Frequently Asked Questions

Why? Q & A's

Q: Why should I use whyrentbooks.com?

A: On average, college students pay $900 for school books every semester! We know that money could go to better use, like towards that super expensive college tuition!! At whyrentbooks.com, we can save you 50-70% of what you would normally pay for a textbook. Once you¡¯re done with the book at the end of the semester, simply ship it back to us at our expense!! It couldn¡¯t be easier or more cost effective!!

Q: Will I be saving money?

A: With whyrentbooks.com, there are no monthly subscription fees or hidden charges. Just select your books and pay the one time rental fee. Textbook prices vary, but the average rental price on whyrentbooks.com is just 38% of the list price!!!

Q: Why such a huge selection?

A: You¡¯ve shown a commitment to working towards a better, brighter future and we want to help you reach that goal. With over 3 million book titles to chose from, we cover any subject you may need. If you don¡¯t know much about History, don¡¯t know much about Biology, don¡¯t know much about the French you took, don¡¯t know much about the science books, don¡¯t worry, we got you!! We guarantee* you¡¯ll find the book you¡¯re looking for at whyrentbooks.com. And we¡¯re adding more titles everyday!!

Q: Why should I order well before classes start?

A: We ship using USPS mail, which usually takes 3-5 days on average after the order is processed. You can expect to receive your book(s) 3-5 business days after you place your order. To ensure you¡¯ll have your textbooks before classes begin, make sure you order in advance. You will be charged a shipping fee of $9.95 per book for Priority Mail (3-5 days) or $11.95 per book for Express Mail (2 days). With regards to returning your rented book(s), you will receive a prepaid shipping label towards the end of the semester. You will be able to print that label when you log into "My Account." You will also be notified via email when it¡¯s nearly time to return your book(s).

Q: Why should I get all my textbooks from whyrentbooks.com?

A: Because you can rent as many as you want at a fraction of what it would cost to buy! Remember we have over 3 million titles to choose from so enjoy browsing!!

Q: Why can I expect my books to be in top condition?

A: Whyrentbooks.com is committed to making sure that every book is in good or usable condition. We are very environmentally aware and, though we want to help save the environment, we only rent used or recycled books that are in satisfactory condition. With our used textbooks, we take every precaution to ensure that there are no missing pages or covers and there is no worn text, extensive writing or excessive highlighting in the books. None of our materials will be defaced or used beyond recognition. You will be happy with the condition of your rented textbooks.

Q: Why can I change my mind and buy a book after I¡¯ve opted to rent?

A: Because you can. If you rent a book and then decide you¡¯d like to own it rather than return it, that¡¯s no problem all. You can easily purchase the book by logging into your account and simply clicking the ¡°Buy¡± button next to the rented title of your choice. We will deduct the cost of the rental and only charge the difference from the list price. You can change your option from ¡°rent¡± to ¡°buy¡± at anytime during the rental period. And remember you can always choose to buy your books rather than rent them from the very beginning.

Q: Why should I take care of my rented book?

A: If your book gets lost, damaged or stolen, you will be responsible for paying the difference between the rental price and what the book would have cost you in new condition. Please be nice and take care of your textbooks. That way, we can always ensure everyone always receives their books in the best condition possible. When returning your products, we recommend that you pay a little extra for insurance when you ship. We are not responsible for any items being returned that get lost in the mail.

Q: Why do I need to have an account to rent books?

A: We need to keep track of who has our books. Signing up is easy as 1-2-3. Sign up

Q: Why can I expect great service if I order the wrong book or drop a class?

A: We take care of our customers. If you ordered the wrong book, you can return it for a full refund minus shipping as long as it is mailed back within a week of when you received it. The book must be in the same condition. You will also be responsible for cost of shipping the book(s) back. If you drop a class, you will have TWO weeks from the date of receiving your book(s) for a full refund minus shipping, provided the book is in the same condition as you had received. You will also be responsible for shipping charge to return the book. 14 days after the 125th day, you will be charged 45% of the rental fee of that book. We can only accept returned books that are shipped back within 30 days of when a customer first receives their order.

Q: Why can I extend the book rental period if need be?

