Help/FAQ: Shopping

Ordering Textbooks by Course

Ordering your books online from Stanfordbookstore.com is simple, quick and convenient. All you need to know are the classes you're taking for the semester.

The process begins by selecting the appropriate campus and term. Now pull out your class schedule. For each of your classes our process will walk you through choosing your department, course and section. After you've told us a class, we'll show you both the required textbooks and any recommended textbooks needed for that class. Then put them in your shopping cart and continue ordering until you've gone through your class schedule.

Shopping Stanfordbookstore.com is the surest way to get the right books for your class.

Ordering Merchandise from one store

Stanfordbookstore.com offers you the ability to order directly from the bookstore and associated vendors. If you choose to shop at an associated vendor, please note that your order is being fulfilled from that vendor and all products, services and appropriate charges are originating from that vendor.

Ordering Merchandise from multiple stores

Stanfordbookstore.com has the ability shop the bookstore and associated vendors for items you're looking for and place it within one cart. After you submit the order it is split out to the participating vendors for fulfillment. For you, this means that you will see separate costs and charges for each participating vendor. You will receive separate shipments as well.

General Books

Don't feel like reading just macro-economics and micro-biology texts? If you're looking for more interesting things to read, then you'll find the latest titles in our General Books section. Ordering from this area is different from getting textbooks. In this section you'll be able to search by title, author and ISBN. Searching and ordering is quick and painless.

Payment Methods

Here is a list of payment methods Stanfordbookstore.com accepts.

• Online

• American Express
• Discover
• Gift Card
• MasterCard
• Visa

• In-store

• American Express
• Discover
• Gift Card
• MasterCard
• Visa

Availability

For Stanfordbookstore.com, our goal is to provide you with all the products and services that have been made available through the website. On rare occasion some of these items and services may not be available at the time of purchase. If we encounter that situation, then Stanfordbookstore.com and our associated vendors will make every reasonable effort to provide you with the item or service requested. If the item or service is no longer available, we may offer you a choice of a substitute or we will remove it from your order.

Textbook Condition Preference

The condition of a textbook is either 'New' or 'Used'...much like a car. However, unlike cars, there are never enough good 'used' ones to meet the demand for them and we occasionally run out of them. Sometimes we may even run out of new ones. This is why we ask you your 'NEW' or 'USED' book condition preference.

If you elect to substitute and we don't have your first choice we will automatically provide you with that same title in the condition we do have in-stock. It's that simple.

Order Status

Your order can be in any of 5 different status codes, including New, In-Process, Back Ordered, Fulfilled or Cancelled. A breakdown of the five standard statuses follows:

New - An order that has not been viewed and no action taken on it.
In-Process - The order has been viewed and processing has begun.
Backordered - The item(s) are NOT in stock and have been ordered for you.
Fulfilled - All the item(s) have been shipped out or are ready for pick-up.
Cancelled -The item(s) have been cancelled and requires no further action.

Should I buy used books?

It's a question of economics. Buying used books can save you as much as 25% or more. Used books are well worth the money, which is why they are in high demand. Be sure to shop early, when our stock of used books is largest, so you can save the most money.

How used is "used"?

We offer the highest quality used books of any online book retailer. Our professionally trained buyers make sure every book passes a quality inspection, which includes a check for minimal markings and to ensure that all pages are intact.

What are my options for receiving my order?

Choosing how to receive your order from the Stanford Bookstore is divided into two parts. Here is how it works:

Step 1: the Your Cart page
You will be asked how you would like to receive the items in your cart. Your choices are SHIP and STORE PICK-UP PAY NOW.

Step 2: Depending on what was chosen in Step 1, on the Order Details page:

SHIP - If ship was selected, then a credit card will need to be used. You will also need to choose a shipping method such as GROUND, SECOND DAY and NEXT DAY delivery. Once decided, applicable charges will be applied, an opportunity to review the updated charges will be provided and the order can be completed.

STORE PICK-UP PAY NOW - For this option, a credit card will need to be used. And because it is a store pick-up there are no other decisions to be made...just review the order and complete. The order will be processed and held at the store for pick-up.

What's an ISBN?

ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. Every book published after 1968 has this ten- or thirteen-digit identification number. You can find the ISBN on the back cover of the book near the bar code, or on the copyright page of the book.

Can I place an order over the phone?

If you are interested in placing a phone order simply dial (800) 600-8312. You will connected to Stanford Bookstore personnel who will assist you with your needs.

Do I have to have a credit card to place an order at Stanfordbookstore.com?

Yes, we do require a credit card to complete the order. For your convenience, Stanfordbookstore.com accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

What if you don't have the textbook(s) I want?

Even though you will find the largest selection of new and used textbooks through Stanfordbookstore.com, in some instances we may not have what you're looking for in stock. But, please know that our inventory changes frequently, especially at the beginning of a term or semester. So be sure to check back often to find what you're looking for.

Can I check the status of the order that I placed the other day?

Yes, every step of the way! Click the "Your Account" link to access your account. Log in using your email address and password and click the order history link. You will see a list of your previous orders and the current status of each. Click directly on the order number we gave you at the time of your purchase to view the details of that order. Please note, however, that your order history is only maintained for one year. If you cannot find information on the order, please send us an email. We'll answer your inquiry as quickly as possible.

I checked the status of my order, but what does this status mean?

Status are defined at 2 levels. The first is at the overall Order level. Orders can have 4 different status codes, including New, In Process, Fulfilled or Cancelled. The second is at the individual item level with an order. Individual items will use the same status codes employed at the Order level with the addition of Backordered.

A breakdown of the four statuses follows:

• New - The order that has not been viewed. No other action taken on it.
• Fulfilled - All item(s) have been shipped out to the customer or cancelled.
• Cancelled - All item(s) have been cancelled by the customer and requires no further action.
• Backordered - Individual line items may carry this status. Item is currently out-of-stock and awaiting arrival to be fulfilled.