Buyback Condition Guide
Before sending us your books, it is important that you make sure they fit our acceptance criteria and condition guidelines. Please carefully read the description of the item on BooksRun or a publisher's website when entering the ISBN, including the following criteria: type of cover, presence of supplementary materials such as CDs/DVDs, access codes, and multiple volumes.
1) Things you need to pay attention to:
- Loose leaf editions
Loose leaf / a la Carte editions frequently have ISBNs of hardcovers or paperbacks, which often confuses students who want to sell them. The correct ISBN of a loose leaf may be located on the copyright page or on the back cover. Some loose leaf editions are custom-made and don't have a separate ISBN; therefore, they cannot be accepted for buyback, as they cannot be given a quote.
- Multiple volume sets
If your book has only one ISBN and it corresponds to a set with many volumes, then you need to send us the whole set. We cannot accept only one book from the whole set for buyback if it does not have a separate ISBN and, therefore, cannot be quoted.
- Stickers and tape
All tape and stickers, including ones containing ISBNs, must be removed from the book before quoting and sending it. Stickers may state incorrect information about the book: i.e., conceal the original ISBN or markings indicating that the item is an exam copy or an instructor's edition, which are not accepted for buyback.
2) Items we do not accept for buyback:
- Instructor's, teacher, or professional editions
- Rebound books
- Complimentary/free copies, sample editions, and/or exam copies
- International editions (may only be accepted at a fraction of a price of a US edition)
- Custom editions for a specific college or area
- Exam, promotional, or complimentary copies; marked "not for resale," "not for sale," or "preliminary edition," "uncorrected proof"
- Used, opened, visible, or scratched access codes (including sets that do not contain an unused access code)
- Items without any ISBN
- Workbooks or study guides with any markings or filled-in answers
- Other books with excessive highlighting or markings on more than 2–3 pages
- Books with any signs of water damage. This includes wrinkled and curled pages, stains, yellowing, mold, and color change.
- Books with ripped, missing, or falling out pages or cover
- Books with heavy wear, including but not limited to: damaged or detached binding, torn pages or cover, general unacceptable condition
- Counterfeit books. Read more here to learn how to spot a counterfeit textbook.
If you have any doubts concerning the condition or ISBNs of your textbooks, please feel free to contact us or send pictures of your book before shipping.