Amazon has gone one further than most online retailers as they are now offering the rental service for paper based textbooks. This service is aimed at the student market and allows them to rent the book for the period of 130 days, with a possible 15 day extension. This service is currently only available in America but hopefully will be extended to all of Amazon’s shipping locations.
The cost of this service is around $50 for the rental of one book over the period of 130 days based on a book retailing at $170. The books are sent via Amazon’s normal shipping methods and costs but the return of the books are free. This sounds great, but there is a few issues. Renters of the books can be charged the full price of the book if the books are deemed damaged, damaged being classified as having lots of writing or highlighting over it. The other disadvantage of this is that the renter could end up with a brand new book or one that is very well used and this is down to luck.
If you are an American citizen and would like more information about this great new service offered by Amazon then click on the link after the break.
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