It is not all that bad; we usually get low-priced edition textbooks here, so we get some stuff cheaper ( Low-priced == non-glossy paper, non-colored ink, etc). From what I know, publishers won't sell the low-priced editions to North America and Europe, too.

But that's only for locally available textbooks :( For anything that local stores don't stock, I'd need to send overseas for, and ick.

( murklins found me a site which has shipping at only $4, though! I am so very very excited about this, eeeeh :D)