FAQs

All accounts that made a purchase anytime after January 1, 2020 have been migrated over to our new website. You will need to select "Forgot Password" to reset your credentials the first time you try to log in. In your account you will have visibility to your order history. To ensure your address is up-to-date you will be asked to enter it during checkout.

Used Book Alerts and Wish Lists will no longer be accessible in your account. These are features we'd like to re-introduce in the future, but are not available at this time.

If your account hasn't been used since January 1, 2020 we welcome you to start fresh, and "Create an Account".

It’s still here!  If you haven't already been contacted about your virtual credit, please contact our Contact Center team via email or phone and they will give you a new eGift card in the amount of your balance.

Please check your spam or junk folder. You can also confirm if your order was submitted by checking order history in your account profile.

We will email you as soon as your order has shipped! You can also view this information by logging into your Powells.com account and viewing your order history to view any available tracking information.

We love talking to our customers about books! We are happy to assist customers with their purchase over the phone. Please note that we will need an email address to process the order for you.

We are also here to offer support if you bump into any issues during your own order. Give us a call at 800-878-7323, Monday through Friday, 9am - 5pm PST.

It may be possible to cancel your order, but it depends on how far along it is in the process. You can email us at [email protected] or call our Contact Center at 800-878-7323 during business hours and we'll be happy to inspect your order and cancel it if possible.

Powells.com accepts payment by credit card and Powell's Gift Cards.

Powell's accepts American Express, Discover, JCB, Master Card, and Visa. Payment is captured once we have determined your order can be fulfilled. You will not be billed for any items we are not able to fulfill.

Powells Books Inc. ships to many correctional facilities, both state and federal. If your friend or loved one is currently housed in a facility, orders can be placed on their behalf using a credit card or Powell’s gift card on our website - we are unable to ship to correctional facilities from our stores.

Many facilities will reject or confiscate items that are sent in violation of their mail regulations - common causes for rejection can be: incorrectly addressed packages, packages sent via an unauthorized carrier (ex. UPS or FedEx), packages without invoicing or labels, too many items sent or items that are considered contraband (ex. restricted subject matter, restricted binding, restricted condition). It is of the utmost importance that you are absolutely certain of the facility’s rules and regulations regarding incoming mail before creating your Powells.com order to ensure your recipient receives their items.

Powell's Books is not responsible for orders that are not delivered due to mail policy violations. Orders that are returned to sender, refused, or rejected by facilities cannot be reshipped to the same location. If your order is returned to us for any of the reasons above, we will contact you to discuss options for resolution.

We accept returns at all of our store locations, and by mail. You can return any order within 30 days of the date you received it to the following address: Powell's Books Attn: Returns 2720 NW 29th Avenue Portland OR 97210

We process exchanges by issuing a refund for the original product after it is returned to us and having you place a new order for the desired item. If there was something wrong with the item you received, please let our Contact Center team know by emailing [email protected].

• With few exceptions, we buy books in good condition.
• A current government-issued photo ID is required.
• We do not buy outdated textbooks or old encyclopedia sets.
• If you're planning on bringing in several boxes, please arrive at least one hour before our buying tables close.
• For collections of 1,000 books or more, please email [email protected] for details.
• In-store buying decisions and offers may differ from online bids. Additional questions can be directed via email to [email protected].

We currently do not have a limit on the number of books or boxes customers can bring. Wait times may vary by location.

Our used book buying counters are first come, first served. No appointments necessary.

We offer store credit for books we purchase at our store locations.

Some items are located at our remote warehouse, and will not be eligible for store pickup. These items will be clearly visible in your basket, and shipping will be the only option available. This includes all preorders which will ship directly to you on the publish date.

There may be a portion of your order that is eligible for store pickup, but the rest will be shipped directly. In this circumstance you can choose to ship it all if you prefer.

If you are unable to pick up your order after eight days from the time we notified you that your order was ready, we will refund the order and restock the product to our inventory. If you need a small extension on your order's hold, please contact us before it expires. You can either call us at 1-800-878-7323 or email us at [email protected] to request an extension.

It is not possible to add items or change your pickup location after your order has been submitted. If you've made a mistake with your order, please reach out via email ([email protected]) or phone (1-800-878-7323) and our Customer Service team will cancel your order on your behalf.