Frequently Asked Questions

BOOK INFORMATION

Do you purchase all kinds of books?

Yes we purchase most kinds of books, please see books we buy more of for a better idea of what we are looking for, however we do NOT purchase the following kinds of books:

• International, economy or low cost editions (mainly textbooks) marked with wording similar to these statements "not for sale in the US or North America", "for use outside the US", may not be re-exported" or similar.

• Books marked “FREE”, “Not for Sale”, “Review or Examination Copy” or “Not for Re-Sale” or similar.
• No advanced reading copies, uncorrected proofs, promotional or “screener” copies. The ISBN that is listed is for the general release of the book and NOT for the advanced reading copy, uncorrected proofs, promotional or “screener” copy.
• NO PORNOGRAPHY or books with PROFANE words in the title or on the cover.
• Condensed or “Reader’s Digest” books
• "Fill in the blank/answer" books that have the answers/blanks/etc. completed including circled or checked answers.
• Non-ISBN books
• Calendars
• Books with more than 25% blank pages (journals, diaries, etc)

What does “good” condition mean?

For a book to be considered in good sell able condition it may NOT have any of the following:

• Has gotten wet/moist from any liquid (water, coffee, tea, etc.). Pages are wavy, crinkled, stuck together, stained or have mold/mildew, etc).

• Missing pages (either part or all of a page or pages).
• Stained pages/(minor stains-0D are OK but a deduction will be taken, see below).
• Chewed on by dog, cat, etc.
• Strong odor from smoke, perfume, musty, etc).
• Loose/broken/damaged binding, spine or has loose pages even if included.
• More than 6 pages having a rip or tear. Books with 1 - 5 pages with a rip or tear will be purchased but a deduction will be taken, see below.
• Excessive highlighting/underlining no more than 30% of the pages may have highlighting or underlining on them*. Books with  between  10% and 30% are acceptable but a deduction will be taken, see below.
• Excessive writing, including margin notes, no more than 10% of the pages may have writing or notes on them*.
• Any book with vulgar, profane or inappropriate handwriting.
• Any book that has random markings or drawings, etc.
  
• Any book with excessive writing or markings on the page edges
  
• Partial sets (IE Sending volume 1 of a 2 volume set, unless you entered the ISBN for just that particular volume.)
• Any book that has "Property of" or similar stamped, labeled or written on the exterior of the front or rear cover.
• Any book that has been re-bar-coded, re-labeled or taped up to conceal the true identity of the book (international textbook re-bar-coded with US edition ISBN, Instructors'/teachers' edition taped up to make it appear as a student edition, etc.).
• Books that have been poorly repaired.
• Unbound or partially bound books.
• Books that are cut or have hole(s) drilled in them (ie. a portion of the book has been cut off whether it be part of the cover and/or pages a hole or holes drilled through the book.
• Any item missing the cover (front or back) or having any portion of the cover missing.
• Excessive wear or abuse. 
• Tears/rips or bends in hardcover book covers
• Pages stuck together, from moisture, gum or other substance

* If a book has 500 pages and 50 pages have just one word highlighted on each of those 50 pages that represents 10% of the pages being marked.

The following books WILL be purchased but, DISCOUNTED at the following percentages:

• Missing dust jackets (or in poor condition) (10%)

• Ex-library book – (has library markings) (25%)
• Teachers or Instructors edition including annotated (use the “student edition” ISBN on the back cover) (90%)
• Missing an accompaniment (CD, DVD, etc) or if they are not working, not original or cracked/broken (see Special Notes for higher education books below) (75%)
• Short rips/tears to 5 or less pages (25%)
• Minor stains (25%)
• Excessive highlighting/underlining (more than 10% but less than 30% of all pages have a mark on them (30%)
• Excessive labels (30%)
• Excessive wear (40%)
• Incomplete packaged (75%)

Special Notes for higher education books:

Books that originally came with CD’(s)/ DVD’(s)

Textbooks should include the ORIGINAL working CD(s) and/or DVD(s), etc.. Books arriving without these items will have a 75% deduction taken. This deduction will be taken even if our site does not indicate "required materials" but the book originally came with CD(s) and/or DVD(s), etc. (Access codes are NOT required when selling a book that came with an access code).

