How do college stores acquire used books?

College stores use a variety of methods to secure used books for students. One familiar strategy for obtaining used books is through buyback events, where books are purchased from students for resale. College stores also work with textbook wholesale companies to secure additional copies of used books, or books that may not have been available during their campus buyback. Because wholesale companies are integral suppliers of used books and experts on the used book market, many college stores seek their help to run buyback events. New textbooks are typically not ordered until the used book market has been exhausted.  more