I purchased some used college textbooks from textooks.com. They were shipped through their "Marketplace" branch of the textbooks.com site which means that they are actually being shipped through an outside/private book dealer. Everything was OK until I saw the charge on my bank account (which was overdrawn!!!), there was one for the amount going through and another of equal money as a hold! So until the hold drops off it will continue to "use" or "hold" that dollar amount. The books have been shipped already and the "actual" charge has gone through my account and been processed. The hold is still out there and they (textbooks.com CSR) tells me it could be up to 14 days before the hold drops off. They (textbooks.com) gave me an email to contact the people at customer service for the "Marketplace" portion of their business BUT no phone number because "they just cannot do that"???? It took 24 hours for the people at Marketplace to contact me back just to say the hold would drop off "eventually". So textbooks.com could not do anything (their site does not have a disclaimer about the double charge nor does the checkout area refer to anything to prepare the purchaser for this just in case), the Marketplace people could not do anything and BOA (Bank of America) where I have my account said to contact the people I made the purchase from to have them take care of it!!! WTF people!!! So, my account was in overdraw status and no one could/would help. I will never purchase anything through textbooks.com again (use half.com as I have never had issues with them on charges or anything else) and their customer service is nonexistant!

I sold a couple of used books and put the money on account. Then, I ordered some books but they never came. Textbooks.com did nothing to recover my money which they had control of. This company sucks! I would never use them because their customer service does not exist. Forty bucks is not much. But, I work hard for my doe and do not appreciate it being ripped from my hands. Textbooks.com was a real bad experience. Stay away, stay far away!!

Textbooks.Com buyback policy is misleading, unclear, and a ripoff.

I sent a textbook back for the guaranteed buyback price.
The quote creation date was 12/22/08 guaranteeing a certain amount. They list the book and an expiry date. Then under policy reminders on the same page, they say that "Books must be received in 30 days for full value", indicating that as long as they receive the books within 30 days that you will receive the full value of the quoted price.

I brought the book to UPS to be sent back, and my tracking doesn't show it was picked up from the location I dropped it off at, but from another city and gives a date further out than when I dropped it at my local UPS. Then, from there, it took a few days to get back to Textbooks.Com. Neither UPS or Textbooks.Com know the date it was dropped off in my town at the local UPS store, (I called my local UPS store to ask if they had a record and they don't), but Textbooks.com is going by the date it was brought to another location and then the date they had it in their warehouse.

When I called Textbooks.Com, the person who answered told me that HE knew the policy and remembered what the website said (of course he would, he works there). He said that it is on the website when you order the books and since he remembers that, everyone else should 6 months after ordering a book...He argued that expiry means it expires and I should have figured out myself that "Books must be received in 30 days for full value" applies only to books that aren't guaranteed buyback even though there is nothing indicating that on the quote creation page or anything else. What else do you go by but the quote creation page with the buyback packing list on it?

Their buyback and quote policy is extremely unclear, and they do not work with the customer at all. It is simply the customer's fault & problem that their policies are misleading and confusing, and they don't give an inch. The guy didn't care that I told them we would no longer do business with them unless they honored their quote because of the misleading wording which would make (I'm sure too many) customers miss the deadline to get full buyback. I consider this fraud - like bait and switch. The entire reason we didn't return the book to my daughter's school was because Textbooks.Com offered more cash back than the school. We ended up losing more than the school would have given us by trusting Textbooks.Com.

By the way, if you go by what the representative said instead of the 30 days policy, it means they gave me 7 days (including weekends, Christmas and New Years holidays) to get the book back INTO their warehouse...They try to make it as difficult as possible and a near impossibility for the customer to get it to them on time, especially since 2 holidays were in there, as well as weekends.

I ordered a college textbook from Textbooks.com back in September (for fall quarter). I got a used book, trying to save money. The reason I bought from them is they guarantee buying back your book at the price you bought it from them, plus 10%. What a great deal, right?
Well, I got my book. It was used and served its purpose. The book did have a little bit of water damage; but since Textbooks.com sent it to me, I figured they’re aware of it and it’s fine (the book is completely readable and that is what books are for: reading).
OK, so at the end of the quarter, I am sending the book back to them (they even send reminder e-mails telling you “they owe you money for the book” etc. I think that was a good feature. Anyways, I followed all of their instructions and a few days later, I get an e-mail saying that the book I sent them is damaged and cannot be bought. I was given an option to either pay them $12.50 in shipping to get the book back, or they simply throw it away.
Ok, so I e-mailed them back (this was on December 22, 2008) explaining that the book is in exactly the same condition as I received it from them. The representative responded, saying that I should have called them in September if the book was damaged and since I didn’t, it’s too late.
Well, here is the problem. I am buying a USED BOOK. Used books aren’t new. A little water damage, in my opinion, does not pose a problem in being able to use the book. Since Textbooks.com state that they inspect every used book by hand (as mentioned on their website), why would I be the one doubting them? They never mentioned that if a used book they sell me is water damaged, I should return it. Plus, they guarantee buying the book back, so of course, I wasn’t concerned or even had a reason to be concerned!
I am upset. I tried to resolve this issue directly with them via e-mail and I am being very reasonable. Textbooks.com should follow their claims and buy this book back. It is in exactly the same condition as they sold it to me. I am going to contact the Better Business Bureau, as I don’t think it is fair at all. I don’t recommend this company to anyone, as they obviously don’t hold themselves responsible for the condition of the books they sell (seeing that they weren’t aware of the condition of the book they sold me). Buyers: there are many other used textbook websites that don’t offer empty promises.
I purchased my Anthropology book for $74.50 from Textbooks.com. Now, they’re throwing my book away.