Access Codes

Occasionally we buy JUST the access code (sold under a separate ISBN from the book) these include Infotrac, Blackboard, My____Lab, etc., these MUST be sealed from the manufacturer and have never been opened or used.

Study Guides/Workbooks/Lab Manuals/Solutions Manuals, Handbooks or other "fill in the blank/answer" type books.

May have limited highlighting and underlining but NO writing, including circled or check answers and NO missing or loose pages.

Packaged Books

Must contain all items included in the original packaging, even if our site does not indicate "required materials". (except for access codes)

We reserve the right to determine your books condition upon receipt. If a book or books are rejected or discounted, we will inform you by email as to why

GENERAL

Are there any fees or costs to use this web site or sell books?

NO! Use of the web site is FREE. Shipping is FREE as long as you use our prepaid shipping label.

How do I sell my new and used books?

Selling your unwanted books is easy and profitable. Just follow the steps below and receive your payment quickly by PayPal or check.

Enter the ISBN’s (the 10 or 13 digit number that uniquely identifies each book) of all the books you would like to sell and then click “GET OFFERS”. We’ll let you know which books we are currently buying and how much we will offer. Each price quote is good for orders shipped within 7 days. Please note there is a minimum sell order of $10.00 to be able to use our free shipping label.

After you receive our offer and you are ready to sell your books, just click the CHECKOUT button. If you are a returning customer, simply enter your e-mail address and password. New customers can easily set up a free account with minimal information.

Check your address, phone, e-mail, shipping method and payment method. Then click FINALIZE THE ORDER.

Review your information and if everything is correct, click the PLACE ORDER button. You will receive an e-mail with your order number and the books you are selling.

Print a packing slip to ship with your books and one for your records. Then print the prepaid postage labels. (Postage is FREE to you, we pay all shipping costs!)

Pack your books and take them to the Post Office. You’ll need to take them inside and drop them off at the counter, Do not place any packages in the blue curbside mail boxes. There is no postage due – we pay the postage. Make sure to mail your order with 5 days of selling the books.

It’s that simple! You can Log into your account at any time to see the status of your order. We’ll also let you know via e-mail as soon as your order has been processed and paid.

Will you accept books in any condition?

No. We can only accept books that are in good or better condition.

Is my privacy protected?

YES, please click here to see our full privacy statement and terms of use.

What about personal information that I wrote in or left in my books like my name, credit card receipts or test papers, etc.?

It is your responsibility to remove all personally identifiable information, whether it be your name, social security number, address or phone number. NEATLY mark out any of the above with a black marker. You may also want to check for and remove credit card receipts or other personally identifiable papers left in your books.

Can I use my cell phone or PDA to price check books?

Yes, as long as you have an Internet capable PDA or cell phone. Our mobile look-up page should work with most cell phones and PDA's. The address for our mobile look up page is www.sellyourbooks4cash.com/mobile. Please check with your carrier for Internet usage charges.

What if I don’t have a PayPal account?

Setting up a PayPal account is quick, easy and free. Just log on to www.paypal.com and follow the simple instructions. Once your account is established, you can receive funds from our company.

How do you determine what price you will pay for my books?

The price quotes we give are based on the nationwide demand for a particular book and the current stock availability. However, the buy back price quoted at checkout is guaranteed only if the books are shipped within 5 days.

What are the most popular types/genres of books that you buy?

Please see books we buy more of.

ISBN QUESTIONS

What is an ISBN?

ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. It is a 10-digit or 13-digit code used to uniquely identify individual book titles and editions. Some 10-digit ISBN’s may end with an "X" instead of a digit. The ISBN is found: (click here for examples)

• Above the bar code on the back cover of a book.

• On the copyright page (back of title page)

What if my book doesn't have an ISBN?

At this time we cannot buy books without an ISBN. Almost all books published after 1970 have an ISBN. Please check on the back cover of the book or on the copyright page (back of the title page) for the ISBN.

Why do some books have two ISBN's on the back cover?

There are generally three reasons for this:

1. The book came with a supplement (CD(s), DVD(s), etc.). The top ISBN is for the book only. The bottom ISBN is for the book and its supplements.

