Frequently Asked Questions

There are a few reasons why you received this declined order notification: 

-          Your billing address does not match your credit card’s address. Your billing address must match exactly what is shown on your credit card statement

-          The address you’ve entered is incorrect and/or our system doesn’t recognize the address

-          The credit card has been reported stolen or lost

-          The credit card limit has been reached

-          Also note, our website cannot process debit cards (VISA or M/C debit)

Finally, this can sometimes be a system issue on our end that will resolve itself within 24 hours. Please check all of the factors above first. If after 24 hours you are still having problems with your online order, please contact us using the link below and we will do everything we can to assist you.

Please contact us by email.

You can find it at: https://bookstore.ubc.ca/digital-course-materials/

Job Aids have been created to guide you through the use of Workday and ordering office supplies. Please refer to this link to the ISC Service Now.

All purchases are verified and connected to your CWL account for access, which requires you to purchase the materials through the UBC Bookstore in order to get a receipt that provides the redemption codes. If the cashiers swipe your student card at the time of purchase, this will automatically grant you access . If you purchased your textbook second hand from another student, there is no way for you to activate your course materials in Canvas.

Redeemed/activated E-book and access code purchases are final sale. Please complete our contact form to receive assistance with returning unactivated course materials from a Bookstore team member. 

In our warehouse we recycle all of our cardboard in a compactor.  We also recycle packaging (paper, foam chips and plastic) and reuse it wherever possible for our outgoing shipments including packages to customers and returns to vendors. Wooden pallets are also recycled.

We recycle printer ribbons and cartridges, batteries and pens.  The collection container is at the back of the store.

All metal fixtures are taken to a recycling centre.

We also encourage re-use of textbooks through used books, buybacks and rental books.

Staples Business Advantage (SBA) is the commercial division of Staples providing a higher level of business solutions, like Workday integration to EWAY, custom reporting and customized delivery solutions, for large complex accounts like UBC. Staples retail and Staples.Ca are not part of the UBC agreement.

Yes, users are able to purchase office supplies from the Bookstore and pay with a credit card or their Bookstore open account using the new Workday “Worktags” (formerly “speed chart #”). JV have been discontinued as of November 2, 2020.

We cannot allow students to return gowns later than 1 hour after your ceremony is over. Gowns are packed up and shipped back to Winnipeg at the end of each day. Any unreturned gowns and hoods will be charged to students at their full replacement cost so please be sure to return the gown after you have finished taking pictures with your friends and family.

Unfortunately, no. All gowns can only be picked up 1 hour and 30 minutes prior to the ceremony you are attending. Gowns are boxed by ceremony number and are not unpacked until right before each ceremony. We are not able to retrieve any gowns in advance.

You are welcome to come and shop in person or you can order your books online using our Sponsored Students Order Form: https://bookstore.ubc.ca/sponsored-students/

Yes – the UBC Bookstore will buy your books back from you! Students can sell their used textbooks back in-store during our textbook buyback period at the beginning/end of each term. Our next buyback period for the Winter 2023/24 term is from December 4th - January 13th.

How do I find out if my book is being bought back? How much will I get for my book?
You can check if we're currently accepting a particular book as well as the sellback price by entering the ISBN on our Buyback Search page. We recommend checking the sellback price online prior to bringing in your books to avoid any disappointment!

If your textbook is being used for a UBC course this term, you will be offered up to 50% of the new retail price for your book. We also work with a wholesale partner to allow us to take back a larger selection of books beyond what is currently being bought back for UBC. If your book is bought by our wholesale partner, you will receive the value established by them for the North American marketplace.

What course materials can I sell back?
Whether or not we are able to buy a textbook back is determined by current demand for it as well as the condition of the book. We can only accept textbooks in good, reusable, legible condition, with no water damage, stains, or torn/missing covers or pages. Normal wear with some markings/notes and highlighting is okay, provided that it is not excessive and none of the print is obscured. We are unfortunately unable to accept loose-leaf textbooks or books that come packaged with a required access code or online component as these cannot be resold.

Are there any items you don't accept?
While we'd love to give each and every used book some new life, unfortunately not every item can be resold and there are a number of reasons a book might not be eligible for buyback.

Yes. Contact Campus Mail to arrange pick-up campus.mail@ubc.ca  Tel 604-822-9495 and bring your ID at the time of pick-up. You do not need to change your delivery address on Workday.  The Vancouver Campus supplies and paper pack orders are automatically routed to UBC Campus Mail.

Clothing vendors supplying products to the Bookstore are expected to comply with the following guidelines which are consistent with those established by the Fair Labour Practices Association, International Labour Organization, the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child. We will not do business with vendors that do not meet these guidelines.

Health, safety and employment guidelines

Forced labour: There shall not be any use of forced labour, whether in the form of prison labour, indentured labour, bonded labour or otherwise.

Child labour: No person shall be employed at an age younger than 15 (or 14 where the International Labour Organization exemption for developing countries allows) or younger than the age for completing compulsory education in the manufacturer’s country where that age is higher than 15. Currently, employed child workers shall be kept employed and be given access to education and transitional economic assistance. Where a child worker must be displaced, adult family members should have the opportunity to assume the child’s position in order to maintain family earnings.

Harassment and abuse: Every employee shall be treated with respect and dignity. No employee shall be subject to any physical, sexual, psychological, verbal harassment or abuse.

Non-discrimination: No person shall be subject to any discrimination in employment, including hiring, salary, benefits, advancement, discipline, termination or retirement, on the basis of gender, race, religion, caste, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation or union membership.

Women’s rights: All employees shall have the right to work in an environment free from sexual harassment and abuse. No worker shall be subject to the forced use of contraceptives or pregnancy testing. Pregnant women will be entitled to appropriate maternity leave and appropriate medical benefits in accordance with national laws and regulations and consistent with national practices.

Health and safety: Employers shall provide a safe and healthy working environment to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of or occurring in the course of work or as a result of the operation of employer facilities. Workers will be provided with health and safety training appropriate to their industry.

Freedom of association and collective bargaining: Employers shall recognize and respect the right of all employees to freedom of association and collective bargaining.

Wages and benefits: Employers recognize that wages are essential to meeting employees’ basic needs. Employers shall pay employees, as a minimum, at least the minimum wage required by local law or the prevailing industry wage, whichever is higher, and shall provide legally mandated benefits.

Hours of work: Employees shall (i) not be required to work more than the lesser of (a) 48 hours per week and 12 hours overtime or (b) the limits on regular and overtime hours allowed by the law of the country of manufacture or, where the laws of such country do not limit the hours of work, the regular work week in such country plus 12 hours overtime and (ii) be entitled to at least one day off in every seven day period.

Overtime compensation: In addition to compensation for regular hours of work, employees shall be compensated for overtime hours at such premium rate as is legally required in the country of manufacture or, in those countries where such laws do not exist, at a rate at least equal to their regular hourly compensation rate times 1.5. All overtime shall be voluntary.
Environmental guidelines: Vendors will seek out, implement and exercise environmental practices wherever possible, including a commitment to packaging standards that reduce the amount of materials used/ or, have a recycled content. Vendors will also demonstrate environmental safety in the handling of all materials.

Legal guidelines: Vendors will be law abiding and will observe criminal, civil and tax codes in the countries they do business and will comply with all applicable legal and customs requirements of Canada.

Each custom course pack has been handpicked and given hours of dedication to put together. As such (and to comply with Copyright law), we ask that you don’t photocopy, scan or reproduce these for use other than for yourself. Please and thank you.