Warning: Stickers on Textbooks!


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If you've ever purchased textbooks from bookstores or online sellers, you must have seen some of the books being sold completely covered with stickers like "USED BOOK!" But is this really the purpose of these stickers—to loudly inform you that this book is, in fact, used?

Such stickers and black tape (which sometimes covers half of the book) often hide ugly secrets. Underneath, there might be a wide variety of different markings.

1) Different ISBN

The most innocent thing that can happen to a book that has a sticker is that it can have a different ISBN.

For example, a bundle containing a book and an access code has been sold to a student. The book, obviously, has an ISBN, which corresponds to the bundle printed on the cover and is quoted by buyback websites accordingly. However, if the student has used this access code and sold the book back to the college bookstore, this bookstore often puts the sticker, which has an ISBN and barcode of a standalone book, and sells it again as such.

2) Instructor’s editions

Again and again, every day, we receive hundreds of books covered with tape and stickers to such an extent that it's hard to recognize them. Markings saying Instructor's edition or Teacher's edition and their ISBNs are the most common things hiding under all this stuff.

3) Complimentary copies

Complimentary copies, examination copies, free copies, uncorrected proofs, not for sale, not for resale—you name it, we've seen it. They are not for sale. We cannot accept them. Absolutely. Please make sure to remove stickers and tape from the cover before selling your textbooks.

You can see the examples of what to watch out for when purchasing or selling used books below.

Buyback Condition Guide has even more information and tips about selling back textbooks

stickers example 1

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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.

Updated on November 3rd, 2022