Longtime Avid shoppers will remember when Avid on Prince first opened its doors in 2011, we not only carried new books and gifts but also used books. With many changes to not only our shop but also to the rapidly changing landscape of businesses in town, we've realized it's time to revisit reselling used books. If you have books you think could be re-loved by a fellow enthusiastic reader, read more below and visit us during our designated drop-off times to trade your books in for used book credit. This is a small project that we hope, with your help, will grow in time.
Though this program is new (the books certainly won't be), we're approaching it in a whole new way—for us! Our policies are based on how other small bookstores have found a way to offer used book trade-ins and stay vital and thriving.
Beginning January 2020, used books have moved to Avid at Five Points. All used book credit earned at Prince has transferred to Five Points.
Used Book Credit
We currently only offer store credit which can only be applied toward the purchase of used books and is limited to 50% of each transaction. For example, if you have $10 in Used Book Credit and you are purchasing a $12 book, you can use $6 of your credit toward your purchase.
Sorry, we do not buy books for cash.
Depending on the quality and demand for the books you bring in, you will receive between 30-35% of our price for them in used book credit. We credit according to the current used market value of the book; as such, top-quality titles will receive more credit. Allow 1 to 2 weeks for credit to be applied to your account.
Your credit will be stored on our point-of-sale system and will never expire.
Shop Used Books
Our Used Book selection is located at our Five Points bookshop. Prices are written in pencil on inside covers and title pages under the Cubbie the Black Cat ex libris stamp. Erase the price, write your name, and welcome your book to its new home!
All sales on used books are final. Used books purchased at Avid Bookshop can be accepted for used book credit as per our trade-in guidelines.
Guidelines for Drop-Offs
Due to minimal storage and display space, we ask that you limit book drop-offs to 20 or fewer at a time for appraisal. Drop-offs will only be accepted at our Five Points shop on Sundays to Wednesday from 12:00pm to 4:00pm. This time is subject to change as we improve our trade-in system. Please note the holiday season (Thanksgiving to New Year's) will affect our drop-off availability. Please check here and on social media for announcements.
Please allow our staff 30 minutes to see what we can and cannot take. If we determine we cannot issue credit for a book after it has been accepted, we will contact you and hold them for 1 week or donate them to a local charity.
We only take books in very good to excellent condition. Please don’t bring us books that are heavily underlined, ripped, musty, dirty, moldy, falling apart, pet hair-infested, or generally yucky. Hardcovers must have their original jacket.
We DO NOT take mass market paperbacks (4"x7" in size), magazines, Reader’s Digest, encyclopedias, coloring books, business, financial, computer, romance, westerns, sports, textbooks, rare books, and non-book items (CDs, DVDs, etc.).
We want lots of the following:
- Paperback contemporary fiction (including Mystery and Sci-Fi)
- Paperback classic fiction (including Mystery and Sci-Fi)
- Paperback contemporary romance (published in the last 10 years)
- Hardcover contemporary fiction (published in the last two years)
- Graphic Novels (Adult and Kids)
- Children's fiction
- Children's classic literature and picture books
- Science and Nature (published in the last two years)
- Birding
- Poetry
We want only some of the following:
- Art, Design, and Architecture
- Cookbooks
- Hardcover contemporary fiction (published in the last 10 years)
- History and current events (published in the last two years)
- Contemporary Crafting and Do-it-Yourself
- Memoir
- Philosophy
- Spirituality, Personal Growth, and New Age
- Yoga and Exercise
- Essays
- Short Stories
- Young Adult fiction
- Reference
- Dramas and Plays
If you cannot visit us during our limited drop-off hours, we might make an exception for you provided you contact us (via email or phone 706.352.2060 ) at least a week in advance of your planned visit and we confirm an exception with you.