2. It is part of a series or set. Generally/the top ISBN is for that single book or volume and the bottom ISBN is for the complete set or series.
3. It is an “Instructor's Edition", “review copy” or marked “Complementary”, “Free” or “Not for sale” in some way. Generally one ISBN is for one of the above and the other is for the student edition.

Please be sure to use the correct ISBN for what you actually have. Incorrectly identifying your book and/or its supplements may result in a reduced price or no payment at all. Please note that the original ISBN printed by the publisher on the back cover takes precedence over the ISBN on the copyright page or labels printed with and ISBN and/or bar code on the back cover.

PRICING RELATED QUESTIONS

Why do prices fluctuate?

Prices fluctuate due to several factors including: current and future demand, quantities already purchased and availability. Please note, prices for some books can change hourly while others may not change for weeks at a time.

I checked the price of a book recently and you were buying it. I just checked again and you are no longer purchasing the book, why not?

This is due to three main factors: we have purchased as many of that book as we need, we feel that we can no longer offer a competitive price, or there is no longer a demand for this book.

What does “Sorry we are not able to locate the book or verify the ISBN, please try again.” mean?

Verify that you have entered the ISBN correctly, if you have, then the publisher printed the ISBN incorrectly or the bookstore printed the wrong label for that book. We then suggest you look on the copyright page (back of the title page) for the ISBN.

Why are your buyback prices different from the college bookstore?

If the college bookstore is purchasing your book, they will pay you roughly 50% of the current price because they will be selling that book for the next semester. We buy your books at wholesale rates which are generally less.

How does SellYourBooks4Cash decide the value of my books?

The price quotes we give are based on the nationwide demand for a particular book and the current stock availability. However, the buy back price quoted at checkout is guaranteed only if the books are shipped within 5 days.

SELLING RELATED QUESTIONS

Why do you have a $10 minimum sell order?

There are two main reasons for the $10 minimum sell order, the top reason being the continued increases in shipping costs (getting the books from you to us) and secondly cost of labor, as it takes about the same amount of time to process a small order as it does a larger order.

 Can I sell my books if I have less than the $10 minimum sell order?

Yes, you may sell to us if you order is less than $10, however you will be responsible for the shipping costs and NONE of the shipping will be reimbursed to you and may not use our free shipping label.  If you send your order via COD or use our free shipping label the postage will be deducted from your order total. 

Can I sell my books to you if I live in Canada or another country?

Yes! However, our prepaid shipping label only works within the United States. Therefore, you will have to pay your own shipping and insurance charges. During the checkout process you should select “Self ship from Canada or other Country”. You will be reimbursed for shipping based on Media Mail rates for USA. Please remember that transit times from your country to our warehouse will be longer and we can ONLY offer payment through Paypal for foreign customers.

 Are access codes (Infotrac, etc) required for textbooks?

NO.

What if I am missing the CD or other supplements that came with the book?

If the price quote indicates “materials required” than the book comes with a CD, DVD or other supplement(s), those items are required for you to receive full payment. CD’s and DVD’s are acceptable even if they have been opened and used but MUST be the original (no back up copies, etc.) and in working condition. You may still send in the book without the required materials but you will only receive 40% of the quoted price.

The above also applies for other materials such as: DVD’s, workbooks, videos, etc. Note that some books have multiple CD’s, DVD’s, etc. All copies MUST be included for full payment. Access codes such as Infotrac are NOT required.

What does it mean when the book has a message under it that says REQUIRED MATERIALS?

When a book quote comes back with REQUIRED MATERIALS, then there are additional materials (accompaniments) that must be returned with the book for the price quoted. Simply click on the required materials, and we will show you what must be returned with the book in order to receive the full quoted price. We will still buy books without the REQUIRED MATERIALS but at a 40% discount off the quoted price.

What if I send a book or books that you reject due to not meeting your buying guidelines (condition requirements)?

We will notify you of the reason for not buying the book(s) and we will gladly send back the rejected books. For information on how to do this see: How do I get rejected or damaged books back?

What if I send a book or books NOT on the packing slip?

We will determine the current value, and if possible buy the book(s) on the day your order arrives. Please note that some books may have no value. In either case we will NOT return any extra books. Please remember to verify the books you send against what appears on the packing slip.