A: All books must be returned and postmarked no later than 14 days after rental perid. If you need to retake a class or need to keep a textbook longer for any other reason, you must notify us email at customerservice@whyrentbooks.com You may extend your rental for another semester if needed. You will receive a 25% discount for the second semester. For late returns, you will be charged an additional after the 14th day of your rental period, $10.00 (USD) per day up to 3 days. If we still do not receive your book then you will be charged the full list price of the book from when you first rented it.

Q: Why do I have to return my book at the end of the semester?

A: All books must be returned and postmarked no later than 14 days after rental perid. That way, we can make sure students who need them for next semester get them in a timely fashion. If you need to keep the book longer, you must notify us as soon as possible . As the return date approaches, whyrentbooks.com will send you an e-mail notifying you to go your account page and print the Pre-Paid Shipping Label. Print it and ship it. No cost to you.

Q: Why can I keep my rented book for 2 semesters?

A: If you¡¯re taking a year long class or you need to keep a rented book for more than 1 semester, you will be charged the full rental fee for the first semester and given a 25% discount on the rental fee for the second semester. You also have the option of buying the book throughout or at the end of the rental period.

Q: Why wouldn¡¯t I have to pay for a book that I ordered that is lost in the mail?

A: If the textbook you ordered never arrives, don't worry. Before you report the textbook lost check the shipping dates of the book in your "My Account" page. Things do happen, please allow up to 10 days after the ship date for your book to arrive before reporting it missing. We will do everything possible to get you a replacement book before class begins.

Q: Why are there late fees?

A: It¡¯s our company¡¯s mission to make sure that when a student needs to rent a textbook, we can provide it and get it to them in time for the new semester. Therefore all books must be returned and postmarked no later than 14 days after rental perid. If you need to keep the book longer, you must notify us as soon as possible.

Q: Why can I rely on whyrentbooks.com to provide me with great customer service?

A: You can contact customer service at any time using the "Contact Us" link located on the bottom of every page, or by calling us at 866-557-6411 . You should receive a quick response within 2 hours.

Q: Why can I feel sure that my textbook will be in great condition?

A: At whyrentbooks.com, we make sure we only send our customers books that are in good and usable condition. If you happen to receive a book with ripped pages, too much writing, worn text or damage to the point that it is not usable, PLEASE CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY! We will make sure you are shipped a new book as quickly as possible or your money will be refunded.

Q: What countries can I rent my books in?

A: Currently whyrentbooks.com services are available to people living in the U.S. and Canada. We are working on expanding our business internationally and expect that to happen within the coming year.

Q: Why can I choose from a variety of payment methods at whyrentbooks.com?

A: We try to make renting as easy as possible and offer our customers a number of payment methods. We currently accept PayPal, MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover cards. You could also use a debit card as long as it has the Visa or MasterCard logo. We also accept ¡°Why Rent Books¡± gift certificates. Gift Certificates

Q: Why can I highlight or underline in my book within reason?

A: You may because you need to learn. Highlighting in the book is OK to a certain extent. Writing in the book is not accepted at all. We ask that you are considerate while using the book. A book returned with every line of every page highlighted is overdoing it. You will be charged full price of the textbook if it is returned to us in a condition that cannot be re-used. It's important that you try to keep the books you have rented in the best possible condition. This way we can re-use them to help another person save money on their textbooks. We believe highlighting is a helpful study tool, but please BE CONSIDERATE. In fact, we recommend that you UNDERLINE instead and if possible do so IN PENCIL!!!!

Q: Why does the receipt that came with my order say a different price to the price I agreed to and paid online?

A: If we do not stock a book or it is out of stock, one of our partners will ship the book to you. If you receive a receipt with a different price on it, it will not affect the price that you paid. This is just for our reference. Don¡¯t worry. We got you!

Q: Why are supplemental materials not included/included with the textbook rental?

A: We try our very best to get all supplemental materials that would come with a brand new textbook but we cannot guarantee it because some or most these books are used. CDs, on-line codes, etc. that may originally come with the book may not be available.

If we still did not answer all your why's, then please give us a call and we will try and assist you further. (866) 557-6411