Bookstore, Amazon, or ??? for Textbooks

<p>Previous threads here may be dated.
The bookstore advertises up to 55% off rentals and even more for e-books.
Amazon's prices are only about $5 more than the bookstore for the few random books I checked.
Articles say use neither, and, instead, go to used and rental textbook sites to save the most money.
Is the bookstore so bad?
What is the outright best?</p>

<p>Lots of discussion on this…do a search in the parent forum. My son gets some via CraigsList, more from Amazon and just a couple from the campus bookstores. </p>

<p>We have only rented once - most of his books are used for more than one class and when that is the case buying used is generally better than renting.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>Which method is most popular? Do students typically prefer purchasing/renting textbooks through the bookstore, or nowadays do they prefer to buy them on the internet? What about bookstores outside of college campuses?</p>