Help
BookRenter.com wants to make renting books as easy and simple as possible. If you have any questions about how the renting process works, check out the FAQs on this page or look up commonly used terms under the Glossary.
To learn more about what to do at the end of your book’s rental period, click on the box icon to go to the page How to Return. If you still have a question, or just want to send a suggestion or comment, visit our Contact Us page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Top FAQs:
- Are there any membership fees?
- What shipping methods are offered?
- How do I track my order?
- Can I write or highlight in my book?
- How do I calculate the due date of my rental?
- What happens if my book is damaged?
- How do I return my books when I'm done?
- How do I return an item for a refund?
- Are there any late fees?
- What are extensions?
- How do I extend my rental?
Help Categories
Getting Started
- Which Internet browsers are best for visiting BookRenter.com?
- Can I buy books from BookRenter.com?
- How do I search?
- If the book I want to rent comes with an online access code/key/card/etc., will it work?
- Are there any membership fees?
- Do I get my money back when I return my rental?
Checkout Process
- What forms of payment can I use?
- Why is my credit/debit card being rejected?
- Will I be charged any sales tax?
- What shipping methods are offered?
- How do I use a coupon code?
- Why doesn't my coupon code work?
- Is the information I submit secure?
Placed Orders
- How do I track my order?
- Can I check my previous orders?
- Can I cancel an order I've recently placed?
- Where will my order ship from?
- How do I return a book to BookRenter.com for a refund?
Using Books
- What happens if I lose my book?
- What happens if my book is damaged?
- Can I write or highlight in my book?
- How do I keep my books in good condition?
- How do I calculate the due date of my rental?
End of Rental Period
- What are extensions?
- How do I extend my rental?
- For how long can I extend a rental?
- Is there a limit to how many times I can extend a rental?
- How do you set the price for converting a rental to a purchase?
- How will I be charged if I buy an extension?
- Once I extend a rental, where do I find my new due date?
- What if my due date falls on a weekend or a holiday?
- Can I buy my rented books?
- How do I return my books when I'm done?
- How do I package my rental(s) for return?
- Will you send me a reminder when my rental is due?
- Are there any late fees?
- How do I track my return?
Miscellaneous
Getting Started
Which Internet browsers are best for visiting BookRenter.com?Our website is best viewed with the latest versions of Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari.
Can I buy books from BookRenter.com?Yes, books can be purchased from BookRenter.com in two different ways:
- Buy a book by selecting Purchase from the Availability drop down of a book's product details page.
- Buy a book you are currently renting through our Extensions Page. For more information see the Can I buy my rented books? help question.
Enter title, author, or ISBN 10 or 13 into the search field for a basic search. ISBN will always give you the most accurate results. To find a book specifically by author or title, type author: "author name" or title: "title name". (e.g. You want to search for the book Economics by Michael Scott. In the search field, type author: Michael Scott or title: Economics.)
If the book I want to rent comes with an online access code/key/card/etc., will it work?Unfortunately, we do not guarantee that access codes/keys/cards/etc. with rented books will be functional. If you require a working access code for your book, please purchase a new copy of the book instead of renting or check the publisher's website to see if you can purchase your own access key.
Are there any membership fees?No, BookRenter.com does not charge any membership or subscription fees.
Do I get my money back when I return my rental?Since you only pay for a fraction of the total book cost when you check out with your rental, no money is returned to your credit/debit card once we get your rental back on time.
Checkout Process
What forms of payment can I use?Currently, you must use a credit or debit card to rent from BookRenter.com. We accept credit and debit cards with the MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover symbol. You will specify your preferred method at checkout.
Why is my credit/debit card being rejected?The following are reasons why your credit/debit card may be denied: Insufficient funds; Incorrect CVV number; Billing address does not match card holder's address; Expiration date of the card is before the end of your rental period(s).
Will I be charged any sales tax?Only orders shipped to addresses in California and Kansas are charged sales tax. The state tax rate applies to only the rental or purchase cost of an order, shipping is not taxed.
What shipping methods are offered?You can have your order shipped via Ground, 2 Day, or Next Day. Please view the Shipping Page for information on these shipping options.
How do I use a coupon code?If you have a coupon code, you can apply it to your order during Step 2 of the checkout process. Enter your coupon code into the box under the Enter Coupon Code heading (above the Payment Information section).
Next, click the apply button. After you do so, the amount you saved will be added above the total price of your order. If you have multiple codes, repeat the process until you have applied all your codes.
Why doesn't my coupon code work?There are a few reasons your coupon code may not work:
- The code has expired- an error message "Expired code" will show
- The code is incorrect or nonexistent- an error message "Invalid code" will show
Codes are not case sensitive, but if you get an error while applying a code, be sure to check for any typos.
Is the information I submit secure?Anytime you submit private information (e.g. name, address, or credit/debit card number) on our website, you will see the phrase "You are using our secure server" at the top of the page. This banner indicates that a secure connection is in place. See our Privacy Policy for details.
