If the university bookstore has the best deals, get there before they are all sold out. Ask a Friend Before you buy any books, speak to other students. If they took the same class, the may want to sell it to you for half the price, which is more than he or she would get selling it back to the university book store. And, less than you would probably pay. This works especially well for novels or industry informational books.
Used bookstores offer incredible savings on books which are usually in pretty good condition.
Some used bookstores also offer textbooks, especially in university towns. No more standing in long lines to find and purchase textbooks that weigh 5 pounds each. Currently there are a number of on-line book stores who can find just about any book and ship it directly to you within 24 hours. Special features, including the fact that they stock both new and used textbooks gives you plenty of options. Most prices are lower that those at the bookstore and the cost of shipping is sometimes a flat rate, not matter how many books you order.