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Does new textbook = comes with access code?


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As long as the ISBN matches exactly to what the teacher wants, it should.

 

Signed,

parent of teen who bought a book three times because he didn't want to listen to why ISBNs are important but figured it out eventually when mom would only buy one.

 

Thanks!

 

I am cut & pasting the ISBN over between tabs to 100% make sure I have the correct book. 

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If you go to the publisher's website, they will usually have the different ISBNs listed with what they include.  Some colleges don't use the access code, so they choose an ISBN without it to save the students money.

Scroll down on this page for an example:

https://www.pearson.com/us/higher-education/program/Knight-College-Physics-A-Strategic-Approach-Plus-Mastering-Physics-with-e-Text-Access-Card-Package-3rd-Edition/PGM9520.html

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Check the ISBN and look for verbiage that discusses the access code.  IF necessary you can cross reference with the publishers web site.

 

 

 

Beware of third party sellers selling "new" books that have been separated from the access code.

 

This is sound advice! Amazon is full of third party sellers and resellers who may not include the same items that the "college bookstore" would.  The same advice applies to used book sources, eBay and so forth.

 

 

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This is NOT a stupid question!    If you buy directly from Amazon (Amazon being the Seller, not a 3rd party Marketplace Seller), hopefully you would get the  Unused Access Code, but I am not positive that is true.

 

With 3rd party Marketplace Sellers, you may or may not get an Unused Access Code with a book they list as "New" on Amazon.

 

There was a very recent thread about this.  

 

Apparently, some books, they sell the Access Code and the Book separately.

 

Also, some 3rd party sellers sell "New" books and they may have a school stamp in them. 

 

One reputable Seller we have purchased a couple of books from and probably will buy another one from very soon), Alpha in Georgia, I think shows in their listings for "New" books, as with "Used" books, that it may not come with an Unused Access Code.

 

NOTE: On very rare occasions, a Used book will come with an Unused Access Code.  DD took a course in Web Design that used a textbook normally used in Colleges and Universities, and the Used book I bought her came with an Unused Access Code. I was surprised about that.

 

Also, on rare occasions, I have seen Used books listed stating that they have an Unused Access Code. I believe that is very rare.

 

BOTTOM LINE: if you need an Unused Access Code, confirm with the Seller, via Messaging, BEFORE you click to buy, that the book comes with an Unused Access Code.

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Also, access codes that come with books can and do expire, so it can be 'unused' but it won't do you any good. I purchased a used book (in person) with no need for or expectation of a code. The access code envelope was still sealed, though, so I went ahead and tried it. It said that the code had expired, rather than the usual wording not valid.

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May be a stupid question:

 

If I order dd's and dh's books from Amazon from the new category, are those guaranteed with access codes?

I ordered a textbook with the right ISBN from an Amazon seller once that said it had a code, but it did not actually have the code. I returned it and received a full refund. We had time to get a new one, so it wasn't a big deal.

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  • 4 weeks later...

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