A few notes that might help in your quest for textbooks and other stuff

Note: These are just my thoughts; nothing official from PNC or the bookstore.

  1. The bookstore is not connected with PNC, so they have nothing to do with school finances, and PNC has nothing to do with book finances.
  2. Why isn't my book on the shelf?  Could be several things, like:
    3. bulletThe prof/section/department didn't adopt it on time.
    bulletIt's not in print (too new, too old) and we're waiting on the publisher
    bulletThey added another class section and we have to order more books
    bulletThe bookstore messed up (yeah, they do that once in a while)
  3. Returns for refund: keep the book in its purchase condition as long as possible.  Shrink-wrap on, seals sealed, etc.  Also, keep your receipt.  You can't return a book as new if you used it - damage, marks/notes, open software pack, etc.  And there's a deadline; remember it.
  4. Buyback - whaddya mean, you won't give me half?!?!?!?
    5. bulletBooks are worth half IF the school adopted the same edition of the same text for the next semester.
    bulletSome classes aren't offered every semester, and the bookstore doesn't have room to store books for two or three semesters down the road.  If the class is offered every other semester, you MIGHT want to hang on to it and try again when they're buying for that semester.  But if the department changes editions or texts, your book might be worth nothing.  If they offer anywhere near half (see below), I'd say take the money and run.
    bulletIf we're not using it, but someone else is, the bookstore might offer something based on the wholesale value.  Sometimes that's not much, because our bookstore has to ship it to the used book company, they have to ship it to another store, and that store has to process and sell the book.  If you're lucky, they might offer nearly half, or half, because a nearby Follett store needs some.
    bulletDamage: some damage is acceptable, but if the bookstore can't sell it, they can't buy it from you.  Would you buy a book with half a cover, or pages stuck together from water damage?
  5. ISBN - What's up with that?
    6. bullet The ISBN doesn't just reflect the author/title/edition.  If a CD or floppy is added, the ISBN changes.  If a booklet or other material is included, the ISBN changes.  If you go on line or elsewhere to get your books, be sure the ISBN you use reflects the same package as those on the bookstore shelves.  That's what the prof ordered, and you might need that floppy/booklet/whatever.  If your ISBN was just for the book, you might come up short, and the "pieces and parts" are usually not available separately.
    bullet If you buy a book elsewhere, and the bookstore's buyback price is the best around, they'll buy it - IF it has all the "pieces and parts."
  6. More to follow as I think of stuff.