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Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What is CengageBrain.com?

Answer: CengageBrain.com is a single destination for more than 15,000 new print textbooks, textbook rentals, eTextbooks, single eChapters, and print, digital, and audio study tools. CengageBrain.com provides the freedom to purchase a-la-carte exactly what you need, when you need it.

What can I buy at CengageBrain.com?

Answer: CengageBrain.com offers printed textbooks for purchase and rental, eTextbooks, individual eChapters, and study tools, including online homework solutions such as CengageNow, OWL, Aplia, Personal Trainer etc. CengageBrain.com also offers audio study tools as well as select video study tool products.

What is the CengageBrain.com privacy policy?

Answer: Read our privacy policy.

How do I access support?

Answer: Phone Hours of Operation: Call 866-994-2427
*Important note: during back-to-school and other busy periods, you might experience extended hold times.
We suggest using the self service web site before calling support.

Phone hours of operation:

Customer Support: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST
Technical Support: Monday – Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m and Friday, 8:30 a.m – 6:00 p.m.

E-mail Hours of Operation:

Email and chat support is available at:

Customer Support: cengagebrain.support@cengage.com
Email hours of operation: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST

Technical Support: cengagebrain.techsupport@cengage.com
Email/chat hours of operation: Available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

Customers in the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa:
Phone - +44 (0) 1264 342932
Email – clsuk.cengagebrain@cengage.com

Customers in Latin America:
For queries regarding your order/billing please contact Customer Services email: clsla.cengagebrain@cengage.com
For queries regarding site availability and downloading, use and printing of your electronic purchases, please email Technical Support:
cengagebrain.techsupport@cengage.com

I live outside of the US. Can I make purchases on CengageBrain.com?

Answer: CengageBrain.com currently supports sales to US, EMEA (Europe, Africa, and the Middle East) and Latin America customers only.

Storefronts
To visit the US or Latin America store, go to www.CengageBrain.com
To visit the EMEA store, go to www.CengageBrain.com

Other Regions
If you are a customer outside of these regions, we apologize that we cannot serve you at this time. We have plans to expand into other regions throughout 2010 and 2011. Please check back regularly.
Or, if you would like to be notified when we rollout additional storefronts, register and we’ll notify you via email.

What are closeout titles?

Answer: Closeout products are not standard new textbook offerings. They are titles that are either going out of stock, slightly damaged or imperfect on the outside but in new condition on the inside, or may be going out of print. These books are priced lower than other titles because they are not standard new textbooks and are non-returnable.

System Requirements and Compatibility

What are the system requirements for accessing content purchased on CengageBrain.com?

Answer:
Windows
Macintosh
Intel/AMD 300 megahertz or higher processor clock speed Both PowerPC and Intel-based Macs are supported
Microsoft Windows 7, Vista 32 bit, Windows XP Professional or Home Edition (Service Pack 1 or 2), Windows 2000 (Service Pack 2), Windows XP Tablet PC Edition Mac OS X 10.3 - 10.6
128MB of RAM (256MB recommended) 128MB of RAM (256MB recommended)
*Browser Compatibility: Internet Explorer 7, Internet Explorer 8 *Browser: Safari or Firefox
*Adobe Reader 9 *Adobe Reader 9 on Mac OS X 10.4.3 - 10.6
*Adobe Reader 7 supported for Mac OS X 10.3 to 10.4.2

* Note: JavaScript and cookies must be enabled.

If you have questions about systems requirements, contact customer support: 866-994-2427.

Is CengageBrain.com compatible with IE8?

Answer: Yes, but you must make sure that you are using the latest version of the SealedMedia unsealer software.

Instructions for existing users who have upgraded to IE8:
In order to access your content using IE8, you must update to the most recent version of the unsealer software. Download the latest version of the unsealer software.

Instructions for new users who are using IE8:
To view the content you purchased, you MUST first download and install the unsealer software. Download the latest version of the unsealer software. A brief system check will occur after your install the software to ensure your machine is compatible.

Is CengageBrain.com compatible with VISTA?

Answer:Yes, CengageBrain.com does support the use of Windows VISTA.

CengageBrain.com does not currently support Vista 64 bit processors.

Do I need to have a broadband connection (DSL, Cable) to utilize CengageBrain.com?

