Summer is officially here and so is book-ordering season. As you settle into summer and hopefully get some rest and relaxation, we’re in gear to guide you through your ordering for the upcoming school year. We know negotiating budgets and complicated purchasing probably isn’t at the top of your list of ways to enjoy your summer. As such, we’ve compiled a list of ways to offset costs and save you time so you can spend it on enjoying the sun (with sunscreen, of course):
Tip 1: Integrate Used Books
We make reconditioned, used textbooks, particularly those of an older edition, available at large discounts. If you would like to check ‘used’ availability of a book, just email us and we’ll see if we have it in stock.
Tip 2: Organize Orders
Thoughtful organization of orders by grade, department, or teacher means easier unpacking and distribution. We’ll do our best to mark and ship your items so that they mirror the organization of your order.
Tip 3: Buy in Bulk
The golden rule of bargain hunters everywhere: you buy more, you save more. New paperback novels and trade hardcovers are available at 35% off the cover price when ordering ten or more copies. For most classrooms, that’s not even a lot.
Tip 4: Consolidate Ordering
Buying all of your books—trade titles and textbooks—from one, reliable source means that you don’t have to deal with the hassle of contacting multiple publishers. Even better, you have one place to return inevitable over-stocked items. If you work directly with the publisher, often you have to fill out tedious request forms for permission on returns. Adams can supply any book from any publisher at a competitive discount and when you have returns, they’re handled through us and we don’t charge a restocking. Another major perk is that if you use us as your primary source, your school gets free ‘shipping and handling’ on all orders. Let’s review: that’s time and money (and significant stress) saved by working with one source for your school’s needs. This means more time to relax and soak up some rays.
Tip 5: Access Free Teaching Materials
The price of teacher editions and supplemental materials can easily run into hundreds of dollars when in many cases, these items are gratis with the school’s purchase of the student textbooks. Adams will work with you and the publisher’s sales representative to discover which items are free and provide them to your school. For more details on how this works, please visit our short guide to gratis materials.
Tip 6: Source Alternative Editions
Publishers are frequently changing the prices on editions, but also new editions are continually appearing on the market, either from a different publisher or from the same one at a different quality. Talk to our sales representatives about looking for alternative, less expensive editions to the one you’re using, especially if you don’t mind familiarizing yourself with a new edition or smaller print. You may even discover you like the new edition better. Searching an item on our site reveals links to view alternative editions.
Tip 7: Invest Long-Term in Quality Editions
Sacrificing quality may also mean that you’re sacrificing the lifespan of a particular item. Consider how your students use their books and whether it’s worth replacing mass-market paperbacks with trade paperbacks, which are more likely to last longer.
Tip 8: Talk to Humans
Avoid machine recordings, anonymous representatives, and cyborgs. Consolidated ordering, means the ability to communicate with one consistent person for all of your needs, at least in Adams’ case. A human being will answer the phone and you will be matched with a dedicated customer service representative who will work with you to understand your school’s needs and fulfill them to the best of their and our ability, thus saving time and usually money. View a list of ways to contact us on our site.
Explore our full catalog of books at www.adamsbook.com. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, talk to us. Call (800) 221-0909 to speak with a customer service representative.
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