Textbook Sell-Back FAQs

  1. Does the UofT Bookstore buy-back textbooks?
    Yes, we do! Enter your ISBN into the search box here and get your quote. The books we will be buying back at any given time will vary based on demand and resale value.
  2. When do you buy back textbooks?
    We buy textbooks back all year round. There are busy periods in May, November and January. If you find that we aren''t buying back a specific book right now, you may want to try again later as the quantities of particular books needed changes daily.
  3. Why should I sell my textbooks to the UofT Bookstore?
    If you aren''t going to look at the books again. If you need money. If you want to recycle the book.
  4. How much money can I make by selling my textbooks?
    We pay up to 50% of the new book price for books being used at a UofT campus. The value is dependent on who else wants to buy your book (other Canadian Campus Retailers offer about 35%, US Wholesalers offer about 15%.)
  5. What items do I need to supply to sell a textbook back to the UofT Bookstore?
    We require you to bring a debit card, government-issued photo ID, and the eligible book that you are selling.
  6. How do I know which textbooks I can sell to the UofT Bookstore?
    To check if we''re buying back a particular book, enter the ISBN number located in the front few pages in the search box here to get a quote. Go to the Bookstore immediately to ensure your book is still needed. If you wait, the maximum number of books may have already been sold back.
  7. Why did the book I searched for come up as "Not Needed" or "No Quote"?
    This means that we have already bought-back the maximum number of copies of this title needed by our store and our partners. However, the demand for different titles changes daily. Just because we may not need the book today doesn''t mean we won''t want it in the future!
  8. How many books can I sell?
    We allow 3 books per person in one day and 1unit of the same book
  9. Can I sell back a textbook if I bought it used?
    As long as it''s in good shape, absolutely! Plus, you can still receive up to 50% of the retail price of the NEW book!.
  10. What is an ISBN? Where do I find it?
    The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a unique identification number given by the book''s publisher. You can find the ISBN either on the title page in the first few pages of the book or on the back cover, usually at the bottom right hand side.
  11. Can I sell the UofT Bookstore my textbooks online?
    No, you can only sell us your textbooks in person. Since the number of books we''ll buy back changes daily, we cannot guarantee that we will still need the book if you post it or courier it.
  12. Why wouldn''t you want my textbook?
    We might not want a book if it is in very poor condition, if the book has gone into a new edition, if the book isn''t being used for an upcoming term, or if we have enough copies already.
  13. What do you do with the books you buy back?
    We resell them to students at UofT Bookstores, to other Universities and Colleges, or to wholesale companies in the US.
  14. What condition do textbooks have to be in to be bought back?
    Books bought back for UofT Bookstores need to be in reasonable condition - the kind of condition that you wouldn''t mind paying for yourself. The other Canadian Campus Schools and US Wholesalers that we also buy back for are a little more picky - they need your book to be in good shape and include any ancillaries (i.e. CDs) that it came with.
  15. Will you buy back books that have writing in them?
    Generally, yes, as long as it is within reason. The UofT Bookstore has the right to exercise their discretion and refuse to buy back titles that do not meet their standards upon assessment.
  16. Can I sell back my loose-leaf textbook?
    No. We do not accept loose-leaf versions of textbooks, even if our system gives you a quote. We only accept bound textbooks.
  17. I received a textbook buy-back quote and when I got to the store they said they no longer needed the book. What happened?
    There is a limit to the number of books that we can buy back. If you received a quote online, try to get to the Bookstore ASAP. If someone beats you to it then we may not require it at that moment. You can try again - it changes daily.