Frequently Asked Questions


If you are having problems with or questions about digital course materials START HERE.


Student charging is an optional method of payment allowed by the NDSU Bookstore. Financial Aid is not required for student charging. Students are allowed a $1000 balance limit for student charging. When students have reached the balance limit, they will not be able to charge any further items to their account. Only registered NDSU students with and NDSU student ID may charge to their student accounts. All charges for the Bookstore are reflected in PeopleSoft as a separate line item on a students’ account. If excess financial aid is available your charges will be deducted. If not, it is your responsibility to check your account and make payment arrangements.

If the charge is “Bookstore-Inclusive Access”, that is for an Inclusive Access item that one of your courses are using. Check your email for an informational notice regarding the item details. If you drop the course before the Add/Drop Class deadline, you will see a refund for it over on your Credits page within 2-3 business days.

If the charge is “Bookstore Charges”, this indicates charges for an online order that you placed or items you charged in-store. Check your NDSU Bookstore account for additional details for the charge.

Credits can be found on the "Payment History" page of your campus connection account.

You can find your booklist in your NDSU Bookstore account. Go to www.ndsubookstore.com, click “Login” in the upper-right corner, then “Sign In With Your Electronic ID”. Click on “My Account”, then “My Curriculum.”

Our website opens on the first day of open registration for the next semester. You can find these dates on our Dates and Events page.

Your instructors choose the specific book and edition that will be used for your classes. The instructors are required to submit their course material requirements directly to the NDSU Bookstore ahead of the upcoming semester. As we receive information, your booklist will update as soon as possible.

Inclusive Access is NDSU’s digital program that provides access to your materials directly through Blackboard. These materials are automatically charged to your Campus Connection account, and thus are not able to be ordered.

For more information about Inclusive Access, visit our Digital Textbooks page. Watch for informational emails about Inclusive Access items used in your courses, beginning two weeks before the semester starts.

A clicker is a remote electronic response device used in many classes and are available at the cash registers. Additional information can be found on the ITS webpage.

Physical Course Materials
Course materials are returnable for a full refund through the Add/Drop Class deadline for the semester. These dates can be found on our Dates and Events page.You must have your receipt and the items must be in the original purchased condition.

Digital Course Materials - Inclusive Access items
You will begin receiving informational emails regarding Inclusive Access items approximately two weeks before class begins. Please refer to those for additional details.

Digital Course Materials - Non-Inclusive Access items
All other eBooks and non-Inclusive Access digital materials must be returned unactivated within 14 days of purchase, regardless of the course start date. To request a refund, please use our Send Us A Message feature in the lower right-hand corner of this page, or email ndsu.bookstore@ndsu.edu with your NDSU ID number, order number, and title of item to refund.

New copies can be ordered, and you will be notified when it is ready for pickup. Used copies are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If no used copies are available online, it is unable to be ordered.

If you order has not been fulfilled you can cancel via the "Send Us a Message" feature in the lower-right corner at www.ndsubookstore.com. If your order has already been filled, and it is before the return deadline, you can request a return on our website. If it is after the return deadline, all sales are final, but we can check for buyback value.

A physical access code will either need to be picked up at the store or mailed to you. An eBook access code needs to be retrieved by following the instructions emailed to you after purchase.

Inclusive Access items rarely need codes any longer, check your syllabus for access instructions.

An email is sent out almost immediately after an eBook is purchased on the NDSU Bookstore website, with instructions on how to access it.

Unfortunately, we are unable to give specific dates as to when a backordered book may arrive. Many factors may affect the timeliness of arrival, such as books that are out-of-stock at the publisher, locating old editions, and books that are printed-on-demand. We do everything we can to fill backorders as quickly as possible. If you no longer wish to receive your backorder, please contact us via the "Send Us a Message" feature in the lower-right corner at www.ndsubookstore.com to cancel before your order is filled.

You will receive an email when your order is ready for pickup. You can also check the status of your order by logging into your NDSU Bookstore account used to place your order, and click on "Track Orders".

You will receive an email and/or text message from the NDSU Bookstore when your package has arrived and is ready for pickup. There is a minimum 1-day delay from the time your package has been marked delivered with the carrier and when we receive it, due to on-campus sorting.

If you placed an order on our website you will be emailed your tracking number once your order has been processed.

If you have a package coming from somewhere else, we do not have access to any tracking information prior to the item arriving.



Tips


  • We recommend that students take advantage of our online course material ordering program. It gives you first chance at any used books we have and all materials are pulled, charged to a credit card or your student charge account, and packed for you so that you just pick them up when you come to campus. It saves you time and hassle picking the course materials out yourself.

  • Save all of your receipts. If you have bought a item in error you must have your receipt for your refund. In order to protect against stolen books, we ask you for your NDSU ID which we enter onto your receipt when you make your purchase. Your receipt ensures that the books being returned are for the right student, against the original form of payment. No one can return your books to the bookstore and get cash without it. Do NOT send the receipt home with your parents or you will be unable to return any unneeded books. This includes exchanges.

  • Don't open any packages or software before going to class and deciding whether you really need it or not. We can't return opened package materials to the publisher.

  • Go to class first. The first day of class your professor will give you a break down of what to expect in the class and usually a syllabus. You will then know how and when the book will be used in class.

  • Watch the  Dates and Events page for book return dates. You can only return textbooks within the first week of class unless you've dropped the class and have a copy of your drop paperwork with you. (This extends your return for one additional week)

  • We offer a large number of our textbook titles in a digital format. Digital books are less expensive and have many features, but they are also not titles we can buy back.

  • We buy books back from our students during dead week and final exam week. If we need the book again we pay up to 50% of the current price. There are some books we are not able to buy back because of new editions or if they are workbooks with fill ins or perforated pages. Our buyback prices can be found on our website during finals week.

  • Textbooks are one of the lowest margin merchandise areas we have in the store and therefore we're not able to discount them. Our mark up covers the cost of the book plus shipping, labor etc. It is lower than the national average.
  •  

    This may be the first time you've purchased textbooks and are therefore shocked at how expensive they can be. But, when you consider all of the other expenses of a college education, books are a small portion of that entire cost. Books are expensive, but they are an investment in your education. We want you to buy what you need to be successful in your classes. Textbooks are an important part of your success. We allow our registered students to charge the cost of their books and supplies to their NDSU account with their NDSU ID card. If you have excess financial aid, your bookstore charges will be deducted from your financial aid award. If you do not have enough to cover your bookstore charges, you will be given a  deadline. in which to pay off your account. Students may track the status of their account by keeping their bookstore receipts. When a purchase is made with Student Charge, the receipt will indicate the remaining account balance. Failure to pay your bookstore charges will result in a hold on your account, which inhibits your ability to register for classes, retrieve transcripts and will also result in your future ability to charge textbooks and supplies to your account.

     

    For more information about purchasing course materials, please contact us at (701)-231-9478 or send email to  ndsu.bookstore@ndsu.edu