Answer: Since the full eTextbook and eChapter files can be large, we do recommend that you utilize a broadband connection for accessing CengageBrain.com content.

Checkout, Purchase history, and My Account

What if my purchased items are not showing up in My Account?

Answer: During heavy volume periods, it can take several minutes for purchased items to populate your My Account page. If you are expecting to see content and it is not present, refresh the page by clicking your browser's refresh button. If it’s been 30 minutes or more and your My Account page has not populated, please contact Customer Support at 866-994-2427 or email cengagebrain.support@cengage.com

How can I see a list of the items I've purchased on CengageBrain.com?

Answer: Login to the site and go to My Account to view your electronic content. If you would like to view a receipt of your purchase(s) or check shipping status of a print text, click on MyPurchaseHistory.

How do I access my content after purchase?

Answer: Click on the My Account link in the top nav bar to access your purchased materials. You will need to login to access your content.

I can not select my school/company/institution during the checkout process. What do I do?

Answer: If you have accessed this website via a third party webpage (other than www.CengageBrain.com) and are having trouble using the school picker, please copy and paste the url www.CengageBrain.com directly into a new browser window and try again. The CengageBrain.com website is not designed to be accessed via a "frame" within another site and this may be causing the issue. If you are still having trouble after trying this, please contact customer support.

Shipping and Returns

What is the CengageBrain.com returns policy?

Answer: Refunds or exchanges are available for non-electronically delivered products within 30 days of purchase. Refunds are not available for items delivered electronically, including eTextbooks, eChapters, and Access Codes for online products. Returns must be in saleable condition. All software and CD-ROMs must be returned to Cengage Learning with the original envelope seal or package seal unbroken and intact.

I purchased the same eChapter twice by mistake. What do I do?

Answer: Please contact Customer Service for a refund.

How long does it take for a print textbook to ship?

Answer: Orders will ship within 1-2 business days of receipt of the order in the warehouse.
UPS delivers Monday - Friday. No Saturday delivery is available from this Web site.

Can I receive a refund on the purchase of an eTextbook if I drop my class?

Answer: No, we do not accept returns of any digital products

How do I get free shipping?

Answer: Free shipping is offered for physical and print orders of $25 or more. Digital Products and Textbook Rentals are ineligible for free shipping and do not count toward the $25 dollar free shipping total. Textbook Rentals will always include a minimum shipping fee of $3.99.

Textbook Rental Questions

How do rentals work?

Answer:
  1. Rent - Select the rental period and add the rental title to your cart.
  2. Receive - Your book(s) should arrive within 1-5 business days of leaving our warehouse.
  3. Return - Use the prepaid shipping label to ship the book back.

How much will rentals cost?

Answer: Rentals will be up to 70% off list price for a 130-day semester rental

What are the available rental period options?

Answer:
  • Semester 130 days
  • Quarter 90 days
  • Summer 60 days

How much will I pay for shipping my textbook rental?

Answer: Rental orders are excluded from the free shipping for orders over $25 promotion.

We offer UPS Ground for a flat rate of $3.99 and UPS express shipping for $9.99.

CengageBrain.com will provide you with a prepaid shipping label if you decide to cancel your rental order or if your rental period is near completion and you wish to return your rental. There is no charge for returning the book to CengageBrain.com if you process your return and cancellation through CengageBrain.com.

What textbook condition can I expect?

Answer: You can expect a textbook in readable condition without any major damage to the spine or cover. If, for any reason, you are not happy with the condition of your book, we will exchange it for another one.

How do I extend my rental?

Answer: You may extend your rental due date after the first 30 days of your rental but before the rental due date.

To extend your rental due date:

  1. Click http://www.CengageBrain.com/myrentals
  2. Select your rental
  3. Click Extend

You may extend your rental for 15, 30, 60, 90, or 130 days.

What is your past due return policy?

Answer: A penalty is assessed for rental returns not received in the warehouse within the due date plus 7 day grace period. The penalty amount will be the list price of the book minus the total sum of your rental fee plus any rental extensions you may have purchased.

If you need your books for longer or you cannot make your due date, we encourage you to apply for an extension http://www.CengageBrain.com/myrentals

How do I process a rental cancellation?

Answer: You can process a rental cancellation within the first 30 days of your rental start date.

