The manager is getting an incredibly bad rap on these reviews. Every single time I have gone to Varsity, the staff has been extremely courteous and gone out of there way to help me in the process of finding my books. They have always had their books on time. Secondly, when I've had an issue they have helped me out. As a law student, I have at various times needed to keep a book rental longer than the term stated. If I notified Varsity, this has not been a problem. Go to Varsity for your books. Read their policies...they are very explicit and up front about them. If you have issues they are willing to work with you on them. read more

I've been to multiple bookstore locations and Varsity was the smoothest process. They had everything I needed. The staff is very helpful. Great quality tech gear too! Cute styles and good prices. They always have some sort of discount or deal going on, I love that! read more

This place way overcharges patrons for their books. Amazon is way cheaper and even if you don't have prime you can receive and return the book at no cost to you at the Amazon Hub locker right next to Varsity. If there's a book not available on Amazon I recommend visiting the campus barns and noble it's in a more convenient location and will price match Varsity! read more

Varsity Bookstore - Amazon Prices Compared to Varsity I - Art Supplies Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

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Tried to return some paints (got the wrong ones for a Christmas present) to Varsity Book Store of Lubbock. Do you know that they don't take returns without a receipt? Also, no store credit. How hard is it to have decent business practices? I'm a professor. My students buy thousands of dollars worth of books there each year. I'm advising them to look elsewhere. read more

Started out with a 1 star, but kudos for Andrew taking the time to correct the mistake. I bought a new book- no "used" stickers or anything, in January because they had no used books. Apparently, I was sent the wrong book. Neither of us realized it until I mailed it back for credit, and was told it was worth $3. I had my son, who lives in Lubbock, go pick it up. They gave him a badly used copy. I called Andrew and he and I texted back and forth with for a long time. He discovered the mistake and refunded me a fair amount. It took a lot of time and back and forth, which really shouldn't have had to happen, but it was resolved. read more

If there was another store in Lubbock other than Barnes and Noble I would shop there. Although most of the staff is nice, the older gentleman who seems to be the manager or owner is a complete ass. He has snapped off at me several times and has even snapped at my parents, friends, and grandparents. It blows my mind that someone like this treats people this way and still expects them to shop there. Would highly suggest if you go in to stay away from him or stay strictly in line with his procedures or else he will chew you out. Hopefully someone reads this who is of higher importance at this store so a change is made, it's ridiculous. read more

Don't bother trying to get your books from here, they try to scam you out of money and whatever you do DO NOT try to get your stuff shipped! They charge way too much for shipping and no matter what they tell you, your stuff Is gonna arrive super late, if they bother to ship it at all. Also, get ready to have do deal with endless amount of bs emails and phone calls from them trying to get you to pick up your stuff in-store because they are too lazy to actually ship it and just want to keep the money they charged for shipping (which costs 15 dollars btw). You are better off ordering from literally anywhere else. read more

