your premiere online source for renting college textbooks

Frequently Asked Questions

General Renttext FAQ

Textbook Rental FAQ

Textbook Buyback FAQ

Supplemental Buyback Terms

What is an ISBN?

If I cannot access my account, what do I do?

What payment methods do you accept?

What is the sales and rental tax?

Does my textbook condition matter If I try to sell or return my textbook?

What is the process for renting a book?

When is the rental due date?

What if I am late sending the rental back?

What happens if the book is damaged when shipped to me?

What are the charges for shipping?

Would you buy a book that I own, not one that I rent?

Can I change my shipping address after the order is placed?

Can I highlight or write in the book?

How do I return a book for refund?

What if I have not received my book yet?

Do you ship anywhere in the USA?

Do I receive a reminder close to the due date?

What if I have been charged late fee and I sent back my book?

Are there any refunds for early returns?

What if I cannot print my return label?

How do I track my order?

Can I cancel an order?

Are access codes and CDs included with the necessary text books?

What if I receive the incorrect textbook, can I send it back without extra charges made to my account?

Where will my order ship from?

When will I get paid?

Do you offer FREE shipping?

Can I sell you more than 2 copies of a book?

Do you buy Instructor's Editions?

Do you buy Annotated Instructor's Editions?

Do you buy International Editions?

Do you buy Custom Editions?

What if I did not receive my check?

Do you buy loose-leaf textbooks?

Why are some books not eligible for sale?

General FAQ





What is an ISBN?

The ISBN is the 10 or 13 digit number located on the back cover of any book near the bar code. It is also listed inside the book on the copyright page. The ISBN is unique to every book, so it is the best way to identify the exact edition of a book.

If I cannot access my account, what do I do?

Click forgot my ID and/or password. If we find you in our system we will send you an email to reset your account.

What payment methods do you accept?

We currently accept credit cards or debit cards from MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover.

What is the sales and rental tax?

Each state has its own tax for rental. We charge a tax based upon the requirements of the state where the rental is made.

Does my textbook condition matter If I try to sell or return my textbook?

Yes. Your books must be in "good" condition or better. This means all pages are intact, and the cover is intact. The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include some notes and highlighting. If your book originally came with a CD, study guide, or other supplement, it must be included. CDs must be in working condition. A book is not considered to be in good condition if any of the following apply:

  • Damaged spine/binding
  • Torn out or missing pages
  • Damaged textbook cover or spine/binding
  • Stains on, or inside, the textbook
  • Liquid damage
  • Excessive writing or highlighting
  • Any other damages that would make the book unusable
If your book is not in good condition the quoted price may be reduced. Decisions regarding the condition of a book will be determined by our staff at the time they are received. Once you send your books, they cannot be returned for any reason.

If the book is damaged during your rental period, you are responsible and will be charged the necessary penalty and fees at the end of the rental period. We have to recoup our cost in the book by charging you when a book is damaged.

Any damage to a textbook where Renttext determines that the book is unusable will result in a full buyout price charge to you.

Rental FAQ





What is the process for renting a book?

We will rent a new or used textbook to you for a cheaper price than what purchasing the book would cost you. We ship the book(s) to you quickly and you keep it in good condition while you are renting it. Before your rental return date, you simply ship the textbook back to us. We will be e-mailing to remind you that you need to print out the label and return the book to us. The label is easy to use and we pay the shipping cost when you return it.

When is the rental due date?

The rental due date will be stated on your rental agreement. Also, you can go to the page click on my account and view your rental due date.

What if I am late sending the rental back?

Late charges start applying to your account if you are late returning it. This is because we need to re-rent the book to other students so they can use it when their classes begin.

What happens if the book is damaged when shipped to me?

Please notify us immediately if you have not received your books within seven (7) days of your expected arrival date or if it is damaged. We will take care of it. Failure to comply will result in charges to your account. We don't want to charge your account but we have to keep track of all our books to efficiently run our business so we can pass the savings on to you.

What are the charges for shipping?

Please refer to our Shipping Policy

Would you buy a book that I own, not one that I rent?

The book you are renting is rental property and cannot be sold to anyone. You must return the book in a timely manner. If you own other books and want to sell them at a great price, please click the cash 4 books link to confirm we are buying the books. You will receive the price quote and free shipping label.

Can I change my shipping address after the order is placed?

No. Please verify it because it cannot be changed after you check out.

Can I highlight or write in the book?

Yes. Our policy is specific on what we consider damaged textbooks (Torn out or missing pages, damaged textbook cover or spine/binding, stains on or inside the textbook, liquid damage, excessive writing or highlighting.) A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if you would want to buy a book that was in the same condition as the one you ship back to us.

How do I return a book for refund?

All returns must be made within fourteen (14) days of receipt with tracking available. Returns must be in original purchase condition. Please email customerservice@renttext.com if you need to make other arrangements.

What if I have not received my book yet?

Don't panic! Just check your shipment information on your account page. You will be able to track shipment with estimated arrival date.