Placed Orders
How do I track my order?All shipments have a tracking number, which provides the date and time of delivery or attempted delivery. To check the status of your shipment, login to My Account and click the "Track Shipment" link on the My Rentals page.
Can I check my previous orders?Yes. Go to the Order History page under the My Account section. Order History summarizes all your past orders, displaying the order date, number, and status. Click on the "Order Number" to see the details of a particular order.
Can I cancel an order I've recently placed?Because BookRenter.com tries to process and ship orders as quickly as possible, the majority of orders cannot be cancelled once placed. If you request to return an item for a refund by generating a label on the refund page, BookRenter.com will automatically try to cancel your order if it has not yet shipped. However, even if your order has not shipped, it most likely cannot be cancelled. If BookRenter.com is able to cancel your order, you will be sent an email confirming the cancellation and will not be charged for the order; otherwise, you will have to return the item for a refund. Please see the Refunds Section for more information.
Where will my order ship from?Our books ship from multiple warehouses across the nation. We do not know where your order will ship from, nor can we request that they leave from a specific location.
How do I return a book to BookRenter.com for a refund?Please visit the refund page within 10 days of receiving your item, select your item and reason for return, and print your prepaid shipping label. You must ship your book(s) using the prepaid shipping label within 5 days. Please note that it is important you use the BookRenter.com prepaid shipping label and not your own shipping method.
Refunds due to BookRenter.com's error will be refunded in full. Refunds not due to BookRenter.com's error will be refunded in full minus a 15% restocking fee, which is used to cover the cost of return shipping, processing, and credit card fees. All items must be returned in their original condition. Please allow 2-4 weeks for your refund to process completely and appear on your credit/debit card statement.
See the Refunds section in the Service Policy for more information.
Using Books
What happens if I lose my book?As stated in our Service Policy, you are responsible for returning the book at the end of your rental period. If you are unable to do so, you will be charged 140% of the book's retail price minus your rental costs, plus a $10.00 service fee. Once you are charged, you opt out of the rental agreement and the book becomes your property.
What happens if my book is damaged?If a book you ordered arrived to you in damaged condition and you need to return it, see the above question How do I return a book to BookRenter.com for a refund?
Books are required to be kept in like-new or better condition while in your possession. If a book you send back at the end of your rental period is damaged and rendered unusable, it will remain the property of BookRenter.com and you will be charged the full retail value to replace it. Supplementary materials such as CDs, DVDs, access codes, inserts, workbooks, study guides, etc. included with your book must be returned. If any supplementary materials are not returned, you will be charged a minor damage fee. For examples of like-new and damaged books, please refer to the quality chart below.
Firm cover with no noticeable damage. All pages must be intact (no creases, tears, or stains present). There shall be no writing or highlighting, and no damage to the binding. All supplementary materials included with the book must be returned.
Minor Damage (35% of retail)
No noticeable damage to the cover (no markings on the inside or outside), all pages are intact (no creases, tears, or stains) and present. The book has minimal writing and/or highlighting, and all pages are legible. Books not returned with their original supplemental material(s) are also classified as minor damage.
Major Damage (full retail)
The cover is noticeably damaged or missing. Pages are stained, missing, or illegible. There is writing and/or highlighting on more than 20% of the pages. Any other case that renders the book unusable will also result in a major damage fee.
We understand that writing and highlighting can be an important part of learning your class material. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to write or highlight in the books. You are required to keep the books in new to like-new condition in accordance with our Service Policy.
How do I keep my books in good condition?- Read your books with clean hands!
- Don't eat or drink around your books!
- Don't highlight or write in your books!
- Use bookmarks, do not lie books face down or use dog ears!
Your rental period will begin on the date your order arrives. The ending date of your rental period can be calculated by adding the number of days of your rental period to the day you received your order. You can find the due date of your rental by logging in to My Account and looking at the Due Date on the My Rentals page. When returning your rentals, your shipment must be dropped off at a UPS location by the due date displayed on the My Rentals page.
End of Rental Period
What are extensions?Extensions are the option to prolong a rental beyond its due date. We offer extensions for 5 different lengths of time: 10, 30, 45, 60, and 90 days. You can also choose to purchase the book at the end of your rental with the Convert Rental to Purchase option.
How do I extend my rental?Go to the Extensions page under the My Account section. Once you're on the Extensions page, choose how many days you want to add to your rental (10, 30, 45, 60, or 90 days) or select the Convert Rental to Purchase option. Add the extension or purchase to your bag and complete the check out process.
For how long can I extend a rental?Extensions allow you to add an extra 10, 30, 45, 60, or 90 days to your rental due date. Along with keeping a rental longer, you can choose to keep a rental forever by selecting the option Convert Rental to Purchase.
Is there a limit to how many times I can extend a rental?No, you may extend your book as many times as you like.
