UCSD Bookstore

This is secretly the best Apple store in all of San Diego! They recently ran a tax back promo & I snagged a laptop for at least $ 100 less than it would have been anywhere else. Plus they do local author events and have really cute gifts available! Awesome bookstore & secret apple store, both. Can be hard to find if you’re an outsider to UCSD, but everyone in the world on campus knows where it is and can help you find it, and it’s worth it.

Overpriced on everything! Do yourself a favor and never pay for this «convenience». The people who work at the customer service department have no proper people skills and are desensitized to the human condition (I’m talking about you Christine). Trust me when I say you are better off investing your time and money elsewhere.

Personally as a Triton, I love UCSD no matter how ridiculously priced everything is. (Isn’t every college like that, anyways?)
The Bookstore has 3 floors:
First floor (zero floor/​basement): Perk’s Coffee Shop! Service there is good, and they have indoor seating. So if you want to study and get a drink, choose to do so! Right next to it is Imprints, where students can get their passport photos taken, homework printed out (there are also self-​serve computers that take Tritoncash) etcetera.
Second Floor (first floor): Textbooks galore! I like that the textbooks are labeled by courses (ex: POLI SCI, HIEA, HUMM, BIO, CHEM) and this definitely makes it easier to purchase textbooks. On the other half, there are labcoats/​scrubs, calendars, and books to read for fun if you have the time! There is also a local Apple Retail Store with laptops, printers, wires/​cords.
Third Floor (second floor): UCSD SWAG! Where you can purchase all your UCSD school gear! It’s almost like a souvenir shop but expanded! There are cute teddy bears, mugs, cups, tshirts, etcetera. For a period of time they had a wall dedicated to Totoro pillows! There is also a stationary side on the other half of the room.
Tips/​Observations:
–Restrooms are by the yoga mats/​jewelry section (upstairs).
–They have discounted areas by the elevators in the very back by the sports section.
Overall, Bookstore people are very friendly! :)
GO TRITONS!

For a world class institution, this bookstore has an absolute atrocious return policy, not to mention marginally trained employees unschooled in customer service. I went to return a book for a course my daughter dropped. I did that because its the last day to return and she has a full day. First, I was given a lecture about parenting, for doing my kids bidding. Then I was raked over the coal about not having her student ID. Sharon (or Shannon), has it occured to you that I am the person who is paying for your customer? Has it also occured to you that quite possibly, if you are a bit nicer, perhaps students would feel more at ease about shoppinh/​returning at the bookstore? As a UCSD grad who worked at the bookstore some 35 years ago (when it was stil in a trailer/​semi-​permanent) structure, I fondly remember we were always told to help and serve fellow students. No longer! Oh, how times have changed.

Three stars because it’s a nice place to relax, since there’s numerous seats throughout the bookstore. Textbooks, school supplies, even miscellaneous items are overpriced. If you have time, find books and other materials online via Amazon, ebay, etc. Only purchase from the bookstore if you are short on time, or you cannot find what you need anywhere else.
As for college gear, they have a great selection, as well as gear for each of the six colleges.
Overall, I would just go here to browse and sleep on one of the soft couches.

I liked the bookstore back in my UCSD days! I always found myself meeting people here or walking through on my way to Price Center.
They have decent sales and a whole bunch of merchandise. I got myself some sweats and a hoodie over my span here, and also purchased Triton gear for my parents so they could rep me back in the Bay!
Yes stuff can be pricey, but you just need to be smart about it. Even during graduation I only purchased the stuff I «had to» and borrowed a gown from a friend. Buy books used please… or do what I did and don’t buy them at all! I borrowed a lot from friends and used the ones they keep at the library!
Use your heads little Tritons!

First week of school sale! If you need anything — GO! (also, summer and end of quarter sales are usually the biggest sale).

Very friendly staff there. Most of them are UCSD students.
They closed on Sundays and, closed early like 6pm (5pm on Sunday).
For souvenir, I bought T-​shirt for my hubby.
They had sale. Go for sale! Well, I hope he won’t read this review.
T-​shirt $ 18
25% off -$ 4.5
8% Tax $ 1.08
Total $ 14.58

I always avoid this place because of the overpriced items, but one time I absolutely had to go there to purchase poster paint (forgot why).
While I was there, I figured I should see if they carried a used textbook I needed. I went up to an employee to ask her if it was available.
She rolled her eyes at me (the conversation she was having with someone else was apparently was more interesting). She searched for the book I told her about, made a face, and told me, «Not here. Are you SURE you know what you’re even looking for?» She told me this with such attitude, so I was trying really hard not to blow.
Not all the employees are like this I’m quite sure of it, but this one irritating, rude lady (she did not look like a student, she seemed older) helped build up the opinion I have toward this place.