  1. Click http://www.CengageBrain.com/myrentals
  2. Select the rental you wish to cancel
  3. Be sure to use the prepaid UPS label provided to ensure that you receive credit for your cancellation.
  4. Drop off your package to the nearest UPS package drop of location at least five Business days before your first 30 days are up.

If you have rented multiple textbooks from CengageBrain.com please be sure to print a separate label for each rental and package each textbook in a separate box.

How do I package my rental for returns or cancellations?

Answer: To be sure your rental return or cancellation is properly processed please be sure to

  1. Print out a return label for each rental contract
  2. Place each rental in its own box

If you have rented and are canceling or returning multiple textbooks from CengageBrain.com please be sure to print a separate label for each rental and package each textbook in a separate box.

May I package and ship two rental returns or cancellations together?

Answer: No, to properly receive credit for your return or cancellation, you must process each rental separately.

Each rental return or cancellation must be packaged in a separate box with the correct label placed on each box.

How do I process a return at the end of my rental?

Answer: You can process a return after the first 30 days of your rental but before your rental due date.

  1. Click http://www.CengageBrain.com/myrentals
  2. Select the rental you wish to return
  3. Be sure to use the prepaid UPS label provided to ensure that you receive credit for your return
  4. Drop off your package to the nearest UPS package drop off location. We recommend dropping of your rental at the UPS drop off location at least five Business days before your due date.

If you have rented and are returning multiple textbooks from CengageBrain.com please be sure to print a separate label for each rental and package each textbook in a separate box.

What is CengageBrain.com's policy for damaged textbook rentals?

Answer: Damage to a rented book is defined as any condition that makes the book unusable by other students.

Damage can be:

  • Any liquid damage to the textbook
  • a broken spine or binding
  • pages that are missing, torn, stained or illegible
  • covers that are missing or torn
  • any such condition that makes the book unsuitable for future use
  • any handwriting
  • excessive highlighting that makes the book unreadable

Do rentals include ancillary and supplemental materials?

Answer: We currently do not offer rental bundles that combine a textbook along with supplemental material such as workbooks, cd-roms, digital homework, and Aplia products.

Many of our ancillary or supplemental materials, however, are available for sale individually on CengageBrain.com

Can I buy my rental?

Answer: Yes, you can convert your rental to purchase after the first 30 days of your rental but before your rental due date. If you wish to purchase your rental but your due date has passed, simply keep your textbook and we will charge your credit card for the list price of the book minus the total sum of your rental fee plus any rental extensions you may have purchased.

  1. Click http://www.CengageBrain.com/myrentals
  2. Select your rental
  3. Click Convert to Purchase

What do the statuses within my rentals mean?

Answer:

  1. Submitted - Your order has been placed but has not shipped from our warehouse. Orders typically ship within 1-2 business days.
  2. Active - Your rental contract is currently active. If you have processed a cancel or return, we have not received your package in our warehouse.
  3. Cancelled - Your rental contract is cancelled. No further action is needed.
  4. Expired - Your rental contract is closed and you have been charged a "No-Return Penalty".
  5. Purchased - You have converted your rental to purchase. Your rental contract is now closed.
  6. Returned - Your rental has been returned in our warehouse and your contract is now closed
  7. Returned with Penalty - Your rental return was received in the warehouse, however, it was either "Past-Due Return" or "Damaged Condition". Further details about whether your rental was coded as a Past-Due Return or Unacceptable Condition are available in the Rental History Section.

eTextbooks and eChapters Questions

What file format is used to deliver the eTextbook and eChapter content?

Answer: The files are sPDFs. A sPDF is a secure PDF file. An sPDF is the same as a standard PDF file with the addition of DRM (digital rights management) software to protect the copyrighted content. DRM enables secure distribution and prevents illegal distribution of paid content over the Web. SealedMedia (Oracle) provides the DRM software for CengageBrain.com. This software is required to access your electronic content.

What do I do after I purchase my electronic content?

Answer: Please note: you MUST first download and install the viewer software before you access your content. A brief system check will occur after your install the viewer to ensure your machine is compatible. Download the viewer

How do I download the viewer software?

Answer: To download the viewer, click here. A brief system check will occur after you install the viewer to ensure your machine is compatible.

Is there an installation guide for the DRM plug-in?