Do you ship anywhere in the USA?

Yes. Shipping methods can cost extra for some states (Hawaii and Alaska). Please refer to our shipping policy for more information.

Do I receive a reminder close to the due date?

Yes. You should be able to receive reminders by e-mail seven (7) days and three (3) days before your rental due date.

What if I have been charged late fee and I sent back my book?

Please notify customer service with proof of delivery and we will refund your fee once we verify that we received your book.

Are there any refunds for early returns?

Unfortunately, we do not offer money back for early returns.

What if I cannot print my return label?

Please make sure that your printer is connected. It seems crazy but it happens. If you have a pop-up blocker, turn them off. If you still have a problem call the Customer Support line, or email us. We will do our best to help you.

How do I track my order?

When your order is placed you will receive an e-mail confirmation providing your tracking number. To view the status of your shipment, log in to My Account and click: Track Shipment!

Can I cancel an order?

Due to the nature of our business and the volume of our orders it is difficult to cancel. You can e-mail customer service and we will do our best to stop the shipment.

Are access codes and CDs included with the necessary text books?

We do not guarantee that any supplemental materials related to your order will be included. When renting used textbooks, online access codes, CDs, etc. may not be included.

What if I receive the incorrect textbook, can I send it back without extra charges made to my account?

Yes. Quickly notify us and we will resolve the situation.

Where will my order ship from?

Because we have multiple warehouses across the nation, it is difficult to know where your order will ship from. It is usually determined based on the distance from your shipment address.

Buyback FAQ





Supplemental Buyback Terms

When will I get paid?

Your books will be processed within 2 business days once we receive them. Checks are sent via USPS First-Class mail. First-Class mail is usually delivered within 4-7 days. If you have not received your check after 21 days, we will issue a stop payment on the check and send you another. PayPal payments are sent on the same day your books are processed. However, you should make sure you have attached your bank account to your PayPal account. If not, you will have to go through this process in order to withdraw the money from your PayPal account.

Do you offer FREE shipping?

Yes. All buyback orders qualify for free USPS shipping. For faster delivery and tracking, we also offer free or subsidized FedEx shipping. If you send 2 or more books worth a total of $50 or more, FedEx shipping is free. Otherwise, you can still use FedEx and we will deduct $5 from the payment amount.
Please note that there is a $15 minimum to complete a buyback order. If you use our free shipping label and do not actually send a total of $15 worth of books, we will deduct the shipping costs from the payment amount. Any surcharges for shipments over 70 pounds will be deducted from the payment amount.

Can I sell you more than 2 copies of a book?

Send us an email with the ISBN and the quantity. Please do not be deceitful by creating multiple orders or by placing orders under different names. If you send us more than 2 copies without permission, payment will be reduced. You can request for the books to be returned at your expense.

Do you buy Instructor's Editions?

Yes. Please enter the instructor's edition ISBN to view our price. If the ISBN is not in our catalog, we will pay 20% of the quoted price for the student edition ISBN. Instructor's editions typically contain the same content as the student edition. The only difference will be markings displayed on the cover, such as "Instructor's Edition", "Complimentary Copy", "Free Copy", or "Not for Sale".
Please note: The book will be considered "Annotated" if it contains answers and/or instructor's notes, even if "Instructor's Edition" is printed on the cover.

Do you buy Annotated Instructor's Editions?

Yes. However, we only pay 10% of the quoted price for the student edition ISBN. Annotated Instructor's Editions are similar to the student edition except they contain answers and/or instructor's notes. They usually have "Annotated Instructor's Edition" printed on the cover. We do not accept annotated writing or reading books. We do accept annotated math books.

Do you buy International Editions?

Yes. However, we only pay 10% of the quoted price for the U.S. edition ISBN. International editions usually have the same content as the U.S. edition. These books are often bound with a soft cover. They usually have "International Edition" printed on the cover or "IE" printed on the spine. This information will also appear on the title page of the book.

Do you buy Custom Editions?

Not usually, but if a particular custom edition becomes popular, we may have price for it. Make sure you enter the custom edition ISBN and not the regular student edition ISBN. Verify the ISBN on the back cover and on the copyright page. These are school-specific textbooks created for a particular course and university. If your book has a school name printed on the cover, it is likely a custom edition.

What if I did not receive my check?

If you have not received your check after 21 days, we will issue a stop payment on the check and send you another. We pay the stop payment fee. If the check has already been cashed, we cannot send another.

Do you buy loose-leaf textbooks?

Yes. You must enter the loose-leaf's ISBN to view our price. If the ISBN is not in our catalog, we will pay 20% of the quoted price for the hardcover or paperback ISBN. Loose-leaf textbooks are not bound. The pages are usually meant for a three ring binder. Loose-leaf textbooks are sometimes referred to as "a la carte" editions.

Why are some books not eligible for sale?

There are certain types of books that we do not buy back. These include workbooks, lab manuals, access codes and certain custom books that are consumable.