Book Condition Guidelines

Where do our books come from?

We source damaged books directly from our Publishing partners. This means a majority of our books are described as "Used" / "Pre-Owned" / "Damaged" but most have never actually been in the hands of a customer; instead, they are printing extras, "Remaindered" or have just been shipped to a local bookstore and returned.

Where do our books go?

Our hands-on process involves receiving and individually grading each book to determine the best destination for these books:

  • Selling direct to Customers - not wholesale!
  • Donating to those in need such as our partner Book Aid, we are proud to have sent over half a million books so far!
  • Paper Recycling - no book ends up in a landfill.

How do we grade a books Condition?

We take conditioning books very seriously and are proud to have the strictest grading criteria in the industry. We understand that Textbooks are often needed immediately for an upcoming course, and many can only be shopped for last minute. No one wants to open a "Like New" textbook and find scribbles, highlighter, and scratched codes. We love books and want you to love your purchase!

Conditioning Rules and Guidelines

  • Unacceptable / Rejected: Missing content, missing pages, or unreadable and obscured text is an immediate 'not for sale'. We also look for structural damage especially to the spine which could cause the book to fall apart. Water damage or anything gross is also a quick pass for us.
  • New: Just like it sounds. A brand-new, unused, unread copy in perfect condition. The dust cover and original protective wrapping, if any, are intact. All supplementary materials are included and all access codes for electronic material, if applicable, are valid and/or in working condition.
  • Like New (Used): The dust cover is intact, with no nicks or tears. The spine has no signs of creasing. The pages are clean and not marred by notes or folds of any kind. The book may contain remainder marks on outside edges and slight scuffing.
  • Very Good (Used): The pages and dust cover are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. Minor blemishes or superficial scratches from books rubbing together - maybe noticeable at arm's length.
  • Good (Used): All pages and the cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). The spine may show signs of wear. The pages may include limited notes and highlighting which do not obstruct content. The book may include "From the library of" labels. Could have significant scuffing, rubbing, and dinged up corners.
  • Acceptable (Used): All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. The pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but the text cannot be obscured or unreadable. Pretty rough looking but it's all there.

Each book we pick up starts with 'New' and goes down from there. We check for many issues that all come together for the final grade, the severity and number of imperfections both contribute. We take the time to review both specifically and wholistically for issues, including these facets:

  • Corners
  • Covers
  • Crumpling
  • Dents
  • Dust Jackets
  • Page Edges
  • Missing Online Activation Codes
  • Missing Pages / Content
  • Printing Errors
  • Cuts
  • Scuffing
  • Seams
  • Spines
  • Stains
  • Tears
  • Uncorrected Copies / Review Copies
  • Warping
  • Water Damage
  • Writing and Highlighting