The Etiquette of Selling Used Textbooks

[MissMoneyJenny]

Hey all,

I'm in my final year of my undergrad, and have been selling used textbooks through facebook groups since my second semester of first year. Not once have I had a problem until today.

I sold a girl 2 textbooks for $60. I met her on campus, made the exchange and went on my way. An hour later she messaged me saying she had to drop the course and would like her money back for the books. I directed her to another individual who had been interested in the books, so that she could sell them to that person rather than me having to deal with it all over again.

5 hours later she messages me saying the books aren't being used for the course anymore and she would like her money back. I checked the campus bookstore website and the books I sold her earlier are indeed the books the professor has ordered for the course. Either she is being lied to and not looking things up or she is lying to me. Regardless, I messaged her back saying that the campus bookstore is selling those books as the books for the course (for a considerable amount more than I sold them to her for) and that the course is offered every semester by the same professor and the professor is the author of one of the textbooks so it is unlikely she is going to change the textbook any time soon. I also said that as the transaction has already been made the books are no longer my responsibility and I cannot refund her.

I feel bad for coming to this conclusion, but I feel like it is the proper one to come to. If I were not in my final year, and the textbooks were not commonly used I would probably refund her, but the course is taken by approximately 1000 students per year (at least, that is what the professor told my class when I took the course this summer) and the textbooks never change so she should have ensured she was taking the course before buying the textbooks from me, right? Opinions?

[R Deckard]

If the textbooks are not missing pages or otherwise defective/damaged in a way that wasn't apparent when you sold them, I don't see why you should even bother responding. The fact that she doesn't want the textbook anymore is in no way your responsibility.

[CageFree]

When you buy something from a private party, it's generally understood it's a final sale. Not your fault she changed her mind.

[lewin]

Some day this person is going to buy a used car privately and get mad when it doesn't come with a warranty like a dealership car. Tough beans.

[TakeruK]

Private sales come with no guarantees. I'd also feel bad in your shoes, but in the end, it's not your fault that she changed her mind about wanting the books. I would repeat myself one last time that the sale is final, and ask her to stop contacting you. If it escalates, I'd considering talking to campus security or something like that.

[spunkrag]

You should try and extract more money from the subject on account of having caused undue time loss on your behalf.