1. Textbooks
2. FAQ

How does StudentVIP Textbooks work?

Sellers list their books for free. Buyers search for free.

Buyers then contact sellers from the site to arrange to transact. There are three ways to transact;

• meet on your campus,
• meet in your city’s CBD, or
• post the textbook Australia wide

StudentVIP doesn't handle books or money and takes no commission, so we don't offer any sort of buyer protection or payment programs - using the site is 100% free.

Does StudentVIP charge a commission?

No.

What textbooks can I sell?

You can only sell physical copies of the textbook. Other textbooks such as digital, PDF versions or e-books are not allowed to be resold under the publisher's purchase terms and conditions.

Safety tips for buying and selling

Keeping yourself safe should be your top priority when using any online website.

1. Know what is allowed to be on StudentVIP

   The textbooks need to be physical versions - so no digital versions or PDF versions of the textbooks are allowed. If you notice any of these, you can report the listing to our support team under feedback.

2. Ask questions

   Find out more about the book and ask questions if you are unsure, before you agree on meeting up for the transaction. This means both parties are clear on the transaction and not wasting each other's time.

3. Is it safe to meet people in person?

   You be the judge. If you're not entirely comfortable, don't.

   It is probably best to meet during the day in a public place like a cafe, train station and take a friend with you. Maybe get the other student's mobile number before you meet and let others know where you're headed.

4. How should I post my textbook?

   Generally when possible, you'll want to consider meeting on campus or where you can exchange your textbook or cash in person.

You should discuss and agree on the postage method before any money and textbooks are sent. Most postage options have a tracking number when you post anything, so it's best practice to take note of this and send it to the other student.

As we don't handle the books or money - we can't offer any buyer protection.

Sellers: How much will I make?

You can list books at any price. We recommend listing most books somewhere around 50% off the RRP price for current editions. Offer a lower price for older editions.

What happens when my used books are sold?

As the transaction happens offline, we don't know if you have sold your book! So login and delete your textbook under My Listings. That way no one will message you asking questions to buy it. As a community space, keeping the database up-to-date is a good thing to do!

I'm going on holidays, what should I do with my listings?

You can always pause your listings by going to My Listings. Just unpause when you're ready to sell it again. This is good practice so no one will bother you with messages while you are enjoying your holiday!

Buyers: How much will I save?

Around 50% for current editions. Sellers choose the price they want to sell for. If the seller has entered the new book RRP price, the site will automatically calculate how much you save.

I've contacted a few sellers but they don't respond...

This is more common later in the semester after lots have books have already been sold. The best tip is to re-order your search results by "Latest" - that way you are looking at the most recently listed book.

What campus should Distance Ed students use?

For convenience, the site displays your "local" search results first - so the best thing might be to register at your closest campus, even if you're not actually enrolled there.

I think the site is great - How can I help?

Want to put something back to our little textbook community? Here's two things that work;

Send an email to Helen on support@studentvip.com.au and volunteer to put up some StudentVIP Textbooks posters at your campus - include your address. Helen will send you some posters and a surprise. The site's success is built on the members who volunteer to help.