Vancouver: we buy back most textbooks almost every day, with an exception of two small blackout periods.

 You can look up the value of your textbook before coming into the store.

At the start and end of Terms 1 and 2, we have larger buyback promotions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who determines the buyback price?

If the book is being used again at UBC for the following term, you will receive 50 per cent of the new price of the book. Books not being used again at UBC may be bought by our wholesale partner who determines the price based on demand in North America. Check the current value of your textbook.

What if I bought the textbooks somewhere else or don’t have my receipt?

No problem. You do not need a sales receipt to sell your course materials back to us.

Do I have to carry all my heavy books to the Bookstore for buyback?

Not always – at the end of each term we’ll come to you. Look for buyback details in your residence commons in December and April. Sign up for our email service on the right hand side of this page for notification of buyback dates.

What if my textbooks can't be bought back?

Try our student-to-student Used Book Classifieds. UBC Bookstore works with Books for Africa, a non-profit organization that ships textbooks to Africa. You can donate unwanted books to this program at our front cashiers and we’ll ensure they continue to be of use to students in developing nations.