How do you set the price for converting a rental to a purchase?We add a small premium to the retail price of the book and deduct any rental fees and extensions already paid to arrive at the Convert Rental to Purchase price.
How will I be charged if I buy an extension?When you extend or purchase your rental, you will be asked for credit/debit card information at the end of the checkout process. The credit/debit card you enter will be charged for the price of the extension or purchase.
Once I extend a rental, where do I find my new due date?Your new due date is shown on your My Rentals and Extensions pages.
What if my due date falls on a weekend or a holiday?If your due date falls on a weekend or holiday you may ship the book back early or on the next business day. You must, however, print out your return shipping label before your due date, even if the due date falls on a weekend or holiday.
Can I buy my rented books?Yes, you can! If you like your books, we encourage you to buy them. Your rental fee will go towards the purchase of the book. To purchase a book you are currently renting, sign into BookRenter.com and go to the Extensions Page. Select the option "Convert Rental to Purchase," then add it to your bag and check out. See the question How do I extend my rental? for more information on how to extend a rental.
How do I return my books when I'm done?Please follow the steps below for a smooth return:
- 1. Login: Choose the books you want to return on the Rental Return page and confirm your shipping address
- 2. Print: Print the packing slip and shipping label
- 3. Package: Securely seal the package with the books you're returning and your packing slip. For postage, you must use our prepaid UPS shipping label.
- 4. Ship: Drop the package off at any UPS Location
For further details on how to return your order, please go to the How to Return page.
How do I package my rental(s) for return?To send your rental(s) back to us, feel free to use the box your book(s) arrived in. If you use this box or any other previously used box, be sure to cover up all old labels and markings.
You can use any size box or mailer to send your book(s) back, as long as it amply fits your book(s) plus packaging material, which should be used to avoid any in-transit damage. You can purchase boxes and other packaging materials at most mail centers, including UPS Stores.
Will you send me a reminder when my rental is due?BookRenter.com sends reminders via email to all customers at 7, 3, and 1 day(s) before a rental is due.
We also offer the ability for SMS/text messages to be sent to your cell phone. If you want reminder text message alerts sent to your cell phone, add your mobile number to your BookRenter.com account profile.
Please note that BookRenter.com is not responsible if you do not receive these reminders. We recommend that you add the email addresses donotreply@bookrenter.com and support@bookrenter.com to your address book to ensure our reminders are not caught in your spam/junk folder.
Are there any late fees?You will be charged 140% of the purchase price listed on our site minus your rental cost if you do not ship back your rental for return by the rental due date (see the How to Return page for specifics). Once you are charged, you opt out of the rental agreement and the book becomes your property.
To avoid being charged for the book, you can either extend your rental or convert it to a purchase.
How do I track my return?All shipments have a tracking number, which provides the date and time of delivery or attempted delivery. To check the status of your shipment, login to My Account and click the "Track Shipment" link on the My Rentals page.
Miscellaneous
How is BookRenter.com able to offer low prices?To give you the best possible prices, our inventory is sold using dynamic pricing. If we can not offer a low rental price, we will not offer the book for rent. Although such books can not be rented, they are always available for purchase.
Can I order from anywhere in the world?We currently only serve customers living in the United States of America. Orders are shipped to all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. (Unfortunately we currently do not ship to U.S. territories or APO/FPO addresses.)
Why did my books arrive in an Amazon.com box?BookRenter.com works with Amazon, so shipments may have the Amazon name printed on the side. Amazon is not otherwise affiliated with BookRenter.com, so if you have any questions about your order, please contact BookRenter.com.
Glossary
Definitions of terms found on BookRenter.com:
- Backordered: The book is not in stock. Due to the dynamic nature of BookRenter.com's inventory, we cannot provide estimates as to when the book will become available.
- Date Ordered: The date you placed your order.
- Date Shipped: The date your order left our warehouse to be shipped to you.
- My Bag: Our version of a shopping cart. When you find a book you want and add it to your bag, it is listed here.
- My Fees: Charges you have accrued from damaged, lost, or not returned books.
- Order Number: The ID for a particular order.
- Rental Period: The length of time you have chosen for your rental.
Rental Status descriptions:
- In Transit Back: Your book(s) have been shipped and are in transit back to BookRenter.com.
- Overdue: Your rental was not returned on time and can no longer be sent back to BookRenter.com. The rental status will transition to Not Returned within a few days if you do not extend your rental.
- Processing: BookRenter.com has received your order and will ship your books soon.
- Not Returned: Your rental was not returned to BookRenter.com. Your credit/debit card on file was charged for not returning the book.
- Refunded: You have been credited for your book.
- Rental Returned: BookRenter.com facilities received your rental return on time.
- Renting: You have received your order and your rental period is currently active.
- Shipped: Your book has left BookRenter.com facilities and is in transit.









