Calzaer

First, keep in mind that for years now I've been buying $300 and $400 worth of books, and selling them back at the end of the semester for piddly amounts (once, $500 turned into $2.50).

Now, all of a sudden, I've discovered that one of the book buyback kiosks is being run by retards with a computer problem they don't know about. One guy puts his books on the counter, the lady goes "This one's three-fifty, this one's three-fifty, this one's six dollars, we're not buying this one back, this is three-fifty."

She then takes his ID number down, prints out a recipt, and says "Here's your $125.00".

I blink, and stop. Next guy gets up to the counter. He puts down three books; a big one, a little one with two CDs bundled, and a workbook. The lady takes the big one and says "Six dollars." Guy goes "Ok." She takes the workbook and goes "We're not buying this one back." She picks up the little book and goes "Thirty-Six dollars." Guy's like "Great!" She picks up the CD that goes with the little book, scans it, and I don't hear the price. She says "Is that all?" He goes "Yup!"

The lady takes his ID, prints his recipt, hits the cashregister, and proceeds to count out $166.75. I shit you not. She does this without even blinking. Apparently 6 + 36 + X = 166.75 Either the CDs sold for $124.75 (the RIAA turns green with envy), or there's been a mistake somewhere.

My question is, considering all the fleecing everyone on campus goes through with the on-campus book store, do I have an ethical responsibility to point this out to someone? Or am I justified in running out there right now, selling my books for some insane price, and telling all my friends where to go with their books to make up for the con-job buying books usually is?

Bumble Bee Tuna

If they're buying books back at that piddly of a price I'd say they deserve to be fleeced. My bookstore I think buys books back for 25% of their sell price. Your sounds pathetic. Have people never heard of eBay?

Even better idea, start a bookswap business on your campus and make loads of money legitimately by saving people the enormous costs of the bookstore. Make it a website where people put up listings of books they have for sale, take a percentage of the price.

-B