Sell us your books online!

For more than thirty years, Powell's has bought used books over the counter. Now we offer the service online, too!

Enter ISBNs here:

It's so easy!

  1. Enter each book's ISBN in the text box to the right and click "Sell these books."
  2. If you like what we offer, you'll just need to pack and ship the books to our warehouse in Portland, Oregon.
  3. Once they arrive, we'll look them over and issue Virtual Credit to your Powells.com account.

Some things to keep in mind:

  • We require a minimum of 3 books or $5.00 of credit for each bid.
  • All quotes are subject to the condition of the books when they arrive.
  • We offer credit (not cash) for books we buy online.
  • We'll provide prepaid Media Mail shipping labels for books shipped within the US.
  • Online quotes do not necessarily reflect what we will (or will not) buy over the counter in our Portland-area stores. Our buyers in the stores may not want the same books our website does, and/or the prices offered may vary. Click here to learn more about selling books to Powell's.
Frequently Asked Questions
Selling books to our Portland-area stores:
Please note that books accepted or rejected, as well as trade value offered, does not necessarily reflect what our stores will (or will not) buy. If you would like to sell your books in one of our Portland-area locations, simply bring them to the used book counter at the store most convenient for you.

Want to know more? Click here to learn more about selling your books to Powell's.

Help

Good Condition:

  • No rips, tears, stains, or odors.
  • No writing or highlighting with the exception of an owner's name written in front.
  • No pages falling out or coming loose.
  • No ex-library or book club editions.
  • All hardcovers originally sold with a dust jacket must include the dust jacket.
  • Books that come with accompanying media (such as a CD) must include the media in good working order.
ISBN:

The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a ten-digit code assigned to books published after 1972 or a thirteen-digit code assigned to books published after 2006.

In the early '70s, some books used a nine-digit "SBN." If you have a book that appears to have this nine-digit code, simply add a zero (0) to the beginning of the number.

Each ISBN is unique to a specific edition. A different ISBN is assigned to hardcover and paperback versions of the same title, as well as later editions with changes or additional content, or editions produced by different publishers.

You'll generally find the ISBN printed over the bar code on the book's back cover or on the copyright page.

Virtual Credit/Trade:

Virtual Credit (sometimes referred to as "trade") is credit that we place directly in your Powells.com account. It can be used for any purchases made on Powells.com.

Prepaid Shipping Labels:

At the end of your Online Buy transaction, we will provide a link to a prepaid Media Mail shipping label. Media Mail is available within the US only. Delivery typically takes 4 – 14 business days (though in some rare cases it may take longer). This shipping method is not trackable or insured. If you prefer to ship your books via a different method or carrier, simply send the package to the address provided at the end of your transaction.