Scarily, it’s already been about 12 years since I graduated from UCSD… and at least 5 years or so since I went back to visit. The campus has changed like crazy, including the bookstore here. Overall it’s expanded quite a bit, giving some more actual choices for shirts/​sweatshirts etc… While I was going to school here I had a thing against buying gear for the school I was still going to, so FINALLY bought my first UCSD shirt today. :)
For those of you who haven’t swung by the campus for a while… check out the backside of the Price Center… It’s AMAZING what they have in there now… as well as what’s coming in near Marshall… I guess it’s where 6^th is now?
If you’re a student… of course this isn’t the place to buy books… buy online and you’ll save a ton. Or of course there was the Co-​op too… Wow… memories flooding back!

Awesome place to get a mac or software! I like to wait for new macs to come out then they have awesome blowout sales on the previous generation hardware. They offer a decent educational discount on new macs too. There is a good selection of mac accessories and consumables like laptop batteries. The staff is also great at answering my mac questions.

While the Bookstore is overpriced you can get some good deals if you are staff, alumni, etc. on computers/​software.
The staff are always helpful and friendly if you are looking for something or need to special order anything.
This summer we went looking for an iPad at the Apple Store in UTC, Best Buy and of course no one had any. I called the UCSD Bookstore just to see if they had any. Yes they did, and they had all 6 available! Very happy!

Most items are overpriced, marked up due to the UCSD logo slapped on it. The alumni section is somewhat small, and often times I can’t find clothes in my size. They say they will restock every week, but I checked back twice for some sweatpants and they still didn’t have my size!
The prices of used books are ridiculous because for a buy-​back, I only got $ 2 for it. Then they go around and charge $ 10-​$ 15 for it… Wow, it’s like a sketchy pawnshop.
However, their apple/​Mac deals are nice. Apple products are pricier than PCs, but sometimes you will find apple deals cheaper than at the apple store. They’re at a good location and there’s plenty of seating. I liked that they have multiple entrances, but I miss having the sunshine store inside. ;/

I am going to try and repair the poor Unilocal rating for this vilified UC Bookstore.
I am grateful to them for employing my teen son this summer. That alone is worth 5 Stars to me! However, I remember being shocked at some of the textbook prices here when I was a student in another era. But daddy was paying for that obscure European press text on Hitler’s War Machine so I just grinned and bear-​ed it.
Now I can say that it is a very professionally run and complete Bookstore and so much more. Books of every make and model-​both for UC classes, extension courses and general edification of the brain. An impressive array or computers and lap tops for sale. A section of medical scrubs and clothing for the UCSD Medical School students-​and those of us who wish to be Doctors or Nurses for Halloween!
The second floor of the Bookstore is Merchandise Central! A great clothing department filled with UCSD hats, hoodies, and T-​shirts to impress the opposite sex with the size of your… cerebral cortex! The gift shop and school supplies are here also. The Bookstore offers free delivery to many locations and a re-​chargable gift card that allows generous patrons and family members to help pay for those 10 lb. REQUIRED textbooks! Employee offices, break rooms and such cover the 3^rd floor.
Here is another personal reason I would like to try and rectify the Unilocal rating of UCSD Bookstore. They offer small-​press or self-​published independent authors a small foothold in the door. You can request a Book-​signing or other promotional activity during their Quarterly Events.
Now this is crucial to me since I am in the process of writing a book that I hope will Change-​The_​World! I hope to use my connections– my son’s employment status and my alumni credentials to solicit my transformation OEUVRE here on campus!
So I do hope that the many reading these words will OVERLOOK the high price of textbooks, the dire lack of convenient parking, the smart Asians who are always in the classes you need to graduate and affect the grade curve! Also the fact that there really aren’t many HOT guys and girls here because mostly smart people don’t care about their looks that much. I have never been accused of shop-​lifting mainly because one of the 10 COMMANDMENTS is Not to steal and I would be afraid of dis-​pleasing God– and not so much the undercover security guards!
Yes-​5 STARS for keeping my beloved son gainfully employed and off his computer games for the summer! 5 Stars for UCSD Bookstore one day holding MY VERY OWN Book-​Signing Event and acting graciously towards offbeat writers such as myself and offering us hope that we can one day be as big a draw as Sam the Cooking Guy is over at Cost Co!

Overpriced, Overpriced, Overpriced… they are out to get us here!!!
*come during the Spring Sale… They mark alot of things down so it’s just overpriced instead of being Triply overpriced!