TLDR: Legally right doesn't equal morally right. Go to varsity if you like surprise 150 dollar charges right before christmas, if you like being personally insulted by the people taking your money, and if you like condescending managers who refuse to even try to help. I haven't ever been treated worse by a business. I'm a law student who has rented from here for years and I will NEVER give these people another dime. The labels on my rented books say they're due on the 12th, but the worker who rented them to me told me to ignore that because law students had finals until the 13th (I did) and to bring them the 16th instead. Maybe I misremembered the date he said, but the label doesn't actually tell me the date, and it wasn't 100% clear at the time. They clearly know it's a different date, yet they still use labels with the wrong date for law students. This combined with the charging system seems almost intentionally misleading to get more students overdue. I went today, Monday 12/16, to return my books. They told me I could not return them because I was supposed to on 12/14. I tried to just pay a late fee, but they already charged my card the full fee. They offered to pay me 10-20 dollars a book to buy them back, but that is pennies on the dollar! For being two days late! It's insulting to offer to buy it back that cheap after taking all my money. They made it seem like if I didn't sell it to them it may be hard to sell it somewhere else. So basically if you are one day late (and keep in mind they make it due the DAY after finals end) they try to force you into selling to them so they can make even more profit. They aren't hurt at all if I turn my book in a couple days late. No one will rent these for over a month. This charging system is solely set up to screw over students and make them extra money at the expense of the community as a whole. I understand the contract said the 14th (I still think someone told me the 16th and the label says the 12th), but to force poor students to pay the full purchase price for being just barely late is unconscionable. Students already have no money and massive amounts of debt. It's wrong to find another way to nickel and dime us. The owners of this place should be ashamed of themselves. I should have read the fine print, but I didn't think they would charge a huge fee for such a small thing because it seems clearly morally wrong to me. Lesson learned. Varsity exists only to bleed students of every penny they can. I haven't even gotten to the part that made me write this review. A girl worker upstairs personally insulted me as we were walking downstairs to leave. Granted, I was upset and told them the way they did this was bullshit and fucked up (it is), but the worker then told me it was in the contract and "you should drop out of law school since you can't read a contract." WTF? I did say the business was bullshit and that it was fucked up to force students to pay full price if they are one day late, but it's not like I personally insulted her. This was completely unnecessary. I called the manager (who I believe is the owners son) to complain afterwards and I first spoke to a guy who was working upstairs with the rude girl. This guy confirmed she told me to drop out and agreed with me that it was out of line. However, when I spoke to the manager, the manager refused to investigate and told me I had no proof that she actually said that. I told him the guy who handed him the phone just confirmed it to me and that he could just ask the worker to confirm it. Instead of doing that he said the employees would lie to him so it was pointless to even ask them. I guess the manager doesn't think very highly of the workers if he just assumes they will lie to him. I'd honestly be insulted by that if I was one of the workers. The manager also clearly doesn't think highly of customers based on the way he treated me. I wish I had read some of these reviews before coming here. The manager also told me that I'm not actually mad about being insulted and I'm only upset over the charge. Yes, I am upset over the charge, but I'm also capable of being upset about multiple things at once. It's never a good idea to tell an upset person that they aren't really mad about what they are mad about. It is incredibly condescending and arrogant. Especially right after taking my money and having his workers personally insult me. So now I'm out 150 dollars nine days before Christmas. I admit I'm technically in the wrong under the contract, but that doesn't make contracts with terms like these morally right. I also admit I said the business was bullshit and fucked up (it is). But that doesn't justify them insulting me personally when I'm upset a business unreasonably took 150 dollars from me days before Christmas. They literally add insult to injury here. I'm left with a bad taste in my mouth and no real recourse except this review. Please go anywhere else. These people don't deserve your money. read more

Varsity Bookstore - Don't use Varsity. If you're a second late they force you to pay full price and they may even insult you on your way out. - Art Supplies Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

This is THE best college bookstore ever. Normally that wouldn't be saying much, but they are really great here. The staff are sweet, friendly, and helpful. I just told them what law section I was in and they grabbed up all my books for me. They took a return I had very easily. They also had lots of art supplies, collegiate clothes, school stuff, etc downstairs. The parking in front is hairy though as they are on a very busy street. There is a parking area around the back though that makes it less hazardous to shop here. If you have to buy books from a brick and mortar instead of online, run by Varsity! read more

In order to avoid the crowds at the big discount stores we decided to pay (a lot) more and buy school supplies at Varsity Bookstore. We spent about an hour in the downstairs part of the store and had many items in our basket. We decided to go upstairs because my child wanted to see what a college bookstore looked like...my child is in middle school. So we looked around for about 10 minutes and I explained to him how college students find their textbooks, etc. So we start walking back down the stairs to pay for our full basket of stuff and the manager upstairs starts yelling at us. At first I had no idea he was talking to us, but after his yelling got louder and louder I turned around. He comes running over and very rudely told us we couldn't take our basket of items downstairs without someone coming with us. He then very loudly says that he has untrustworthy (his exact word) people who shop there. Most of the customers shopping upstairs are listening to him as he now has everyone's attention and he just insulted all of them...and us. I tell him that we were just going back downstairs to pay. He wants us to pay upstairs which is fine with me. So we walk back up the stairs and he proceeds to check us out. During that process he charges us twice for one of the more expensive items in our basket which I bring to his attention. That clearly irritates him and he again very loudly says he will have to re-scan all the stuff that we bought. He was seriously mad that we bought so much stuff...that's a bizarre attitude for someone running a retail business. Anyway we finally got checked out and left the store, but we will never go back. My child was completely mortified as the manager basically implied that we were trying to steal. This business clearly does not value its customers from the community or its Texas Tech students as the manager deemed everyone "untrustworthy." If he wants to have a complicated set of rules for navigating the store and the payout process then he needs to have employees stationed at various points throughout the store to guide customers. Did he really think we were going to walk out the door with a FULL basket of merchandise...and we clearly were not college students, not that that should matter. We are all customers! I have NEVER been treated so rudely anywhere. The only reason I gave them 1 star is because the college kids who helped us downstairs were super friendly and helpful. read more

