Textbook Buyback

The best time to sell books is during finals week in December and May. Your MAVcard or other photo ID is required. Or, you can check out a virtual option.

How Buyback Works

  1. Instructors turn in their book orders for the next semester to The Maverick Store.
  2. The Maverick Store compiles a list of titles that are being used again. Remember, Colorado Mesa instructors can change books any time they want to.
  3. The Maverick Store gives the book list to the used book company.
  4. The used book company buys those books for the bookstore, and they will buy your other books to sell to other colleges around the country.
  5. Every Day Buyback offers market value as determined by the wholesale company based on national demand.
  6. Books need not have been purchased from The Maverick Store to be eligible for Buyback.

How much money will I get?

The value of your books is affected by different factors...

Up to 50 percent of the new price:

  • The Maverick Store has an order for this book for the upcoming semester, and needs copies
  • Textbooks that were originally purchased as part of a bundle may be purchased individually and priced based on demand for the title.

15-25 percent of the new price (a wholesale price paid by the used book company):

  • The book has been ordered for the next semester, but the bookstore already has enough copies.
  • The book has not been ordered by any instructor at Colorado Mesa, but the used book company will buy it to sell to other colleges.

Book is worth zero:

  • The book is an old edition, never to be used again.
  • The book is a single-use title, such as a workbook.
  • The used book company is overstocked on that title, so they any more.
  • The book has water or other damage, and is not salable.
  • The book is a rental. Rental books cannot be selled at buyback.

Special pricing may apply under certain circumstances:

Select titles may be purchased at market value in order to reduce the in-store resale price of those titles.

Points to ponder

Sometimes you may get a better price for your book if you wait to sell your book until the next Buyback. Why? If the class is only taught in the spring, then that book would not be in the bookstore list (up to 50 percent of the new price) until the December Buyback. You would only get the wholesale price paid by the used book company.

You get the same price back for a book whether you bought it new or used. Why? At the end of the semester all books are considered used.

Be sure to keep any additional materials that may have come with the book. Some books require the CD, atlas or other items in order to be eligible for Buyback.

Rentals and electronic books may offer a lower up-front price, but have no value at Buyback.

Buyback Policy

Colorado Mesa University students are our best source for used books. We offer a Buyback event at the end of each semester. Buyback differs from returns/refunds in that the student owns the book (regardless of the original point of purchase), and The Maverick Store is offering to purchase the book from the student.

If the bookstore has a requested for the book for the following term, and is not already overstocked, the store pays up to 50 percent of the new book price (even if the book was originally purchased as used). Some titles may be purchased at a reduced price (market value) in order to reduce the resale price the following semester.

If the bookstore does not have a request for the book, or is already over-stocked on the title, the store/wholesaler will pay market value for the book (usually 15-25 percent of the original price).

Some titles have no value at Buyback: old editions, single-use items, damaged items, etc.

All books must be in good condition to be eligible for Buyback: no water damage, missing pages, broken spines, etc.

Photo ID is required for all Buyback transactions.

Textbook Cycle

Faculty place orders for materials needed for upcoming terms (information is due to the bookstore in October for January and Spring classes; in March for Summer and Fall classes).

An adoption is created in our textbook management system using the information provided by faculty. This is the process of tying specific course information (from the class schedule) to specific course material information (provided by faculty).

Information is verified for accuracy, and buying quantities are estimated based on past sales history and enrollment estimates.

The bookstore begins searching for used book immediately, using a number of different wholesale companies, as well as on-campus Buyback events.

Single-use items (only available new), new editions and other new books and materials are ordered from publishers.

Books and materials are sold at the beginning of the term.

Around mid-term, un-sold materials purchased from wholesalers and publishers are returned.