Customer Help
Merchandise (Non-Tech/Non-Text) Return Policy
Items must be in new condition with original tags, packaging, and accessories. A non-text item or non-tech item may be returned, by mail or in-store, any time if it was purchased from a University Book Store location or online and is in saleable condition. Returns without a receipt will be refunded at the lowest price ever sold and credited to a University Book Store gift card. See associate for details.
Tech Return Policy
Tech items may be returned within 15 days only with receipt and in new, saleable condition, complete with all packaging and pieces.
Unopened product, in new condition, will be refunded in full. Opened product will be subject to a 15% restocking fee, with the following exceptions:
- Open computers and iPads require inspection and may not be returnable at all.
- Open batteries, graphing calculators, and in-ear headphones are not returnable.
- Special order and sale items are generally not returnable – ask for details before purchasing.
- Defective items may require warranty processing or may be exchanged for the same item after verified defective, per manufacturer, and store policies.
Mail your online or in-store returns to:
The University Book StoreATTN: Online Sales Returns Department
4509 West Beltline Hwy
Madison, WI 53711
- Online returns: Circle the item(s) on the original packing list.
- In-store purchase returns: Include your receipt and a note with your name, phone number, or email.
- You must note whether you want an EXCHANGE or CREDIT. If an exchange, please make note as to what size and/or color you want for the new item.
- The customer is responsible for the cost of shipping the return to the University Book Store. If an exchange is requested, the University Book Store will ship the replacement item(s) ground shipping at no additional cost. Credit card purchases will be credited to the charge card used for the initial purchase.
Textbook Return Policy
You may return your textbooks with a receipt for a full refund. Dates for return will be announced online closer to beginning of each semester but are generally one week after the start of classes each semester. See text department for more information.
All books must be accompanied by the original receipt or the packing slip if purchased online. Codes that have been activated are non-returnable.
Bring the book(s) to the Service Desk in the textbook department at 711 State Street for a full refund.
Credit card purchases will be credited to the charge card used for the initial purchase.
Clearance Item Policy
You will not be charged for your order until the order ships. We search for clearance items at each of our 5 locations so it may take longer for those items to be pulled. If you are placing a Next Day Air or 2nd Day Air order, the order processing time will be delayed while we check all our locations for the discontinued item. If we don't find the item, your order packing slip will show it as "Discontinued" and you will not receive that item.
Online Catalog FAQ
- When you place an order, a $1 charge is made to your card and then is voided.
- Your card will be charged when your items are packed and shipped.
- If an item is backordered, your card will be charged fro that item when it is packed and shipped. No extra shipping will be charged.
If you are looking to do an exchange (or credit) the returned item(s) must be in as-new condition with original packaging, tags and accessories*. For an exchange please include a note with your contact information and the exchange item letting us know the size you want. If you are looking to exchange for a different item just state the item you are looking for using the product number from our web site. If the price is different we can work out either additional payment from you or a credit for you for the difference. If you want to return the item for credit we will send you a University Book Store Gift Card with an amount equal to the returned item on it. The gift card can be used to purchase on our online site or in any of our retail stores. Send the return to:
University Book StoreReturns
4509 W Beltline Hwy
Madison, WI 53711
Please make sure to include YOUR contact information. Either a phone number or email address.
The customer is responsible for the cost of shipping the return to us. If an exchange is requested the University Book Store will provide Ground Shipping for the replacement item(s).
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 800-993-2665, extension 5997
* Item(s) must be returned in appropriate shipping package. If any item is
damaged, or if
clothing is badly wrinkled, due to improper packaging they will not be eligible for
a refund or
exchange. Tags may be removed from item(s) but must be included with the
item(s).
If you receive an incorrect, damaged, or defective item or the wrong order, please
contact our Online Sales Department. Either email us at [email protected] or call us
at 800-993-2665, extension 5997. We will work with you to resolve the problem as
soon as possible.
A credit card is required for all orders. When an order is placed on our system no
payments are
collected until we actually ship the order. Our system does check with your credit/debit
card provider
to make sure that there are sufficient funds available to cover the total amount of the
order (your
financial institution might list this fund check with a "Pending" notation). That
happens even if you
have entered a gift card with a balance that covers the entire cost of the order. When
your order is
shipped our system will apply the gift card first. If that covers the total amount of
the order your
credit/debit card will not be billed anything. If the gift card covers a portion of the
order total your
credit/debit card will be billed the difference. Only if the gift card has no balance
would the entire
amount of the order be billed to your credit/debit card.
