for each one. The edition matters most. Courses often ask for a specific edition, and buyers will search for it.

2. Be honest about the condition

Choose the condition that fits: New, Like new, Good, Fair, or For parts or repair. Mention highlighting, notes in the margins, a loose spine or water damage. Buyers don’t mind a used book, but they do mind surprises.

3. Take clear photos

• Photograph the front cover, the back cover and the spine in daylight.
• Add a photo of a typical inside page if there’s any highlighting.
• Use real photos of your copy. Stock images or AI-generated pictures aren’t allowed.

4. Price it to sell

Look up the current new price, then price yours below it. A recent edition in good condition will usually sell at a fair discount; older editions, or books with lots of notes, need a lower price. If you’re selling a full set for one course, offer a bundle price.

5. Write a title people will search for

Put the subject, title and edition first. For example: “A-level Maths textbook, Pearson, 2nd edition, good condition”. Mention the course or school if it’s a set text.

6. Post it in Books

On Benta, tap Post an ad, choose Something for sale, then the Books category. Add your price, the condition and your photos, and publish.

What you can’t sell

Only sell original printed books. Photocopies, scanned PDFs and downloaded copies of copyrighted books aren’t allowed on Benta.

Meeting the buyer

Arrange to meet somewhere busy, such as your campus, a library or a café, and let the buyer check the book before they pay. If something doesn’t feel right, you can always say no.