HORRIBLE!! Wish I could give NO stars! The people are RUDE! During the Covid-19 shut down, charged my account for a rented book. This was when ONLY ESSENTIAL businesses were open. The college campus itself was closed. Called to clarify the charge and went in twice to return the book, was told, "Sorry you own the book". Nice integrity and customer service! They told me they sent many e-mail reminders, which I said I didn't get. Their response was, "Well, we don't have to remind you"! Well that's not a mixed message?? I found another student that had posted she returned her book 2 hours before I tried to return mine, so why did they work with her and not me? Because her book wasn't as much money as mine was, so they were picking and choosing who they wanted to refund and who they didn't. I tried to do the right thing in good faith and these people were very rude and disrespectful in EVERY way!! Save yourself the headache and TRUST ME! DO NOT BUY FROM THESE MORALLY INEPT SO CALLED PEOPLE! Yes, I'm not a satisfied customer! read more

I wish I could put zero stars because this place is the WORST!!!! I never received any of their emails about returning books and they claimed it was my fault that something in their system is messed up? They charged me full price for a book that I rented because I didn't return it in time because there is a pandemic hello and not many people are still in Lubbock. But there is a review on here that they let someone else return their book a day late with only a late fee, so why did I have to buy my book but they only got a late fee??? I'm never coming here again and I'm telling all my friends to do the same. read more

Worst customer service. My books were placed on backorder (I wasn't notified at all by the employee), and when I asked about them, he blew me off. Never getting books from here again, second bad experience. read more

Varsity must be in danger of going out of business because they ripped me off big time today. I felt pretty dirty walking out of there. By Samuel Langhorne Clemens read more

Their textbook prices are better than Barnes & Noble on campus, and close to Neebo down the street. I bought my books, and picked them up. Process was fast and worked out nicely. Now the bad part. I saw numerous students come in to sell their books. Of course you can typically expect to get very little money for textbooks if you sell them back. This one guy had a calculus textbook that I just used last semester and they told him he'd get $0 for it and he could put it in the "recycle" pile. You can go find that book for $150 in their store, and I sold mine online for $100 just yesterday. I have NO doubt that the "recycle" pile is sifted through to find books that can be sold. I asked if I could take books from the "Recycle" pile and was given a stern "NO". Customer service was really good from the college students, but two older managers were iffy. Another manager was trying to convince a college student that the value they pay for sell backs is how much they re-stock the book for...are you seriously kidding me? I will be taking my business to Neebo in the future. To all fellow TTU students...PLEASE sell your textbooks on craigslist or Facebook groups. You will get ar more money and your fellow students will save some $ too. read more

I've had the utmost worst experience of my life at Varsity. The manager is extremely rude. I was charged for the textbook and late fee for a book I had already returned by the due date. When I called the store about this, they told me that I haven't even returned the book and I got pissed because I know I returned the book, I have the receipt. Why can't their system keep up with stuff like this?? The girl working ended up going back to their stock and found my book. ?!?!?! I asked the manger for a refund and he was up his ass about the whole situation but agreed to refund me. Then a few days later, I check my bank account to see that I didn't get the full refund back so I called Varsity back and let them in on what happened and the manager misunderstood me and thought I said I never got a refund in the first place then he had the audacity to say "You just said you didn't get a refund, so why are we doing this?" SERIOUSLY??? I can't believe it. I HATE Varsity, I feel so disrespected. The manager is a pig! I rather pay a couple more bucks and go elsewhere. read more

Rude and condescending. I called to see if a book was in stock. The woman that answered the phone acted like it was a major inconvenience. I asked her to confirm that they were indeed a 'Book store' and in business to sell books. With such major competition I would assume their customer service would be better. I will NOT shop at Varsity Book store. I hope the owner realizes that the person answering the phones is not representing their company well and is turning away business. read more

Rude and unorganized with a tendency to blame customers for their faults. Bf didn't get his books till October and had the nerve to get rude with his mother. read more

Just a horrible bookstore. The manager is a complete ass hole, everyone there is rude to you when it comes to renting books. They are not understanding what so ever. If you rent a book be sure to read the fine print or you will be screwed, they fail to explain exactly what you are signing. Go to Red and Black, trust me. read more