What if I send a greater quantity of a book or books than what appears on my packing slip?

We will determine a value and if possible buy the EXTRA book(s) though the price offered may be lower than the one on the packing slip. If we are no longer buying the book or the price has dropped to zero, we will notify you. In either case we will NOT return any extra books. Please remember to verify the quantities of each book you send against what appears on the packing slip.

Will you buy more than one copy of the same book?

Yes, but we do impose a maximum, generally of 5 per ISBN. View your seller cart to see the maximum quantity allowed for each book. If you have more than five of any one book, please email us with quantities and ISBN’s, and we will promptly send you a quote.

How do I get rejected or damaged in transit books back?

We want you to be satisfied! If you absolutely need your book(s) back and we have NOT started processing your order, you must notify us BEFORE we receive your book(s). We will then hold your book(s) until we have received your money order. There is a $10.00 fee PER book to cover, shipping, labor, packing materials, etc. and this must be paid via a money order before we will ship your books back. Please send payment to: Sellyourbooks4cash.com, PO Box 95 Dublin, TX 76446. If payment has not been received within 7 days those books will be discarded and NOT paid for!

What if I send fewer books then what is on my order?

We will contact you and let you know about the books that are missing. Payment will be issued only for the books that we received.

What if a book or books are missing from the shipment?

We will notify you of the missing books and issue payment ONLY for the books that arrived.

Should I create a separate order if I am going to have more than one 40 pound box of books to sell?

NO, just print multiple packing slips and postage labels. Place a packing slip in each box and after sealing the box neatly tape on the postage label.

How do I know the status of my order?

Log into your account, and your last 5 orders will show. Then click on "details" next to the order you want to view. We will also send you updates via e-mail to notify you of the status of your order.

Why is there a place for a coupon code on the check out page?

Occasionally we will be doing promotions to attract new customers and reward existing customers. The coupon codes will be good for a limited time and will offer a percentage bonus for selling us your books. If you have a coupon code, please feel free to use it, though it is only good for one use per account and must be used at the time of sale.

What if I have larger quantities of books?

Large quantities of books are welcome as long as you do not have more than 5 copies of any one title/ISBN. If you have more than 5 copies of the same book, please contact us for authorization. Please include the ISBN and quantity for each book.

SHIPPING RELATED QUESTIONS

How much will I be reimbursed for shipping if I do not use the prepaid shipping label, whether I am shipping from the USA or another country?

Yes! Simply log into your account find your order number, click on it and then click on print postage label.

What if I want to ship via UPS (United Parcel Service), FedEx or another shipping company?

Using sellyourbooks4cash.com's prepaid postal mailing label helps keep our costs down, so we can pay you the highest possible prices. If for any reason you choose to pay the shipping charges yourself and/or use a different shipping method, please make sure your name and address are clearly written on your parcel and addressed to : Sellyourbooks4cash.com, 4240 CR 351, Dublin, TX 76446. If you choose to pay your own shipping for the books you send us, make sure you select “Self ship from US” BEFORE finalizing your order. By doing this, we will reimburse you the full USPS MEDIA Mail rate for your order.

What if my order arrives damaged?

Unless you purchased insurance from the post office, we will only buy those books which meet our buying guidelines. We will contact you and let you know what book(s) were damaged and are not buy-able. We will give you the opportunity to get the damaged books back. Please see: How do I get rejected or damaged books back?

What if my order does not arrive or is lost in the mail?

The vast majority of orders arrive just fine. However in very rare cases the USPS will lose a shipment. If you have purchased postal insurance, you may file a claim with the USPS. Otherwise you may contact the USPS for further assistance. Remember, we only pay for items that arrive at our warehouse!

Do you provide insurance or a tracking number (delivery confirmation)?

At this time we do not provide insurance or tracking. We do not require you to purchase insurance or a delivery confirmation, though it is recommended. You may purchase either one or both at the post office for a nominal fee to protect your investment. Please remember if your order is lost or damaged in transit we are not responsible.

Can two or more orders be combined in one box?

Yes, as long as the box contains packing slips for each order. You may use anyone of the postage labels from the orders in the box.

What if I need to pack my books in more than one box?

