How to rent books on Amazon and return or extend them

• Amazon book rentals are easy to make, extend, and return using the Amazon Rentals website.
• To return Amazon rental books, you can drop them off at a parcel service like UPS or an Amazon pick-up location.
• You don't have to pay more shipping to return Amazon book rentals and you can return multiple books in the same box.
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If you're looking to save money on a school textbook you don't need to own, renting that book from Amazon could be the ideal way to go. It's easy to order, extend, and return book rentals on Amazon, though you'll need to return or extend your rentals on time to avoid fees.

The e-commerce giant automatically checks the shipping status of a rental item you've requested to return, and returning items to a local Amazon Pickup location will result in the item being marked as "returned" in your account a little faster than with other carriers like UPS.

Here's how you can order, extend, and return book rentals on the Amazon website.

How to rent books on Amazon

1. Go to the Amazon Rentals website.

2. Search for a book by entering its ISBN, title, or author in the text box at the center of the page.

3. Find and select a book from the search results page. On the product detail page, click the circular "Rent" button, if it's not selected already.

4. Be sure to note the due date of the rental, and click "Add to Cart."

5. On the next page, click "Proceed to checkout."

6. Follow the on-screen prompts to sign into your account, enter your payment information, and complete your order.

How to extend a book rental on Amazon

1. Go to the Manage Your Rentals page on the Amazon website.

2. Under "Open Rentals," find and select the rental you want to extend.

3. Choose a new rental extension period.

4. Click "Extend Rental," and then "Place Your Order" to complete the process.

How to return Amazon rental books

1. Go to the Manage Your Rentals page on the Amazon website.

2. Click the "Return rental" button next to the item you wish to return.

3. You'll be prompted to select a drop-off location. You can choose to take the rental to an Amazon Pickup location or to a parcel service such as UPS.

4. Print the pre-paid shipping label and packing slip provided. If you're unable to print at the time you request the return, the label can be emailed to you for printing later.

5. Box up your rental. Be sure to include the packing slip inside the box.

6. Affix the pre-paid shipping label to the outside of the box.

7. Drop off the package at the location you chose in Step 3.

Tips and tricks for Amazon book rentals

To make sure your Amazon book rental and return goes smoothly, follow these tips:

• Mail your return on or before the "return by" date. The "return by" date on your rental is the final date you must drop off your return package to be shipped before you are charged late fees. It is not the date Amazon needs to receive the package by.
• Get a receipt from the return carrier. If you leave your return with a carrier like UPS, be sure to request a receipt. You may need a receipt if there's a delay in the time your item is reported as "in-transit." Amazon may automatically extend your rental if it's not listed as "in-transit" by the carrier.
• Contact Amazon if you're overcharged. Contact Amazon's customer service as soon as you see a charge you don't owe. Amazon customer service is very good about checking the shipping status and refunding such extensions, should they occur.
• Ship your returns in one box. You can send multiple items in the same box as long as the Amazon-provided packing slip lists each book you're returning.
• Don't worry about returning your textbooks before final exams. The return date for most semester rentals should give you plenty of time to ship the books after final exams. It's best to ship them back as soon as possible to ensure each is returned in time and to avoid extra charges.
• Return your books in the box they were delivered in. It's a good idea to keep the original box your books were delivered in so you can reuse it when it's time to return. You already know they all fit and you won't have to track down another box.

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