Hi sue66b:
I buy used textbooks all the time from many places Amazon being one of them. I have never had a problem. The key is to look at the ratings of the seller. Also, read the most recent comments from buyers to get an idea of their customer service and their return policies. I don’t buy from a seller that is rated below 96% for positive reviews no matter how cheap they have the book listed. I only buy from the experienced sellers that have many ratings meaning they have sold through Amazon for a while and likely provide good customer service.
There are many sites in the U.S. that sell used books I am just not sure if they ship to Australia; some state specifically domestic. I do know that Alibris.com has a U.K. website, I love buying books from them. Alot of times the European versions of the textbooks I need are cheaper than the U.S. versions; both are usually exactly the same. Check out Abesbooks.com as well, they might have a European website.
Try Googling “used textbooks” and see what sites come up for you. The sites that sell textbooks sell most other books as well. Even Googling “used books” should bring up many sites. I have just found that the sites that sell textbooks have a bigger selection of non-textbooks. Ebay and Half.com are good places for used books too! 🙂
