Textbook Buyback
Used Book Buyback FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have a textbook you no longer need? Looking to make cash on that textbook? Would you rather mail off your book away somewhere and wait for your cash to be sent back? Or do you want it right now?
The purpose of the facility is to increase the resale market for used books, to make more used books available for resale at Campus Bookstores at reduced prices, and to provide more options for students to help manage their textbook budget.
How is the Buyback Price determined?
There are 3 different categories of textbook buyers, each determines the Buyback price in a different way. This is how it breaks down:
- If the University Bookstore is buying it (ie. the book is will be used in a course at University of Arkansas, and the Bookstore is not already fully stocked for that book) you will receive 50% of your textbook purchased price.
If we are buying a particular book, we will have a quota set on the number of copies we need based on our current stock and the number of students who are enrolled in the courses which use the book. Once we have bought back that quantity, then the system automatically switches over to wholesale pricing.
- If we met our Bookstore quota for a particular book, then we compare against our Wholesaler's database. Unlike the Bookstore, they do not offer a fixed percentage of the purchased price, but set their bids according to the demand they 'guestimate' for each title. Sometimes when a book is not being widely used, that can sometimes result in very low bid prices for a used book.
For example, rather than controlling the number of copies they buyback of any given title by setting a quota on it (like the campus stores do), the wholesalers control supply by changing the price they offer for it. So if they don't think that they will need many copies of a particular book, they set a low bid price, if they want a lot of copies, they use a higher bid price.
- And finally, You and your fellow students, using Hog Auction you offer a price and someone agrees to pay your price.
What can I do if I find the price offered too low?
You may list your books in Hog Auction to try to directly sell them to other students (the Bookstore does not get involved in these transactions, they are private sales).
How firm is the price?
The demand for the book is finite and is maintained in real time. The demand decreases instantly with every sale and can expire quickly as other students sell their books back.
When is the best time to sell my used textbooks?
The best times are near the end of a semester (especially in December, April, and June (Summer Session I) / August (Summer Session II) just before and during Finals. Those times of the year are when the best bid prices are typically available. The rest of the year wholesale prices tend to dominate in the buyback database. Also note that books which are used in courses that are offered only in the Fall or or only in the Spring, may have a low demand for those books during the current BuyBack Season and may pickup the following BuyBack Season. If you're not seeing any good prices for your book, check again at the beginning and then end of the terms.
What happens if demand expires before I sell back my textbook?
Sorry, you are out of luck. You can list the book in Hog Auction or perhaps wait until next semester(s) BuyBack Season.
What happens if I am notified by email and the demand expires?
Sorry again, but it is due to the real time nature of the system. We have no control over the demand for a book. You may try selling it one of our competitors, or hang on to it to try again next BuyBack Season.
Does the previous edition of my text have resale value?
Not usually, and the system buys based on ISBN to ensure the correct and most current edition is purchased. Also, when Faculty orders the books for their classes through us, it's all done by ISBN - we don't necessarily know what's different from one edition to the next of a given book, that's why we're sticklers for matching up those ISBN numbers.
Can I sell back books in any condition?
The decision belongs to the buyer working at the Buyback. We want "used books" not "abused books" and reserve the right to refuse to purchase damaged books or books that are unlikely to be repurchased by other students.
Why are there not more titles on the Buyback list?
Late adoptions (when a prof orders a book for his class, he "adopts" it), or a new edition has been released, a different book being used for the same course vs. last term, are some of the reasons. Only those books that are certain to be used on a campus make it to the list. Encourage your instructors to adopt early and to adopt the same book as last term to help increase the numbers and value of used textbooks.
Do you buy study guides or CD-ROMS?
Iit depends on the individual study guide or CD. The University of Arkansas Bookstore does not purchase any materials requiring a password
What is an ISBN?
International Standard Book Number. All books have one and each edition of a title has a different ISBN. Even different versions of the same edition (ie. with/without an included CD, or study guide) have different ISBN numbers.