Frequently Asked Questions
Where or how do I get my goods? Do I have to go the Bookstore or does EWAY have a pick-up point?
You’ll be pleased to know that EWAY.CA orders will be delivered to your office in two business days at no extra charge for orders received by 4:00 pm (furniture on EWAY.CA will have a minimal delivery charge). EWAY.CA returns will be picked up within a few days from your office. Bulk paper orders is delivered one day.
Why aren’t my textbooks here by the first day of class?
Firstly, we commend you on your organizational skills! There are many reasons: the publisher may be out of stock, or may have no Canadian rights; late order from the department or professor, enrolment was increased or classes added after we ordered, among other reasons.. When there is a delay, we make every effort to get more copies for you as quickly as possible.
If you're ordering abroad to have them delivered abroad, we would strongly advise that you do not choose this option. We would advise you to choose the PICK-UP option so you know they'll be on campus when you arrive.
Why is the cost so high ...aren’t they just like other books?
Textbooks are different from general books because of the information they contain and the limited market they serve. Publishers set a price and the bookstore tries to keep our retail as close to that price as possible. We try to offer as many economical options as we can; including, new, used, rentals and ebooks.
Why would I rent my textbooks?
Good question! There's a few reasons why you should look into renting your books.
Savings: When you rent your books, you'll pay up to 55 per cent less than the new price. Guaranteed! So, if you normally spend $1000 on new books, you could rent them all for $450
Green: Renting is good for the environment, instead of everyone having to buy a new book, your book gets passed along!
Less clutter: You won’t have loads of course materials taking up space in your dorm - and when you move, you won’t have to carry all those heavy books!
Are the products you buy from sustainable sources?
We have a ‘no sweat’ (fair labour) policy in place for our clothing suppliers to ensure they are manufactured in ethical conditions. We offer a number of products throughout the store made from recycled or eco-friendly resources and an increasing number of Fair Trade products which ensure a fair working wage for farmers. UBC is Canada's first Fair Trade campus and the UBC Bookstore sits on the committee to ensure that initiatives are continued year after year. We actively seek out and purchase locally-made or Canadian-made products to reduce our carbon footprint. In the Corner Store, we have sourced sandwiches and salads from small, local businesses.
But why so much...they're just like other books?
Very good question! Textbooks are different from general books because of the information they contain and the limited market they serve. Students tell us that if they buy textbooks that are well used in the classroom, they feel it’s worth the money. However, if the professor never refers to it, tests from it or assigns homework from it, they feel the book was a waste of money. We agree. Like all other campuses, we have a large team at UBC which helps to build the lists, liaising with all faculty and publishers throughout the year - our competitors like Discount Textbooks, Amazon and Chapter's do not have large teams to build their lists, so their costs may seem to be cheaper. We want to help you with costs, so we offer you used, rental, ebooks, as well as the opportunity to sell your textbooks back to us or to your fellow students via students classified. Check out Buyback FAQ. We are unable to buy international editions because Canadian Copyright law does not allow us to bring in international edition titles (you will need to look out for this if you're looking at other options for buying textbooks).
Want more info? Check out our infographic!
Can I buy an access code that includes the ebook? or do I have to buy a physical book?
Yes. All digital materials that are classified in our system as "ETEXT + ACCESS CODE" include the ebook as well as the publishers digital homework aids.
Can I cancel my gown order?
Orders can be canceled prior to the advance registration deadline. If you rented your gown online, you can cancel your rental by going back to the rental website: www.buildagrad.ca/ubc and logging in using the email and password you set up when you rented online.
There are absolutely no refunds on cancelations after November 2, 2019, after this date gowns are picked, cleaned, packed, and shipped and there is no way for us to stop this process.