{{Short description|Price comparison website}} {{Orphan|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox website | name = BookScouter.com | logo = Bookscouter.com logo.png | logo_size = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | screenshot = | screenshot_size = | screenshot_alt = | collapsible = <!-- set as "on", "y", etc, otherwise omit/leave blank. Does nothing for mobile users. --> | collapsetext = <!-- collapsible area's heading (default "Screenshot"); omit/leave blank if collapsible not set --> | background = <!-- for collapsetext heading; default grey (gainsboro) --> | caption = | company_type = | type = <!-- or: | website_type = --> Comparison shopping website | language = | language_count = | language_footnote = | traded_as = | founded = {{start date and age|2007}} | dissolved = | predecessor = | successor = | headquarters = Wilmington, Delaware {{coord|39.739071|-75.539787|display=inline,title}} | location_city = | location_country = | country_of_origin = United States | locations = | area_served = | owner = <!-- or: | owners = --> BOOKSCOUTER LLC | author = <!-- or: | authors / creator / creators --> | founder = Brandon Checketts | editor = <!-- or: | editors = --> | chairman = | chairperson = | president = | CEO = | MD = | GM = | key_people = | industry = Internet, Comparison Shopping, E-commerce | products = books, used books, textbooks | services = Online shopping | revenue = <!-- or: | rev = --> | operating_income = | international = <!-- or: | intl = --> | net_income = | assets = | equity = | employees = <!-- or: | num_employees = --> | parent = | divisions = | subsidiaries = <!-- or: | subsid = --> | url = [https://bookscouter.com/ bookscouter.com] | ipv6 = | advertising = | commercial = Yes | registration = <!-- or: | reg = --> | num_users = <!-- or: | users = --> | launch_date = August 6, 2007<ref>{{cite web|title=Brandon Checketts|url=https://www.brandonchecketts.com/archives/find-the-best-book-buyback-prices-with-bookscoutercom|publisher=brandonchecketts.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=}}</ref> | current_status = Active | native_clients = | content_license = <!-- or: | content_licence = --> | programming_language = PHP | issn = <!-- ISSN, e.g. 1085-6706 (automatically linked to https://www.WorldCat.org) --> | eissn = <!-- eISSN, e.g. 1085-6706 (automatically linked to https://www.WorldCat.org) --> | oclc = <!-- OCLC number, useful where an ISSN has not been allocated (automatically linked to https://www.WorldCat.org) --> | footnotes = }}
'''BookScouter.com''' is a comparison shopping website that helps buy, sell, and rent textbooks and used books online.<ref>Kathy Kristof,{{cite web|title=The best places to sell unwanted clothes, art, furniture and more|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-10-24/raise-money-sell-clothes-art-furniture-jewelry-wedding-dress|work=Los Angeles Times|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=24 October 2020}}</ref> The website compares offers and prices from 30 booksellers and buyback vendors in the US and suggests the most fitting place to purchase or sell a given book.<ref>{{cite web|title=How to Get Rid of Practically Anything |url=https://www.consumerreports.org/home-garden/get-rid-of-practically-anything-a1083549693/ |publisher=consumerreports.org|accessdate=5 October 2021|date= 14 May 2016}}</ref> The website is mainly used by college students.<ref>Randy Kaye,{{cite web|title=CNN Saturday Morning News|url=https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/smn/date/2011-01-22/segment/02|publisher=CNN|access-date=5 October 2021|date= 22 January 2011}}</ref>
== History == BookScouter was founded in 2007 by Brandon Checketts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Four Athens names Seller Labs co-founder Brandon Checketts Athens' 2015 founder of the year|url=https://www.onlineathens.com/article/20160220/NEWS/302209948|publisher=onlineathens.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=20 February 2016}}</ref><ref>Andreia DeVries,{{cite web|title=Selling Back Your Books|url=https://www.bu.edu/articles/2013/selling-back-your-books/|publisher=bu.edum|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=8 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=E-Commerce Applications with Brandon Checketts Co-Founder of Seller Labs|url=https://www.inspiredinsider.com/e-commerce-applications-brandon-checketts-co-founder-seller-labs/|publisher=inspiredinsider.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=8 May 2013}}</ref> Checketts developed this price-comparison website to help students and recent graduates sell their used college books.<ref name="SM">Annie Pilon,{{cite web|title=Spotlight: BookScouter Offers a Platform for Comparing Book Prices|url=https://smallbiztrends.com/2016/06/bookscouter.html|publisher=smallbiztrends.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=8 June 2018}}</ref> He first came up with this idea when he heard about how his wife's friend was selling her old college books to pay off her student loans.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Strategies that Built SellerLabs, A Top E-Commerce Software Solution|url=https://www.skubana.com/blog/sellerlabs-ecommerce-webinar |publisher=skubana.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=26 January 2016}}</ref><ref>Dori Zinn,{{cite web|title=Where To Sell Your Textbooks|url=https://www.forbes.com/advisor/student-loans/where-to-sell-your-textbooks/|work=forbes.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=2 September 2021}}</ref> Checketts created a working prototype that simplified and expedited the process by comparing prices from seven vendors at a time. The project was well-received, and Checketts kept growing it as a business.<ref>Aj Agrawal,{{cite web|title=inc.com|url=https://www.inc.com/aj-agrawal/10-side-hustles-that-ll-help-you-through-the-startup-life.html|publisher=inc.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=}}</ref>
