Mobile Computing | News

BigWords Offers Textbook Comparison Shopping for Android

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 08/23/11

BigWords allows students to compare textbooks by price and across multiple platforms.

A web-based search business that helps students locate the best prices on textbooks can now be used on Android devices. BigWords already offers an iPhone and iPad edition of its service, which aggregates and compares the prices being charged for textbooks and directs users to the optimal offering. BigWords doesn't sell books itself.

The Android app allows the customer to calculate shipping based on user-specified shipping speed; select whether to include used, marketplaces, international editions, rentals, or guaranteed buybacks; and buy from the merchants inside the app or email a link to the user.

An eBook comparison option (when available from the publisher) lets the student compare textbook prices for iPad, Kindle, Nook, and other ereaders.

The company claims that a textbook buyback feature allows the customer to compare offers from companies that will get the person about three-quarters of what he or she spent on the book. BigWords added that the use of its program saves about $225 on multi-item textbook orders.

More information is available at market.android.com.