ECampus Review: College Textbook Stores

eCampus launched in 1999 at the beginning of the dot com bubble as one of the first ways to sell used textbooks online. They have since expanded to offer new textbooks, eTextbooks, and rental options with free shipping on most orders from an inventory of nearly a million print and digital textbooks.

Price match guarantee

What sets eCampus apart? They have a price match guarantee, giving you peace of mind on your purchase or used or new texts, as well as their rental books. If you find a lower price on in-stock items within seven days of purchase at Amazon, eCampus will match it with a refund as store credit. Of course, it must be the exact item in the same condition and format. While you should see their website for more details and exclusions, we are pleased with this type of guarantee to help us save more money.

Rental textbooks available here

Claiming to have the #1 textbook rental program, eCampus not only sells books to students at a discount, but also offers rentals. However, note that supplemental materials are not included with renting a book from them. There is a place on their website to get a free return shipping label for your rental or extend/purchase the textbook. Take note that if you receive a rental in poor or damaged condition, it's up to you to contact their customer service immediately (within 30 days of shipment) for them to even consider your claim. (Given that many online reviewers complain about this, we recommend keeping this in the forefront of your mind.)

Discounts offered for multiple rentals

While they say they don't typically offer free shipping promos, eCampus suggests visiting their coupons page to check out their latest discounts. They also recommend shopping early, purchasing multiple items together, and subscribing to their email list to get the best prices. At the time of our most recent visit, a banner encouraged us to "Rent more, save more" at eCampus with the code ECRENTAL, giving us 5% off one book, 7% off two books, or 10% off three or more books.

Standard shipping is free but rush is costly

Free standard shipping (6-10 business days) is offered on eCampus orders over $35, not including items sold on their marketplace, eTextbooks, and other various items. (See their website for more information.) Orders under that amount will be charged $4.50 per shipment, plus $1.49 per item. Expedited ground, two-day, and one-day shipping are all offered for increasingly higher costs, so we suggest planning ahead to avoid the exorbitant charges ($32 per shipment plus $7.99 per item for one-day).

Returns incur high fees

When you drop a class and no longer need the text, you can return a book to eCampus for a refund, but be aware that there are costs. You have 25 days from the day the book ships to return it. Textbooks must be sent back in the same condition as the original shipment, so if you open the shrinkwrap, it won't be accepted. A 15% restock fee will be charged and you have to pay return shipping costs. Returning a short-term rental? They require the return within 15 days of the book ship date. While they don't give you very long and have a steep restock fee, we're pleased they at least offer an option so you're not stuck with a textbook you no longer need.

Rewards program for loyal customers

In an effort to help students even more, eCampus started eWards, a free rewards program to benefit students for purchasing texts, referring friends, selling back textbooks, and other activities. Points may be redeemed for gift cards to be used on the website.

Prices are competitive

The textbook we checked at every online retailer was available to rent for $84.99 per semester, with the option to buy used from $174.99. A digital option was also offered for $59.94. This is the lowest we found for a digital textbook purchase and textbook rental, and it's close to the lowest for a used textbook purchase (which could be matched with their price matching). However, we found there was an additional $5 fee on this book which eCampus called a service fee due to the "publisher consignment program." Watch out for books with a fee like this, indicated by an asterisk.

Sell back and get cash or credit

If you're finished with the textbook, eCampus wants to buy it back from you. They claim you will "get the most cash when you sell back" to them. The shipping is free and they will pay you in your choice of many different methods, including direct deposit or in-store credit (which offers a bonus). Alternatively, those who have a lot of books to sell may choose to become an eCampus marketplace seller. For a 15% commission, your books will be listed on their website and be seen by their legions of customers - and they'll give you a credit to cover shipping costs.

Explore the options in the marketplace

One bonus way of buying (or selling) textbooks on eCampus is their marketplace, which permits third-party individuals to list their inventory. All purchases are made through eCampus to keep your payment information private. Items sold this way may vary from the eCampus description, so watch for the seller's comments. The FAQs about the marketplace let you know what to do in a bunch of situations. (While there is a buyer protection policy, know that there can be issues receiving books in a timely manner. We don't recommend this option if you're in a hurry.) Look at the feedback for the seller prior to buying anything and keep track of the time - eCampus gives you just 25 days from your order date to file an incident inquiry form.

Rental agreement indicates damage not accepted

Renting means you'll have to return the book, which also means agreeing to the rental agreement. Water damage, a broken spine, missing pages, missing or torn covers, excessive highlighting (more than a third), excessive or inappropriate notes - all could result in a charge to your card on file (up to the replacement fee of the book), and you won't get the book back. We recommend reading the rental agreement prior to choosing this option with eCampus.

Customers are pleased with their service

An accredited business by the BBB, eCampus has an excellent "A+" rating, though they had 70 complaints in the past year. Across online review platforms, users have had a mostly great experience. Trustpilot features over 3,300 reviews and gives eCampus 3.9 out of 5 stars, with more than 1,900 5-star reviews. Pleased reviewers gush that they received quick delivery and books in great shape, mentioning both rental and purchase experiences. Some unhappy clients note receiving books that aren't brand new and that took longer than expected to receive. A buyback customer complained that he had not received payment for the texts he sent in, calling this "not just poor service - it's blatant dishonesty."We recommend eCampus' service as a good place to buy or rent textbooks, but we don't have enough information about their buyback service to rank it.

Excellent option for rentals and purchases

With nearly a million digital and print textbooks for sale or rental, eCampus has impressed us. Their price match guarantee makes them competitive and customers are overwhelmingly pleased. While we wish they didn't charge a restock fee on returns, we can confidently recommend eCampus as a one-stop place to shop for your needed college textbooks.

Learn More  ➜

On the eCampus website