| Textbook Buying FAQs |
Back to Textbook Buying Guide
We've developed some of the most commonly asked questions by you, the students.
When is the best time to come in to buy my books?
The best time to come and buy your
textbooks is the week before classes start because the lines are shorter
and most of our textbooks are in stock by that time.
To make your shopping experience easier, be sure to have your book list
ready so it's a breeze when finding our books.
Where do I find out what textbooks I need?
You can find that information on
your online UBC account where you find your class schedule and course list.
We recommend that you have your book list ready prior to coming in to
buy your books so your shopping experience will be a breeze.
What are your business hours? Do you have longer hours during the beginning of school?
Our business hours are
posted here
on our website.
Yes, during the start of term in September and January, we have extended
hours so you can come in and shop at your experience. Our hours will be
posted on our site prior to the start of term so you can plan your visit
to our store.
Required? Optional? What's the diff?
Textbooks required for courses
are dependant on the course content.
Speak to your professors or instructors prior to
purchasing optional textbooks.
How do I tell the difference between New and Used textbooks?
New textbooks on our shelves are unmarked. Used textbooks have stickers on the spines of the textbooks that say "used" on them. Used stickers also have price barcode stickers on the back of the textbooks.
What payment methods can I use?
In our store, we have several
payment methods available to you.
- Cash
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Debit / Interac
Can I use my Parent/Guardian's Credit Card?
Yes. You may use your Parent or
Guardian's Credit Card for payment in our store.
However, for security reasons, we require that your parent or guardian
fill out a note that authorizes you to pay with it.
We have a form below which can be used in our store.
Credit Card Authorization Form
Please ensure that you also have a piece of valid identification with the form.
Where are my books?! They aren't in stock! Why?!
There are several reasons why your
textbook might not be in stock.
Several reasons include: the publisher might be out of stock when we
order, the shipment was delayed, the class added more students or we had
are large amount of unexpected sales of our textbooks, or we made a
mistake and didn't order enough. However, all the reasons listed are
beyond our control except the last one.
We make every effort to get the books you need onto our shelves in time
for your classes.
On our website, we post the availability status of the high demand
textbooks for your convenience.
I dropped my course, can I return or exchange this textbook?
Yes. However, some conditions do
apply.
Please have a look at our Return Policy
for full
details
I can't find my textbooks. What can I do?
Our staff are ready to assist you
in our store when you need it.
Also, our website has the latest availability status for the high demand
textbooks.
Please also note that our store does not carry lab manuals or custom
course notes ore materials (some exceptions). Custom materials on the
book list with the author "1001" are not carried in our store
as they're custom published by UBC.
