Shop Smart When Buying Electronics and Textbooks

BBB offers tips for buying electronics and textbooks for the new semester-- AUSTIN TexasThe finals days of summer break for many college students are coming to an end. For those college-bound the arrival of the fall semester is an exciting time on campus with lots of back-to-school activities and the start of football season. However it can also be an expensive one. According to the National Association of College Stores (NACS) students spent an estimated average of $313 on required course materials during the fall 2014 term. The NACS defines course materials as any type of book or media required or recommended such as textbooks coursepacks or digital/electronic educational materials. With the advancement in technology its necessary to have access to the Internet to complete many class assignments. Although most colleges and universities have computer labs and libraries for students to use many students own a personal computer or tablet. In 2010 88 percent of undergraduate and 93 percent of graduate students owned a laptop computer according to the Pew Research Center. According to a 2015 Pearson Education survey laptops are the most commonly used mobile device for school work and 87 percent of college students use them every week in order to complete course work. Because buying textbooks and electronics can be costly Better Business Bureau serving Central Coastal Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin offers the following tips to ensure you make the most out of your money spent this semester:

• Do your research. There are several options for students buying textbooks: students can purchase textbooks new or used online or in store or in digital format. Theres also the option of renting textbooks which can be done in-store or online. There are several safe websites for students to rent or buy textbooks so BBB recommends doing your research to find out what best fits your need. Also if you know your textbooks ISBN number oftentimes you can type that in on a textbook website or online search engine and the results can vary from used new or rental options for that textbook.
• Compare prices. After you decide if its best to purchase a new or used textbook or rent do some price comparisons. Finding the cheapest option could save you a lot of money especially if its only recommended and not required that you have a specific textbook. Check out shopping comparison sites to compare the price of the product at different websites. You can also type the name of the electronic device or specific textbook youre looking for into a search engine along with words like review" complaint" or scam."
• Be safe when shopping online. If you plan on buying electronics or textbooks online make sure youre shopping on safe and legitimate websites. A safe websites URL will start with https" or have a lock icon in the browser. The s" stands for secure" and means that your information is encrypted before its transmitted according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Take extra caution if youre buying from a seller on an online classifieds site. Also always use a credit card when purchasing anything online as it offers more protection that other methods of payment may not.
• Read online reviews and ask for recommendations on electronics. Read customer reviews on electronics youre considering buying. When it comes to buying an electronic device such as a laptop or tablet look for feedback about how well the product works and its overall quality.
• Get recommendations for textbooks. Get recommendations from friends or past students of a class youre looking to buy a textbook fordid they use the textbook often and do they recommend a digital or hard-copy format? In some instances textbooks are just recommended because youll discover you wont really use them enough to buy new or at all. Also check out your school or local library as they may have the books or textbooks youre looking for to check out especially if you only need it for a short amount of time.
• Consider extended warranties and service contracts on your electronic devices. According to the FTC if youre buying an electronic device you may be offered the chance to buy an extended warranty" or service contract. A warranty is included in the price of an item whereas a service contract costs extra. However both provide repair or maintenance for a specific time. Decide if its an add-on thats worth the price especially if its a product that you can anticipate will likely need repairs.
• Protect your electronics from malware. If youre looking to buy a laptop or tablet for the new school year or you already own a computer be sure to keep your device up-to-date with the latest security software. Consider downloading anti-virus software and keep it updated as this is the most important thing you can do to prevent malware. You can set your operating system and web browser to update automatically too. Also be cautious when inputting passwords and personal identifying information on websites such as your credit card or banking information. Try not to save passwords for websites unless its one you use often its a trusted source and its a computer you use often.

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