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Textbook Buyback


When is Book Buyback?

The Bookstore offers Book Buyback in-store during Finals Week each quarter. For the specific dates of Finals Week, see the Registrar's Important Dates & Deadlines.

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What determines the buyback price when I sell my books back?

The buyback price is determined by a variety of factors. For buyback pricing, textbooks fall in to one of two categories. During the course of a quarter or buyback period, a title may move from one category to another based on demand. The categories are as follows:

  • If a faculty member has notified the University Book Store that a book will be used on campus next quarter, in most cases we will pay a percentage of the current new book price, even if you bought the book used or the new book price was lower at the time of your purchase.
  • Used book wholesalers determine the prices they will pay for certain books. We technically act as the wholesaler's agent and buy the book for the company from the student, and must use their prices. Nationwide demand, current wholesaler supply and anticipated revision dates are some of the factors that the wholesale companies use in determining the prices they offer.
There are four reasons why a book may not have any buyback value:
  1. A new edition has been published
  2. There is little or no nationwide demand
  3. There is excess wholesale supply
  4. The book is in poor (non-salable) condition