Our order processing time is 5-7 business days (Monday thru Friday) for ground
shipping and store pick up or 1-2 business days for expedited orders. Your order
will be shipped via UPS®, FedEx®, or USPS® which will take 1-3 business
days (dependent on location and shipping method chosen) to reach
you.
"Pick-up at store" orders have the same processing time as they are filled at our warehouse. You will receive notification when your order is ready for pick up.
"Pick-up at store" orders have the same processing time as they are filled at our warehouse. You will receive notification when your order is ready for pick up.
There are two possible reasons.
- You are using a different password than the one you used to create your account. Click the "Lost Your Password?" link to retrieve your password.
- You created your account with a different email address. If you would like to change the email address used with this account you will need to login with your old email address and change it.
Information gathered during the check out process is secured via SSL
encryption.
For standard ground shipping we use UPS® Ground, USPS® First Class Mail and
USPS® Priority Mail. For expedited shipping we use UPS® 2nd Day Air or
UPS® Next Day Air. Expedited services are only available for delivery to a street
address (expedited orders cannot be shipped to a PO Box) within the contiguous 48 states.
Standard shipping for gift cards will be via USPS® First Class Mail. Expedited shipping
for gift cards is UPS® 2nd Day Air or UPS® Next Day Air. Expedited
shipping is applicable for business days only, not Saturday, Sunday or Holidays.
Free ground shipping is valid to a contiguous U.S. delivery address on online orders. You
must enter your promo code in the "Apply a promo code" box to receive offer. Excludes
previous purchases, textbooks, wooden chairs/rockers, framed artwork, drop-ship items, and
custom direct-ship items. Diploma frames, Framed prints and some larger items will receive
free ground shipping but any handling charge will still apply. The offer cannot be combined
with other offers. Only one use of free shipping promo code per household. Contact the
Online Sales Department with any questions: [email protected] or
1-800-993-2665 x5997. Expiration date will vary.
Place your order and choose "International – Price to be quoted later" as your shipping
option. We will assemble and weigh your order. We will then calculate the costs of the
various shipping options available to you. We will email those choices to you. As soon as
you reply with your choice we will process and ship your order. We do not collect any funds
from your card until we process and ship the order so your card will only be charged the
actual cost.
The proper format to enter a military address in our shipment information is:
Address Line 1: Enter the Unit number and the Box number on this line.
City: Enter either APO, FPO or DPO on this line.
State: Enter either AA, AE or AP on this line.
Zip Code: The five-digit zip code is entered on this line.
Address Line 1: Enter the Unit number and the Box number on this line.
City: Enter either APO, FPO or DPO on this line.
State: Enter either AA, AE or AP on this line.
Zip Code: The five-digit zip code is entered on this line.
If you don't see a tracking number listed then your order has not shipped yet. If you wish
to check up on an order please send an email to [email protected]. Please include
your order number in the email.
| Ground Shipping (5-7 days) |
|---|
| $7.00 + $0.50 for each item |
| Gift Card Only — $3.50 |
| 2nd Day Air |
|---|
| $21.00 + $1.00 for each item |
| Gift Card Only — $20.00 |
| Next Day Air |
|---|
| $45.00 + $2.00 for each item |
| Gift Card Only — $30.00 |
Book Store Deals FAQs
We have ended our Loyalty Program to make room for a better program to give you the BEST
deals we have to offer! If you were a Loyalty member, you will automatically be added to
our Book Store Deals! No points, just deals. Sign up
here!
Points are no longer part of the program. Instead, everyone signed up for our Book Store
Deals will receive the best deals we have to offer via email.
The Book Store Deals are the best deals we have to offer, sent via email. We may also
send surprise sales, early access to sales, and more!
Textbook Rental FAQ
Yes both new and used.
No, but we add more titles every semester.
Last day of exams
Yes! Simply bring your rented book into the store. (you get a refund for the initial rental
fee you paid and then turn around and pay the shelf price at the register.)
The card used to secure the rental will be charged the remaining balance of the shelf price
(list price less the cost you paid to rent plus a 20% fee) Examples of damage:
liquid/moisture damage, rips, tears are the most common.
No, as long as you return the book by the due date and return it in re-saleable condition.
Yes, you may write and highlight in the book.
No, simply return your book by the final due date.
You return the book in the text department. There are signs letting you know where to return
it, just be sure to let the Book Store employee know that you rented the book.
No, you may return it at any time during the semester as long as it’s before the due date.
Yes, but be sure your friend gives the Book Store employee the name and student ID number of
the person who rented it.
No, just your student ID.
