Used Textbook Condition Guide: Like New, Good and Fair

Like new

Like new means the book looks barely used. The cover has no creases, tears or curling at the corners, the spine is tight with no cracking, and there is no writing, highlighting or underlining anywhere inside. Pages are clean, with no stains, no water damage, and nothing missing.

A book bought and then not used for a semester — kept in a bag or shelf but never opened for study — is a realistic example of Like new. A book that was actively used for an exam but kept carefully can sometimes qualify too, as long as there's genuinely no marking inside.

• Cover: no creases, tears, or curled corners
• Spine: tight, no cracking or looseness
• Pages: no highlighting, underlining or handwritten notes
• No stains, dampness or water-damage marks
• All pages present, nothing torn out

Good

Good is the most common and most useful condition for most students — a book that was actually studied from but looked after. The cover may show light wear: a soft crease, slightly rounded corners, maybe a small mark. The spine may have a visible crease from being opened flat but shouldn't be splitting.

Some highlighting or underlining inside is acceptable for Good, as long as it's limited and doesn't cover most of the page. A few pencil notes in the margins are normal. What should not be present at Good is water damage, torn or missing pages, or heavy ink markings across large sections of the text.

• Cover: light wear — soft creases, minor corner rounding, small marks
• Spine: creased from normal use but intact, not splitting
• Pages: light-to-moderate highlighting/underlining, occasional pencil notes
• No water damage, no torn or missing pages

Fair

Fair is the honest grade for a book that has clearly done its job across one or more years of study and shows it — heavier wear, more extensive marking, but still complete and usable. The cover might have larger creases, tape repairs, or a partly worn edge. The binding might be a little loose but shouldn't be falling apart.

Fair can include noticeable highlighting or pen underlining through a good part of the book, and some evidence of handling like a mild stain on a page corner. It should still have every page present and legible — Fair is not the grade for a book with torn-out chapters or a broken spine that won't stay closed.

• Cover: significant wear, may include small tears or tape repair
• Spine: may be loose but binding still holds the book together
• Pages: extensive highlighting/underlining is possible but text stays legible
• Minor stains acceptable; no missing pages, no major water damage

How to actually check condition from photos before buying

Because nobody at OldTextBooks physically inspects each book — the review step approves the listing itself, not the copy's condition beyond what's shown — the photos are your real evidence. Zoom into the spine photo especially; it tells you more about how roughly a book was handled than the cover does.

If a listing's grade and its photos don't seem to match — say it's marked Good but you can see heavy highlighting through several visible pages — message the seller and ask for a clearer photo or clarification before paying. Sellers describing their own copies honestly is what keeps this grading system useful for everyone.