Hog Auction provides alternative for textbook purchasing
Saba Naseem
Issue date: 12/5/08 Section: News
Buying books on eBay and Amazon.com has taken a rise within the last couple of years. Students will buy books from miles away, from India to Canada, just to get low prices.
What many students are unaware of, however, is that they can buy books online without having to wait weeks for them to arrive. Three years ago, the UA campus bookstore started a Web site called Hog Auction as a way for students to buy and sell textbooks online.
"There is only so much we can do to reduce the price of textbooks," said Ali Sadeghi, manager of the UA Bookstore. "We try to reduce margins as much as we can and maximize used books.
"We thought this would be a good way to help students reduce the cost of their education," he said.
Hog Auction is set up in a way that all the textbook options are uploaded on the site. A student who is interested in Hog Auction needs to register on the Web site, but after that, they are free to buy and sell books.
"This is recommended, especially if the buyback price is too low or the book is not being bought back at all," Sadeghi said. "Also, this is strictly between the buyer and the seller.
"Before you put your books up for sale, you should check the wholesale price," he said. "This way, you won't be selling a book at a price much higher or much lower than it is worth."
Although this Web site has been up for a couple of years, many students remain unaware of it.
"I've been working in the Union for a while now, and I've never heard of the Hog Auction," said Joseph Beachner, a sophomore biology major. "It's a pretty cool idea, although I would probably never use it.
"I've learned that when you buy books online, you are never guaranteed good condition," he said. "I think a $500 investment in books is a fair price. However, it can be an advantage for those who don't have loans to afford the books."
Other students showed the same surprise, but were interested in using Hog Auction.
What many students are unaware of, however, is that they can buy books online without having to wait weeks for them to arrive. Three years ago, the UA campus bookstore started a Web site called Hog Auction as a way for students to buy and sell textbooks online.
"There is only so much we can do to reduce the price of textbooks," said Ali Sadeghi, manager of the UA Bookstore. "We try to reduce margins as much as we can and maximize used books.
"We thought this would be a good way to help students reduce the cost of their education," he said.
Hog Auction is set up in a way that all the textbook options are uploaded on the site. A student who is interested in Hog Auction needs to register on the Web site, but after that, they are free to buy and sell books.
"This is recommended, especially if the buyback price is too low or the book is not being bought back at all," Sadeghi said. "Also, this is strictly between the buyer and the seller.
"Before you put your books up for sale, you should check the wholesale price," he said. "This way, you won't be selling a book at a price much higher or much lower than it is worth."
Although this Web site has been up for a couple of years, many students remain unaware of it.
"I've been working in the Union for a while now, and I've never heard of the Hog Auction," said Joseph Beachner, a sophomore biology major. "It's a pretty cool idea, although I would probably never use it.
"I've learned that when you buy books online, you are never guaranteed good condition," he said. "I think a $500 investment in books is a fair price. However, it can be an advantage for those who don't have loans to afford the books."
Other students showed the same surprise, but were interested in using Hog Auction.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Ramie
posted 12/05/08 @ 11:01 PM CST
I have gotten emails about this service for the past few semesters, but every time I log on to check it out (I did register), no one has anything listed. (Continued…)
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