Online Textbooks FAQ
Be sure to allow pop-ups on the eBooks site. Most browsers have a pop-up blocker notification on the right
hand
portion of the address
bar. You will be able to access the book once you've allowed the pop-up window for the ebook
site.
You may find detailed instructions for enabling pop-ups here.
If you are unable to access or no longer have access to your VitalSource/Redshelf e-book, Follow these
steps:
(Have your e-book access code available. This will be located on your receipt if purchased in-store, or in
your e-mail
if purchased through the bookstore's website)
- In your web browser, close any University Book Store or Vital Source website tabs that you may already have open.
- Open a new tab and go to text.uwbookstore.com
- Bookmark this page! From this point forward you will be accessing your e-book only through here.
- Proceed to login using your UW Student Sign.
- After logging in, select the menu option: Activate and access e-books. (If you have previously had access to the e-book and no longer do, it should now appear on your bookshelf. If it does not appear, then proceed to step 6)
- Locate and select the option: Activate and access in-store purchases.
- You should see 3 images. To the lower left open the drop-down menu, select the appropriate e-book format, and then enter your code.
You cannot be charged twice for the same order on the website. What you are seeing is the
"approval", which will usually disappear within 24 hours, and is not actually a charge.
A credit card is required for all orders. When an order is placed on our system no payments
are collected until we actually ship the order. Our system does check with your credit/debit
card provider to make sure that there are sufficient funds available to cover the total
amount of the order (your financial institution might list this fund check with a "Pending"
notation). That happens even if you have entered a gift card with a balance that covers the
entire cost of the order. When your order is shipped our system will apply the gift card
first. If that covers the total amount of the order your credit/debit card will not be
billed anything. If the gift card covers a portion of the order total your credit/debit card
will be billed the difference. Only if the gift card has no balance would the entire amount
of the order be billed to your credit/debit card.
The fourth book is probably on backorder. As soon as some copies arrive, you will be charged
for it, and you will receive an e-mail notification.
You can look up your booklists by course number. First select the department; then select
the course number; finally, select the section number (i.e. Math 100, Sec. 1). Listed under
each course are the required and recommended books the instructor has assigned. Booklists
are added to the website as soon as we receive them. Please note: the website does not
indicate stock of an item.
This means the instructor has given you the choice of buying one of these two books. In most
cases, they are slightly different editions, both of which the instructor has deemed
acceptable for the course. Do not order both of them.
Select each book that you would like to purchase and select new, used, rental, or digital
preferred. Then proceed to the checkout and follow the prompts.
Yes. When logging in, you will need to select "Wiscard Sign In" from the Login Options page
in order to use this payment method.
You can choose to either have the books shipped to you or to pick them up at the store. This
option is at the end of your order process. Please fill out the shipping address information
even if you are not having them shipped.
You may pick up your books on the lower level, during regular Book Store hours. You must bring
photo identification with you.
Order fulfillment time varies depending on availability of texts and quantity of orders. You
will receive a shipping confirmation e-mail when the order is ready. If you chose to pick up
at store, please wait two hours after receiving this e-mail to come in and pick up your
books.
Your books will be held at least through the second week of class.
This is only a price estimate, not the price you will be charged. We try to respect your
used/new preference as best we can, but we cannot guarantee new or used. You will be charged
after we pick the books for the amount of used/new books we were able to get for you. This
total will be indicated on your shipping confirmation e-mail.
Customer error means we found a mistake on your order. Most likely, you accidentally ordered
two of the same book. Therefore, we cancelled one copy of the order for you.
No. Unfortunately, we are not able to ship books ordered online overseas. Please call the
textbook department if you are interested in shipping overseas.
You cannot cancel the order online. You must contact the textbook department at (608)
257-3784 ext.5905
| Ground Shipping (5-7 days) |
|---|
| $7.00 + $0.50 for each item |
| 2nd Day Air |
|---|
| $21.00 + $1.00 for each item |
Incoming Student FAQ
The University Book Store receives information regarding textbook requirements from your
professors as early as months before the semester starts through the first weeks of classes.
We make every effort to get your books on the shelf as soon as we learn of the requirements.
If you don't find a book, you can keep checking back or you can go to the information
counter in the textbook department to inquire on the status of your book.
Textbooks are located on the lower level of the University Book Store at 711 State Street.
Class books are arranged first by department, next by class within each department. You
should bring a list of your classes with you when you shop for your books each semester.
This list should contain the names of your professors along with lecture and section
numbers. This will help you make sure you're buying the right books for the right classes.
It's not uncommon to have three professors teaching a particular class using three
completely different sets of books.