Answer: Installation Guide (Windows)   Installation Guide (MAC)

I don't know if I've downloaded the viewer software? How can I tell?

Answer: To do a system check, click here.

Can I access my content on more than one computer?

Answer: You are granted two licenses to your content. You can access your content on a third computer but to do so, you must first check in your license.

Please be aware that on shared computers and lab machines, you may not have permission to download the Unsealer Software. Therefore, you will not be able to access your eTextbooks and eChapters via these computers. It is recommended that you access your eTextbooks and eChapters from a private computer.

How can I view my content offline?

Answer: Save the sPDF file to the desired location. To do this, click the Save icon (to the right of the Unsealer button on the document toolbar) or choose File "Save As" from the toolbar menu. Choose the location where you would like to save the file and click Save. To open the file, go to the location where the file was saved and double click the file.

How long can I access my content offline?

Answer: You can access your content offline for a period of 60 days. After 60 days, you are required to login to the CengageBrain.com site and reauthenticate your license.

How long can I access the electronic content I purchase?

Answer: Standard length of access to digital content is one semester. Some titles that are published for two or three semester courses have a longer content access period. We recommend that you print an archive (hard copy) of your electronic content before the content expiration date. Please note: Content access period also applies to content you have saved offline.

Click here to see a list of titles with subscription lengths of over 180 days

Am I able to print the eTextbook or eChapters I purchased?

Answer: Yes, you can print as many pages as you like of the eTextbook or eChapters. Please note, all printed copies will be stamped with your name. Also, CengageBrain.com monitors printing and reserves the right to revoke print privileges in the event that they are being abused by a user.

What do I do if I have a problem printing?

Answer: If you are receiving printing errors, please try these steps:

1. Select Print - Advanced (bottom of the page)
2. Select Print as Image option
3. You should now be able to print the content

If you are still having issues, please contact Technical Support at 866-994-2427 or cengagebrain.techsupport@cengage.com for assistance.

Why are some images not present in the eTextbook and eChapters?

Answer: Digital content is functionally equivalent to the print textbook. In some cases, individual items have been removed for web delivery.

What is the difference between the first free eChapter (and TOC) and the eChapters for sale?

Answer: The first eChapter of each book (in some cases this is eChapter 0 or eChapter P (preview eChapter), and the table of contents are PDF files. These items are included free to provide users the opportunity to review the content in a digital format. You do not need to download the unsealer to view these items. However, you must register to view a free eChapter or a table of contents. Also, purchased eChapters show up in My Account but the free eChapter(s) you viewed will not.

When I attempt to view an eChapter I receive the following message: "You do not own this document."

Answer: This is likely the result of your being logged out of the system. Please go back to the homepage (http://www.CengageBrain.com), click the log out button at the top of the home page and login again.

I am receiving a "no license available" message when I attempt to view my eTextbook or eChapter.

Answer: Please call 866-994-2427 or email the Technical Support team at cengagebrain.techsupport@cengage.com. Please include your username and purchase confirmation # to expedite the handling of your inquiry.

I purchased an eTextbook at my bookstore. How do I access it?

Answer: On the home page, click on the orange link in the footer called “Redeem a Pre-Paid code.” Enter the code you received when you purchased your eTextbook and click the “Redeem” button. Follow the directions to complete the code registration process. Once you complete the process, you’ll be able to access your eTextbook via My Account.

Are eTextbooks and eChapters editable?

Answer: eTextbooks and eChapters purchased via CengageBrain.com are not editable. You may not take notes, highlight or copy/paste text. This is due to rights restrictions and copyright laws.




See Also

Online Courses, Homework, and Study Tools

I’ve purchased a CengageNow product. How do I access it?

Answer: Login to the site and go to My Account. You will see the CengageNow product you purchased. Click the “open” button to access it. Follow instructions on the screen for entering your school information and registering for your course.

For customers within the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa, you will receive a code by post. For queries, please contact customer services:
Phone - +44 (0) 1264 342932
Email – clsuk.cengagebrain@cengage.com

I’ve purchased an online homework solution (OWL, PersonalTrainer, Diet Analysis etc). How do I access it?

Answer: Login to the site and go to My Account. You will see the online study tool listed. Click the “open” button. A pop up window will appear with your access code and instructions for how to register it. Simply click on the registration link and enter your access code to access your product.




See Also