No problem. Make sure each box has a packing slip. Please remember that it is not uncommon for multiple boxes shipped on the same day to arrive on different days. (Payment will be made as each box arrives.)

The post office said they could not insure the shipment because I was using a “Merchandise Return Label”.

Per US Postal Regulations they must allow you to purchase insurance. Have the clerk check: DMM Section 507 10.5.2 Insurance Added by Sender. If the permit holder (sellyourbooks4cash.com) has not indicated insured mail service on the MRS label (Merchandise Return Label), then the sender (you) has the option of adding insurance and paying the applicable insured fee. If insurance is paid by the sender, then only the sender may file a claim (609). The permit holder pays postage upon receipt, but does not pay the insured fee when insurance is added by the sender.

How much time do I have to send the books?

We ask that you package and ship your books as soon as possible, but no later than 5 days from the order date. The faster you get them to the post office, the faster you get paid. We only guarantee your price quote if you mail the books within 5 calendar days of your quote. If we do not receive the books within 30 days from when the order date, we cannot guarantee the quoted price. If we receive your order after the 30th day but before the 45th day, we may still be able to buy the books, but they will priced at what the website says on the day they arrive, which may be lower, zero or in some cases higher. We will not return orders received after 30 days.  Orders recieved after the 45th day will be rejected and NOT paid for.

What happens if I use a USPS Priority or Express Mail envelopes, boxes, tape or stickers with your Media Mail shipping label?

If you use a USPS Priority Mail or Express Mail envelope or box, the Post Office will automatically charge us Priority Mail or Express mail rate, which is MUCH higher than media mail rate, even if our media mail label is attached. Please DO NOT use Priority or Express mail envelopes, boxes, tape or stickers. We do not pay for Priority or Express Mail Rates. If you do use any of the afore mentioned items, it will probably delay your payment, and we will deduct the total amount USPS has charged us for that package from your payment. If you desire to use Priority or Express Mail to speed up the process of us receiving your books, please feel free to do so as long as you pay for the shipping of your books and select “Self Ship from USA” at check out. You will be reimbursed the Media Mail rate based on the weight of your books.

How does shipping work?

We will provide you with a free shipping label, which will allow you to mail your books to us for FREE. Simply tape the label onto your package(s) with clear packing tape and mail it at your local Post Office. Do not drop your package(s) in the blue containers on the street. Insurance is optional, but strongly advised (insurance must be paid at your expense). If you choose to not use our prepaid label for Media Mail, we will weigh your package on arrival and credit you the Media Mail rate.

Do I have to pay for shipping?

No! We pay for the shipping as long as your total orders is more than $10, by providing you with a prepaid shipping label through the U.S. Post Office at the time of checkout. Be sure to print the prepaid label and attach it to the package with your books enclosed. If you choose not use the prepaid mailing label, you may ship your books by any method you choose (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), however you will only be reimbursed (included in your payment) for shipping based on the current USPS Media Mail rate.

PAYMENT RELATED QUESTIONS

How fast do I get paid?

We will process your payment after we receive your books, generally NO more than 10 business days.  Paper  checks will arrive in about 3-5 business days from mailing.

Will you issue separate payments for orders received on the same day from the same seller?

Generally we will combine payments to help keep costs down.

How long will it take for my payment to arrive? (How long does the whole process take?)

• 5-15 business days in transit (from the day you drop the books off at the post office). This is a good estimate based on experience, however we have seen longer arrival times.

• 1-2 business day to process your order and no more than 10 days until payment is  issued.
• If you selected PayPal as your payment method, your money will be in your account within 12 hours of your order being paid.
• If you selected a check as your payment method, it will be mailed within 1 business day of your  order being paid and should arrive in 3-5 business days.

 What methods do you use to pay for my books?

We pay either Paypal.com or check by mail.

Will I always receive the amount shown?

Generally yes. The price shown assumes that the book is shipped within 5 days and received in good or better condition and with supplements, if required. All books are inspected upon arrival, and if they are found to be in poor quality or missing required supplements, the amount paid to you will be adjusted accordingly. See condition requirements and discounts. We will notify you if any of your books do not meet our standards and have to be discounted or rejected.

MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS