Buyback FAQ
Book buyback continues at your BMC Bookshop. In addition to the regular Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 10:00 am to 1:00 pm hours, we will offer extra hours on Friday, May 15, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. If you can't make those times, we are also available by appointment. Books can also be dropped off at the mailroom, and we are continuing to email prepaid shipping labels if you're no longer in the area. Contact us by email at bookshop@brynmawr.edu to set up an appointment or request a label.
Here are answers to a few FAQ that have come up since we posted buyback info two weeks ago.
Q: I am away from campus and books are still in my room. Can I sell them when we are allowed back on campus?
A: Probably. We are aware of the situation and will do everything possible to extend buyback in some form to accommodate you whenever the college allows you back. As of today, we have no information about when dorms might be re-opened, but it is our intention to be available as best we can during move-out times. The problem is buyback price. Prices that are posted right now for current semester titles in the buyback utility (bookshop.brynmawr.edu/buyback/lookup) have expiration dates. Books that faculty have not committed to re-using here at Bryn Mawr are sold to the higest bidder among multiple textbook brokers. We are working with four outside vendors this semester, and are asking each to hold their bids open as long as possible. So far, everyone is extending past the usual May 31 deadline, but to different dates. We always have other options, but the alternative prices are not likely to be as good as the bids that we have right now.
Q: I have books from prior semesters. Should I send/bring them to buyback now?
A: Yes! While the best buyback prices are usually for current semester titles, we are always happy to try books from previous semesters. We partner with a textbook wholesaler, MBS, a division of Barnes & Noble College. MBS buys over 75,000 titles for all stores it serves, so odds of getting something from these books are reasonable. However, if you're shipping books back to us (using our prepaid label) and they come up "no value" for buyback, we won't be able to return books to you. If you'd like to check wholesale prices before you send books, go to this link: onlinebuyback.mbsbooks.com/index.php?jde=1612 . This site allows you to check wholesale prices, and if you have only wholesale books, you can send them directly to MBS via this site. But if you also have current semester titles, you're likely to get more for them if you send them to us: your BMC bookshop pays more, and you can put everthing together into one shipment. (We encourage you to check prices at both links.)
Q: I can't find my receipt. Can I still sell my books back to the BMC Bookshop?
A: Yes! We have waived the receipt requirement for this semester, due to Covid-19. We welcome all books, regardless of whether you have a receipt and regardless of where you purchased them.
Q: I have books for classes that I took at Haverford. Can I sell tham back at the BMC Bookshop?
A: Yes, but you might do better at the Haverford store. If Haverford is using the books again in a coming semester, they will likely pay more, just as we do for books that faculty have told us will be used in upcoming BMC classes. If the title has not yet been adopted for a Haverford class, then our buyback prices are likely to be the same because Haverford also works with MBS.
If you have any additional questions, please contact us by email at bookshop@brynmawr.edu
Our original buyback post, with complete info about requesting a prepaid label is at this link: bookshop.brynmawr.edu/SP20-buyback