Brand new textbook with 65 missing pages in middle of book

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Opened up one of my textbooks this weekend to start reading on the next unit we are to begin studying and notice that the book is defective. 65 pages were left out when it was published! I was on the phone this morning trying to find out how to get this problem quickly corrected. I paid cash and don't have the receipt for the purchase of the textbook anymore. I called and talked with a customer service rep of the publisher and they won't help without the purchase receipt! We can't confirm that you didn't buy it used, they say. What difference does that make, I asked. It was defectively constructed. I would think a big company like yours would want to correct this kind of a problem for a student. Can't I just get the 65 pages YOU didn't bind into the book, I ask. I'm still waiting to hear from them. Thankfully, the college bookstore, who I thought was going to be a problem in the first place without my purchase receipt, said they will swap the book for a new one as long as I have proof that I am a registered student in the class using the book. Sad thing, all the notes in the book I have to give up will be lost.

Just wanted to let people know of this experience. Our college bookstore wraps most of the textbooks in shrink-wrap and I never would have thought to check the book to see that all the pages were there. Lesson learned: not only save all your receipts for textbooks (which I did), but know where you put them (one of two boxes of bills and credit card receipts).

[MB37]

Wow! I keep things like receipts around until I know that I am staying in the class, and that my prof is definitely going to use that particular text, but once I start reading and marking it up I assume I'm not returning it anymore and don't worry about where the receipt winds up. That's nuts! I'm glad you're getting the pages, but that's too bad about the rest of your notes. I wonder what they plan on doing with your original that you must give up - sell it as used next semester?? (no, they might be abe to get a refund out of the publisher, I suppose)

[justme1972]

I don't know why in the world these bookstores and publishers started the shrink-wrap practice...it doesn't make sense...they went for decades and didn't bother with it...I wasted over $225 in one semester in books...DOWN the drain...I always read ahead for class a minimum of 2 chapters...and went to class to discover that the individual professors had made the choice not to use the test book....one came up with his own material and the other took the entire course from Wikipedia.org

So, the first week of classes is very stressful for me, because of the shrink-wrap practice, and I can't read ahead anymore.

[lisabeth]

I had that happen to me one time, only in the middle of the semester. I had already highlighted and made notes in the book cause it was my Pharmacology book. I was missing a whole chapter. I had to take that book back in order to get another one. I know that feeling well. I guess that happens more than I knew of.

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

That's crazy! I usually skim chapters ahead of time during 1st week/weekend, to try and prevent that from happening. It doesn't make it any easier though! I think big companies dont even care about one student as so many students around the country buy their books, just goes to show how faceless we are to most of them!

[luvs2readlotsRN]

Hey this wasnt by chance a med surg text was it? I had the same thing happen, luckily had my receipt and the college bookstore gave me a new book. Annoying though! And from now on I'll check my textbooks immediatly!

[GingerSue]

when I purchased my assessment textbook,

within a month all the pages were falling out

so I went to my bookstore and he agreed to exchange it for a new book.

(I can't remember if I had my receipt - I probably did keep it)

I hope it works out for you and your book.

Here's a laugh: in another course, I read a chapter from one library book, then later I needed the page numbers, was in another city so I couldn't get my hands on the book. So I contacted the publisher with my question, and they sent me a free copy of the book, with email conversations. No charge and it was delivered to my home!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Good news! I got a call from the publisher's customer service rep this afternoon. They did indeed find that a number of copies of this particular book were defective when assembled! Thank goodness for documentation and record keeping. It was a pharmacology textbook, by the way. They are putting a brand new replacement copy for me in the mail, today I hope. And, they said I don't need to return the copy I already have.

[lisabeth]

I wonder what kind of drugs they were on when they put our books together. Of course, I know your Pharm book was a lot more advanced than mine was. I was taking it as a pre-requisite. That is good that you at least didnt have to send your first book back. Next time I will deal with the publishing company instead of the school bookstore if at all possible.

Good news! I got a call from the publisher's customer service rep this afternoon. They did indeed find that a number of copies of this particular book were defective when assembled! Thank goodness for documentation and record keeping. It was a pharmacology textbook, by the way. They are putting a brand new replacement copy for me in the mail, today I hope. And, they said I don't need to return the copy I already have.

[br107]

OMG this reminds me of last night when I bought a can of Pringles and when I sat down to eat them, turns out the package had already been opened and like 1/4 of the pringles were missing. ***??? I threw it out and I was pissed. Luckily I had bought 2 cans. (On sale 10/$10). Sorry, I know my dollar loss is not as big as the original posters but her story about being ripped off sparked something in me and man I had to let it out.