Rental Books
When purchasing printed course materials in an online bookstore, students may have the option to purchase a “rental” of a printed book. This means that students can use the book during their coursework but then must return it prior to the due date to avoid late fee charges.
How does a rental work?
- Students can purchase a rental book using a credit card or financial aid. If the cost of the purchase is fully covered by financial aid, the student will need to enter a valid credit card for any possible late fees in order to complete the purchase. The due date for the book is clearly displayed prior to purchase.
a. Rental books can be returned for a refund as long as they meet the terms of the standard return policy. See this support article for more information.
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When a rental item is approaching its due date, students will receive reminder emails, and they will see a notice in their order history
a. To return their rental, students should visit their order history in the online bookstore where they will see a “Return Rental” button adjacent to the item on the Order Details page.
b. Clicking “Return Rental” will walk students through a process that results in receiving a printable shipping label with return instructions. IMPORTANT: Students are expected to return all rentals from a single order in one box with the shipping label provided.
c. If the rental book is returned prior to the due date, the rental is not closed until the returned item is inspected to ensure that it was returned in good condition.
i. If the item is returned in poor condition, the return will be “rejected,” and the student will be charged the full remaining value of the book.
- If the rental book is not returned prior to the due date, the student’s credit card will be charged a late fee.
- The student will either be charged a late fee that grants a 30-day extension, OR they will be charged the full remaining value of the book—whichever option costs less.
a. If the student is charged the 30-day extension fee, they are expected to return the book prior to the extended due date using the same “Return Rental” button (described above) from their order history.
b. If they are charged the full remaining value of the book, they now own the book and are not expected to return it.
- When a rental item is approaching its extended due date, students will receive reminder emails, and they will see a notice in their order history
- If the student does not return the book prior to the extended due date, they will be charged the full remaining value of the book and will now own the book.
The full terms of a rented book can be found here.