I purchased a textbook form these people and explicitly asked them If it was the text only, no online access codes along with it, the morbidly obese cashier said it was only the text, it wasn't until after I had opened it that I noticed it contained an access code, however they wouldn't give me a return for it because I had opened it. To top it all off, I had ordered a book from them that same semester asking to be put on a waiting list, when I asked them about this they said they had ran out. Rude, unprofessional, and down right dirty business. read more

You never know what kind of service you'll get when all the employees you see are college students. Upstairs with the textbooks, we got excellent help. Downstairs, 2 employees barely moved to ring up our purchases. They barely stopped texting and talking to each other to pay any attention to us. read more

Absolutely horrible experience. The lady behind the desk upstairs was so rude to me and didn't help at all. So unfriendly and rude to CUSTOMERS! Not buying another book or even a pen from there. If I could give no stars I would. read more

I called to check and see if they carried all of the textbooks I needed. They had all of the books, but the man that was on the phone was very short with me and would cut me off before I was able to finish speaking. If there was another place in town that I could have purchased my books from, I would have for sure gone there. I understand that this first week is hectic for everybody, but I 100% believe it is never a reason to let your customer service fly out the window. As someone who personally has been working in the retail and food industry for 4 years, I have always held my standards for myself very high, and have a hard time respecting people who do not treat me with the respect I would and do always treat them with. read more

So helpful and way cheaper than the bookstore at Tech. The people who helped me gave me a lot of options and got everything I needed.

This place will do anything to scam you out of a dollar. They make the book rentals due the day of finals so if you have a late final you are out of luck. Late fees on late fees on late fees. And then if you try and argue about the late fees they try and say you signed a contract that says you will not write in the book and they go through the book and find writing that was already there and try to pin it on you. They are the worst place to get books and there are so many other options why bother with these pos crooks read more

The students who work here are very helpful. However the manager that works here is very rude. I tried selling back a book I haven't even used and he immediately rejected it. Don't buy books from here, they are way over priced! I get my books online. And don't buy into the "you must buy a book to get the access code" deal. That's not true. You can call tech support and they'll show you a website where you can buy the access code alone and not waist all your money on a expensive book you don't even need. Don't come here if you can help it. read more

They will tell you you can return textbooks by a certain date, but when you go to return it it's all sales final.. I will not go back to this corrupt business. If I could give them no stars I would! read more

I have shopped here a couple times because I had no other choice as no one else in town had one of the books I needed. Every time I have gone in there I felt like I was bothering the staff by asking where a book was. I was uncertain about one of the online access codes they had picked out for me because the title was not the same and it was $100. When I told them I was unsure the manager was extremely rude and told me that he had been in business for a long time and I should not question what he had handed me. It ended up being the wrong section and it was for two semesters when I only needed one. In my opinion you should never walk out of a book store feeling like crap because the manager was rude. I will never step foot in Varsity again, even if they are the only store in town with the book, I will pay extra to order it online. read more

Varsity is without a doubt the best place for school books and TTU gear. I have bought books there since I was a freshman, and I'm now in graduate school. The people are always trying to help as well. The books are clearly displayed, everything is easy to find, and the sell a wide variety of tech stuff. Cloths, cups, stickers, ect. I gladly go here as much as possible. read more

Thank god for the amazon store. They are crooks. All sales are final yet they don't tell you before you swipe your card. BEWARE

Tried to return my book but apparently I was past the date, literally bought it two days before I tried to return. So I proceeded to sell it back and didn't even get half of my money back. It was still in its UNBROKEN shrink wrap and the codes were still in it too. So I called the manager to express my frustration. He was rude, dismissive and just didn't care. If it were his kid, he would be irritated that he couldn't get all of his money back. Conclusion: I won't be buying books there anymore. read more

Varsity Bookstore is the WORST bookstore in Lubbock. I bought a used textbook for $100 from them one month ago, and I tried to sell it back to help pay for my new books (not expecting much in return), and they told me it was an incomplete book and they couldn't buy it back. That was the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard, considering THEY SOLD IT TO ME! If you order online and go to the store, expect to wait at least 15+ minutes for anyone to even acknowledge you, and another 15+ minutes for them to locate your order and wander back to you. They also changed their store hours for the summer and didn't bother to update their website, which resulted in 2 trips to their store, which is not easy to get to with all of the construction. They are extremely overpriced and do not include sufficient information about their text books on their website for you to determine if you're even getting the right book. DO NOT buy from them! read more