Yes, at text.uwbookstore.com. You will need the
same information as that listed in the previous answer when ordering textbooks online. You
may have your books delivered to your home or dorm, or you may pick them up on the lower
level of the University Book Store, 711 State Street, during regular Book Store hours. You must
present a valid picture I.D. at time of pickup.
Occasionally books are unavailable when you make your first trip to the University Book
Store. In most cases this is not because a book has sold out, but because it simply has not
arrived. Instructors are made aware of these out of stock situations and will usually adjust
assignments until books arrive. When enrollments are larger than expected, instructors
notify the Book Store of the increases and books are re-ordered. These usually arrive by the
end of the first week of classes. We do begin taking reservations for books at the end of
the first week. Stop in at the service counter in the text department and fill out a form so
that we can save a copy of the book for you and send you a card notifying you of its
arrival.
The University Book Store purchases textbooks from students year round. We also buy used
books from wholesalers across the country. These used books tend to be the best value for
the students, which also means they are in the greatest demand.
Yes. The University Book Store offers its buyback service for two basic reasons:
- to provide students cash for books they no longer need; and,
- to provide a supply of used books for students to buy at substantial savings.
The buyback price is determined by a variety of factors. For buyback pricing, textbooks fall into one of three categories. During the course of a semester or buyback period, a title may move from one category to another based on demand. The categories are as follows:
- ½ Price Books
If a faculty member has notified the University Book Store that a book will be used on campus next semester, in most cases we will pay ½ of the current new book price, even if you bought the book used or the new book price was lower at the time of your purchase. When we have met our anticipated needs for that title for the upcoming semester, we will purchase that title for the used book wholesalers. - Books not ordered for the upcoming semester
Used book wholesalers determine the prices they will pay for certain books. The University Book Store technically acts as the wholesaler's agent and buys the book for the company from the student, and thus we must use their prices. Nationwide demand, current wholesaler supply and anticipated revision dates are some of the factors that the wholesale companies use in determining the prices they offer. - Books that we are not buying back
There are four reasons why a book may not have any buyback value:- A new edition has been published
- There is little or no nationwide demand
- There is excess wholesale supply
- The book is in poor (non-salable) condition
Every day that we are open which is Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00
p.m., Friday and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5:00 p.m.
The best time to sell your books is during the periods of May 1st through August 31st and
December 1st through January 20th.
Absolutely! By aggressively purchasing used books and participating in buyback, you can save
up to 75% off the new book price. (For example, if you bought a used copy of a $50 book for
$37.50 and then sold it back at ½ price of $25, you would pay only $12.50 for the use
of that book; that's only 25% on the new book price.)
Some instructors provide books lists to other local shops. We may very well have used copies
of the books you need. Bring us a copy of your syllabus after you have gone to your first
class and we will do all we can to find used copies of the books you need.
The University Book Store accepts cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover
and Wiscard, the University of Wisconsin-Madison's debit card.
You can put money into your Wiscard Campus Cash account at the Memorial Union Cashier's
Office or online.
The average student spends $350-$450 per semester at the University Book Store.
The return policy for the non-textbook merchandise is 30 days with a receipt for a full
refund.
Collegiate clothing and gifts, school supplies, computer software and supplies, art
supplies, general interest books, even coffee too!
Your non-text supplies such as art supplies and general books, will be found on the first
floor in the University Book Store.
Madison Metro bus tickets, notary public, and custom framing.
Sizing Chart
Please allow for shrinkage in high cotton content items.
| Shirts | Shorts & Pants | Women's | Youth |
|---|---|---|---|
| S..........32-34 | S..........28-30 | S..........4-6 | S..........6-8 |
| M.........36-38 | M.........32-34 | M.........8-10 | M.........10-12 |
| L..........40-42 | L..........36-38 | L..........12-14 | L..........14-16 |
| XL........44-46 | XL........40-42 | XL........16-18 | XL........18-20* |
| XXL......48-50 | XXL......44-48 |
*This is similar to adult small - adult is 3 longer - same width.
| Infant | Toddler | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Purchase | Age | Purchase |
| Newborn | 6M | 2 years | 3T |
| 6 Month | 12M | 3 years | 4T |
| 12 Month | 18M-2T | 4 years | Youth S |
| 18 Month | 2T-3T | ||
A general guideline is to go one year more than the child's age.
The charts above are general guidelines. For vendor specific sizing you may select from the following vendors:
'47 Brand | Blue 84 | JanSport | Boxercraft | Champion | College Kids | Columbia | For Bare Feet | Game Bibs | Lands' End | Under Armour | Vantage