== Business model == BookScouter's price comparison engine aggregates data from partnering vendors and their offers on a single book, identified by its unique ISBN.<ref>Rick Orford,{{cite web|title=Side Hustles for College Students|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/side-hustles-college-students-040100067.html|publisher=finance.yahoo.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=18 July 2021}}</ref> BookScouter neither buys books directly from sellers nor sets the prices.<ref>{{cite web|title=25 Best Places to Sell Books Online for Cash (Used, Textbooks |url=https://moneypantry.com/best-places-to-sell-books-online-for-cash/ |publisher=moneypantry.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=20 May 2021}}</ref> All the offers available on the website are set by vendors.<ref name ="THE">Robert Farrington,{{cite web|title=How To Resell Your Textbooks and The Best Places To Make A Profit |url=https://thecollegeinvestor.com/16576/5-ways-to-resell-your-textbooks-and-make-a-profit/|publisher=thecollegeinvestor.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=16 September 2021}}</ref>
BookScouter.com is an Amazon associate and earns commissions from qualifying purchases. The platform also offers Pro Tools for high-volume booksellers on a monthly subscription basis.<ref>Erin Huffstetler,{{cite web|title=Best Things to Resell for Profit |url=https://www.liveabout.com/best-things-to-resell-for-profit-4165948 |publisher=liveabout.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=20 November 2019}}</ref> Pro Tools include bulk ISBN lookup, deals finder, historical price lookup, and recently searched high-value books identifier.<ref>Michelle,{{cite web|title=How to Sell Used Books on BookScouter and Earn Money|url=https://www.webemployed.com/sell-used-books-on-bookscouter/|publisher=webemployed.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=10 April 2021}}</ref>
=== Vendors and bookstores === BookScouter compares prices from AbeBooks, Amazon.com, ValoreBooks.com, Chegg.com, Powells.com, [https://booksrun.com/ Booksrun.com], and other vendors and bookstores.<ref name="ONE">{{cite web|title=50 Methods To Make Money Online, Work Via Home Or Office |url=https://onehack.us/t/50-methods-to-make-money-online-work-via-home-or-office/178216 |publisher=onehack.us|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=9 April 2020}}</ref>
== Mobile == BookScouter App, available on iOS and Android, helps scan ISBNs quickly and check prices for used books from multiple vendors.<ref>{{cite web|title=These 5 free apps help you declutter like a champ|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90506370/these-5-free-apps-help-you-declutter-like-a-champ |publisher=fastcompany.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=20 May 2020}}</ref><ref>Lauren Browning,{{cite web|title=18 Apps That Earn You Money|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/banking/apps-to-make-money |publisher=Business Insider|access-date=5 October 2021|date=28 January 2015}}</ref> The app is popular among small book businesses and independent resellers.<ref>{{cite web|title=20 Apps That Make You Money|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/20-apps-that-make-you-mon_b_7949606 |publisher=huffpost.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=8 June 2015}}</ref><ref>Gili Malinsky,{{cite web|title=9 winter side hustles: Some could earn you hundreds of dollars a month|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/06/winter-side-hustles-some-could-earn-you-hundreds-of-dollars-a-month.html|publisher=cnbc.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=6 November 2020}}</ref>
== Other activities == BookScouter offers a quarterly scholarship of $500 for any enrolled student in the US.<ref>Trinity Owen,{{cite web|title=How to Earn Money Selling Your Used Books with BookScouter|url=https://dollarsprout.com/bookscouter-review/ |publisher=dollarsprout.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=13 August 2021}}</ref> This scholarship should be used towards acquiring textbooks and aims at easing students’ financial expenses.<ref>Ronda Kaysen,{{cite web|title=9 winter side hustles: Some could earn you hundreds of dollars a month|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/11/realestate/how-to-sell-donate-or-recycle-your-stuff.html|work=New York Times|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=11 January 2019}}</ref><ref>Heather Yamada-Hosley,{{cite web|title=BookScouter Helps You Get the Most Money for Your Unwanted Books|url=https://lifehacker.com/bookscouter-helps-you-get-the-most-money-for-your-unwa-1775875524|publisher=lifehacker.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=5 November 2016}}</ref>
From 2019 to 2020, BookScouter produced ''The Studentpreneur Show'' — a podcast about student-run businesses and startups.<ref name="POD">{{cite web|title=The Studentpreneur Show|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-studentpreneur-show/id1460591778|publisher=podcasts.apple.com|accessdate=5 October 2021|date=}}</ref> In each podcast episode, a guest tells about their experiences of founding and running companies while studying at college.<ref name="POD"/>
== See also == * Bookselling
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|https://bookscouter.com/}}
Category:Book websites Category:Book selling websites Category:Companies based in Delaware Category:Companies based in Wilmington, Delaware Category:Product searching websites Category:Comparison shopping websites Category:American book websites Category:Online marketplaces of the United States Category:Textbook business Category:Internet properties established in 2007