Students looking to save money on textbooks and other college essentials have turned to the online marketplace to satisfy their needs.

“This was the first semester that I bought books online,” said Andrew Tussing, senior in finance.

Tussing said he decided to go online to buy books, because after comparing prices to local bookstores, he found he could save more than $50 by shopping online.

“The only problem I have now is that some of my textbooks haven’t arrived, and I have tests coming soon,” Tussing said.

StudentMarket.com, the first national online book exchange, was created in 1995 to allow students easier price comparisons on textbooks.

Students can log onto the Web site, www.studentmarket.com, search for textbooks and receive price comparisons from several major online bookstores such as amazon.com, halfpricebooks.com and ClassBook.com.

“We found it more helpful to students to create a Web site that gave them a comparison of prices for textbooks that they were looking for,” said Oren Milgram, director of student affairs for StudentMarket.com.

Milgram said StudentMarket.com has seen more than a million visitors in the past year. The Web site also allows students to compare prices for travel, art supplies, college loans and other items relating to students.

“It is now possible for students to go to one Web site and find the best price for their textbooks and at the same time find the best deal on their spring break trip,” Milgram said.

Iowa State has its own online comparison site. Cheggpost.com is a Web site that allows ISU students to buy and sell books with other ISU students. Students must register and can then view a list of textbooks other students are looking to sell. Students then obtain contact information for the student they want to buy textbooks from and work with them to agree on a price and place to meet to complete the transaction.

Since its launch, Cheggpost has accumulated 6,000 registered users and more than 20,000 posted items. Computer equipment, electronics and furniture are some of the other items users may post.

Cheggpost.com owner and operator Josh Carlson said, “I created Cheggpost in October 2000 after sitting with some friends talking about how we got raped by book store prices and buy-back policies.”

Carlson said the concept of a Web site that is exclusive for one school is spreading.

“I have been in contact with students from other schools. In a couple months, Cheggpost will be at a couple other schools,” Carlson said.

Lynette Seymour, general manager of University Book Store, said she believes there has been no decline in recent years of the number of students the bookstore sees coming in and purchasing books.

“There is an advantage to coming in seeing the textbook you need and being able to purchase it right there and avoid the problems of having to ship something back if you received the wrong item,” Seymour said.

She said another advantage to students for buying their books at the bookstore is they are able to receive a tax break from the money they spend by filling out a form on the Government of Student Body Web site, www.gsb.iastate.edu, and sending it into the Iowa Department of Revenue and Finance.

Carlson said he hopes in the future Cheggpost.com will be able to offer a book list that determines what books will be used in what classes.

“University Book Store will release this list at a cost and with Cheggpost taking in no profit for its service, it is hard to offer such a list,” Carlson said.