F.A.Q.
How does this work?
TLDR: We try to get you more money for beer (or whatever) than the bookstore will give you.
The details:
- Enter the ISBNs of the books you wish to receive pricing (buyback quote), if you like the price continue checkout, if not delete the books from your cart you don’t want to sell to us.
- Pack your books in a sturdy box that closely fits your books so they don’t slide around during shipping and handling by the USPS (those guys don’t offer white glove delivery).
- Print out the pre-paid shipping label (yeah sorry, we haven’t figured out a way to magic your book to us) and attach it to the box with your books.
- Take the box to your nearest USPS shipping location and give them a smile. If the USPS employee tries to make you pay for anything, they are lying to you. Our labels are pre-paid and we are automatically charged more if we guessed wrong on the weight of you package. Don’t let an uninformed USPS postal employee tell you differently.
- The USPS will deliver to us in 3-7 business days in most cases.
- We will process your order in 1-3 business days and issue payment shortly afterwards. During busy/high season processing times can take significantly longer.
- What you do with your money is entirely up to you.
What is an ISBN?
An ISBN is a 10 or 13 digit number that is unique to a particular title, author, edition and publisher. It can be found on the back cover of each book or inside on the copyright page. Always double check the ISBN on the back cover of the book against the ISBN listed on the copyright page in the front of the book. If your book has different ISBNs use the one of the copyright page because some unscrupulous people (and bookstores) try and label a book as something it is not. We only pay you for the real book delivered to us – not for a false label.
Where's my book? / What's the status of my order?
Did you notice that tracking number on the label and in the email sent to you?
You can use that tracking number on the USPS website to track your package.
Once the status is “Delivered” there’s a good chance the USPS actually delivered it to our docks.
Don’t email us the second you see your packaged is delivered. It will take at least 1-3 business days to inspect your order and much longer during the high seasons of August/September, December/January and May/June.
Once your order has been inspected you will get a nice email from us letting you know if all your books were great, or you sent us junk. After your order has been processed (you’ll get an email) we will get payment issued in 1-4 business days, sometimes in 24 hours or less depending on the Unicorns in accounting. However, the Unicorns do not have wings so checks may take 2-4 weeks to be delivered by the regular ponies of the USPS.
If your tracking is not updating it means the USPS is having issues with your book – contact the USPS, not us. We’d love to have control over them, but alas we do not – though we certainly dream……
What happens if my book is rejected?
We do a little dance in the warehouse, sing a song, and ride unicorns off into the sunset.
Actually, if a book is rejected you will be notified via the account email address (so use one you actually check). Rejected books will be held for three business days and available to send back to seller once return postage and a processing&handling fee has been paid.
Do you buy counterfeits?
Seriously?
If you send us a counterfeit, it will be sent to the publisher along with every bit of information we have about you.
You won’t pass go, won’t collect $200, nor will you get your book back, but you might go to jail.
If you aren’t sure if you have a counterfeit read our article: Is my book a counterfeit?
Do you buy instructor, international, or loose-leaf (3 ring binder) editions?
Nope, nada, not a chance.
In short, we only buy 100% legally printed USA Student Editions – gotta keep it organic.
Instructor editions: Notice that wording like, “Not for resale” or “Illegal to distribute” in big bold letters on the covers? Guess what that means? Sometimes, mean people cover up those warnings with tape or stickers – don’t be fooled.
International editions: Even if the website somehow quotes you a value for an international edition – save everybody the hassle and don’t send it.
Loose-leaf editions: These critters are some times called “a la carte”, loose-leaf, or binder editions. Basically, just stacks of paper to be put into a three ring binder. Hey, they are cool for those that like them, or to turn on a fan and watch your roommate’s head explode. Here’s the thing – we happen to like drinking beer more than trying to figure out if you sent each individual sheet of paper out of the 4,983,281 pages supposedly present.
Will BMB buy multiple copies of the same book?
Maybe, but contact us to find out.
Do not create multiple orders selling us the same book(s) – it will make us angry and you won’t like us when we are angry.