Buyback Program Policy

Updated October 2025

First Homeschool is Arkansas’s resource for discounted used/new homeschool books and supplies. We buy and sell gently used curriculum, literature, and other educational items from the public. We are here for you on your homeschooling journey. Let us know how we can help!

How Does This Work?

• Bring in your books or other educational items
• Complete our Customer Information sheet (driver’s license may be needed)
• Receive a cash/store credit offer from First Homeschool to purchase most (or all) of your items

How Do You Determine the Value of My Books?

• Current demand
• Current inventory of that item or related items
• Book physical condition (front/back cover, spine, missing pages, weathering, markings, scuff marks, etc.)
• Current retail value on other used platforms (eBay, ThriftBooks, Amazon, etc.)
• Current retail value of that item (or related items) we are selling in-store
• Presence of any inside notes, marks, student answers, highlights, etc.
• Feasibility to sell (e.g., All About Spelling Review Boxes can be difficult to sell)

How Much Do You Pay for What You Take?

Low-Value Books (Under $6)

Items priced under $6 often have very low resale value. Because these books are either inexpensive to begin with or heavier to ship relative to their price, they rarely cover their own costs once shipping, processing, and storage are factored in. To keep the buyback program sustainable, we’ve set flat-rate cash offers:

• Books priced $2.99 or less: $0.25 each
• Books priced $3–$5.99: $1.00 each
• Store Credit (non-cash option): 50% of in-store retail price

Families also have the option to donate these books directly to First Homeschool instead of selling them. Donated items may be used for giveaways, classroom resources, or offered at little-to-no cost to families who need affordable materials, brought to another book resale program, or disposed of depending on condition and demand.

Standard Buyback (Books $6 and Above)

For books priced above $5.99, we generally pay 30–40% of our in-store retail price. The percentage offered depends on the book’s demand, condition, and current inventory levels. Customers may also opt-in to receive store credit for items, valued at 50% of our in-store retail price.

Our in-store retail price is defined as the initial price that we mark the item in our physical storefront for the first 3 months. Prices are subject to change after the first 3-month period due to demand, store sales, and other variables outside of our control.

How Long Does It Take to Receive My Offer?

• Offers are sent as soon as possible, usually within 1–2 weeks depending on volume.
• Large numbers of items may take up to an additional week.
• Same-day processing may be possible, depending on customer traffic and item complexity.
• Staff will bundle offers as much as possible after product research and inquiry.

How Will I Get Paid After an Accepted Offer?

• If accepted cash offer is under $30 → paid in cash.
• If over $30 → payment available by check, Venmo, or PayPal.
• If store credit is selected → credited to customer profile, redeemable in-store or online.

What Happens to Items Not Purchased?

Customers must pick up any item not purchased within 3 business days after an accepted offer. Items not picked up will be placed in our donation bookcase. Customers may also choose to donate items directly.

Do I Need an Appointment?

No appointment is necessary unless you bring more than 30 items. If an appointment is needed, please message us on Facebook, or email/call at contact@firsthomeschool.com.

Are There Any Limits to What I Can Bring?

Currently, we’re either not accepting or limiting acceptance of the following items:

• Abeka Video Lesson Guides
• BJU Distance Learning Parent & Student Guides
• Digital/PDF self-printed curriculum
• Badly damaged books
• Media not in original case
• Fictional or children’s literature
• Loose items not in original packaging (e.g., binders)
• Board games
• Heavily marked or incomplete items
• Library-tagged items (e.g., Imagination Library)
• Wet or water-damaged items
• Items with live bugs
• Encyclopedia sets
• Time-Life sets
• Dictionaries/thesauruses (children’s/foreign language exceptions)
• VHS, cassette tapes, computer games