I used to think this place was alright. Until I got accused of shoplifting.
Warning: profanity ahead. In case you’re wondering, this occurred a little over two hours ago.
What happened was the goddamn cashier didn’t ring up everything I put on the fucking counter. I didn’t notice. I signed the fuckin receipt and peaced out. Halfway across the parking lot, I’m caught up with by a pair of loss prevention bimbos asking to escort me back onto the premises for unlawful acquisition of merchandise.
My thoughts: «EXCUSE FUCKIN ME?»
My words: «Pardon?»
It’s not as though I was concealing anything. I walked out with the stupid shit in hand, thinking that everything had been billed to my credit company. I had spent damn near half an hour talking to one of the computer specialists (who, admittedly, was very helpful) trying to figure out which adapter to get in order to hook up my Macbook to a computer monitor I used to use for my PC. Why the hell would I invest myself in all that fuckin jazz if I weren’t intending on purchasing? Much love to the tech specialists, but the unskilled bookstore staff can suck it.
After realizing the mishap on my receipt, I offered to pay for the unaccounted for items. I should have demanded to receive them free for all the trouble they were causing me, but I didn’t in order to avoid further conflict. All of this to no avail. They had nothing on me, and yet insisted on taking down my information.
So I sat through a half hour of scanning several forms of ID, as well as all of the merchandise I presumed to have been paid for. I was then accompanied to customer service to purchase the items that weren’t on my first receipt.
Rude employees. A completely mortifying experience. In addition to the threat of receiving a fine in the mail for anything between 50 and 500 dollars.
They can expect me back very soon… with some very interesting words to throw at management. I have never shoplifted, and have never been accused of shoplifting. I am shocked and appalled by the terrible treatment I received at this establishment, and they are never receiving my business again, whether it be for personal or work-​related purchases.
If I do not receive a full apology for all this shit, I will file a formal complaint of harassment. My name will NOT be tainted on the account of incompetence in doing polite and honest business.

I visit the UCSD Bookstore at least 2 – 3 times per month, whether I want to or not. Located in the Price Center, it’s not even really a bookstore per se, since it carries computers, electronics, housewares, clothing, and various other items. It’s like a Target, but without the gnarly shopping-​cart escalator. Most of the time I end up here whenever we need something for the office, and our supervisor or admin assistant sends us on errands here.
The first level has the books and electronics. The books are all priced at a premium. The textbooks are especially guilty of being marked up and bundled with useless study guides and extras that nobody really needs. But this is a common symptom of the textbook economy at all schools. On the bright side, this is where I took advantage of Apple’s education discount to snag myself a new Macbook (with a free iPod Touch and printer thrown in).
Also, the first level has a massive selection of medical/​science-​oriented books. And don’t forget to check out the largest selection of plush novelty microbes that you’ll ever see. They’re totally awesome. (Both the books and the plush germs.)
The second floor has clothes, office supplies, and housewares. Even though I’ve been at UCSD for several years, I can’t bring myself to pay these exorbitant prices for a UCSD tee or hoodie. I just can’t do it. I’m still waiting to win some campus raffle or something, because maybe then I can get my hands on a gift certificate.
On the other hand, when two buttons fell off my dress shirt an hour before I had to give a presentation, the UCSD Bookstore was the only place on walking distance where I could find a cheap sewing kit. For saving my butt that one time, I will offer the UCSD Bookstore my grudging respect.
Moral of the story: I feel safe and secure knowing that it’s there, but I wouldn’t actively recommend the UCSD Bookstore to the casual book-​browser.

Oh my god. They’re «not allowed» to give out the ISBN numbers on their books (According to Kia). So if you actually need help finding a book that they don’t have in stock or that their book list doesn’t make clear good effing luck.
This whole place is one gigantic scam designed to force you to use their services and charge you more money.
Every quarter, without fail, i can find all my books on
and they are cheaper and come with free delivery. Not just a little cheaper either, on the more expensive books I’m saving like $ 40-​$ 60.
UCSD Bookstore, you can suck it.

Uh, negative millions of stars (which represent the positive millions UC Regents makes).
It looks like a mini Wal-​Mart.
Everything is overpriced (I only go there when my books are taking forever to come in from amazon), they have loss prevention snitches who follow you around and pretty much harass you.
General Store Co-​Op sells textbooks and UCSD merch (as well as Reef sandals!) at prices much much cheaper than the bookstore GUARANTEED!
So if you’re like me, tired of dishing out thousands and thousands to UC Regents and are pissed off about it, don’t shop there.
I like to hang out there and tell people that the co-​ops are cheaper and then I get kicked out :(

This place is great! It pretty much has everything you need! Prices are DECENT, but for the apparel items i would wait for a sale since they are a bit over priced. Everything else is priced fairly, the construction right now makes it look a bit messy though, but hey it’s gonna be newer and bigger soon! I’ve seen many people get caught stealing from here though so don’t even try guys! It’s not worth it!
btw ucsd rocks! triton pride! woo