Customer service

General

I would like to apply for a job at Acco.

Would you like to find out if Acco is looking for new talent and apply for one of our jobs? Our jobs page provides you with all the information!

I am a student, where can I find my coursebooks?

Students can visit a specialised webshop per institute. There you can consult and order from a list of study materials. If you can’t find your institute, your school will share the correct link with you.

I am a teacher, where can I obtain more information?

Would you like more information about publishing through Acco, ordering a teacher’s copy, or confirming your study materials? If so, find out here.

Account and Share

What is an Acco share?

An Acco share allows you to buy your study materials at beneficial rates and for the rest of your life! After all, lifelong learning is essential in today’s ever-changing society. Not only for students, but also throughout one’s career. An Acco share is a personal share and costs € 31, an investment that will offer you quick returns through interesting discounts. Books, coursebooks or office supplies: with an Acco share you pay less for all these essential items. And the best news? Your share is a once-in-a-lifetime purchase that stays valid long after you graduate.

You can buy a share online!

What advantages does an Acco share give me?

An Acco share gives you a lifelong discount:

• 25% on Acco courses
• 15% on Acco coursebooks
• up to 15% on stationery and office supplies
• up to 10% on compulsory literature and e-books

Where can I buy an Acco share?

You can buy an Acco share online. As soon as you receive an email with confirmation, you can use your personal number for your purchases in the webshop. You can also buy an Acco share in our shops. In that case, you pay € 31 at the cash desk and will receive your personal card there and then.

Can I use my Acco share in the webshop?

Yes, you can also use your share online. Create an account, enter your shareholder number and the discount will be calculated (where relevant) automatically.

I keep getting the message that my Acco share is not valid.

Do you have a number which is less than seven digits (e.g. a shareholder number of 1234)? Old shareholder numbers, from before 2014, have been standardised into a seven-digit number for use in the webshop. Just add a 9 and as many 0s as you need to create a seven-digit number (e.g. 1234 becomes 9001234). Still having problems? If so, get in touch with us via the contact form.

I’ve lost or forgotten my Acco share.

If you’ve lost your Acco shareholder card, you can always drop into one of our shops and ask for a new one. If you’ve left your card at home, just ask at the cash desk or counter to retrieve your number. Do you want to order online but can’t find your number? Get in touch with us via the contact form: we have your number in our database!

Can I still use my old Acco share?

Yes. Old shareholder numbers have been standardised into a seven-digit number for use in the webshop. Just add a 9 and as many 0s as you need to create a seven-digit number (e.g. 1234 becomes 9001234). Still having problems? If so, get in touch with us via the contact form.

Can I use the Acco share of my parents/brother or sister/friend?

An Acco share is strictly personal. By taking out a one-off share you be entitled to a lifelong discount. As a cooperative, we work with our shareholders to ensure that your study needs stay as affordable as possible!

Can I resubmit my Acco share?

Yes, after 5 years you can resubmit your Acco share to Acco. In this case you will recoup more than 80% of your original investment. To do this, just drop in to one of our shops.

Do I need to create an account?

Registration is not compulsory for making online purchases but is extremely convenient! When you make a subsequent purchase, all your details will have already been registered. If you have or want to buy an Acco share, we ask you to create an account. With your personal shareholder number as a link, everything will run like clockwork.

Can I change my account details?

Yes. You can change your personal details, such as address and email address yourself. You can also link an Acco share to an account. What’s more, there are also user benefits, such as easy online ordering, being able to consult your purchasing history and trace shipments.

Can I delete my account?

Get in touch with us via the contact form if you want to delete your account.

I’ve forgotten my password.

This can always happen! When you log in, click on ‘Forgot your password?’ and we will send you an email so that you can reset your password.

Can I consult my purchasing history?

Yes, once you have created an account for ordering, if you are online you can consult your purchasing history and your orders.

How can I subscribe to the newsletter?

Our newsletter keeps you updated about the latest offers and promotions, new titles, events, etc. within your own specific field. You can subscribe via this page.

Where do I find the privacy policy?

Acco respects your privacy. We are responsible for ensuring that the personal details you provide us with are treated in confidence, except when disclosure is legally required or permitted. More information can be found here.

Where do I find the terms and conditions of sale?

Our general terms and conditions apply to all orders and can be found here.

Products

I cannot find the item I am looking for.

Our webshop is supplied with new products on a daily basis but in some cases, you might not be able to find what you are looking for. We are happy to assist you further via the contact form.

How can I search?

Our webshop can easily be consulted using the search function. The search function can always be found at the top of each web page. Enter one or more search terms in the search field and press enter or click on the magnifying glass to perform the search query. You can search on different criteria, such as author, title, search word, publisher or ISBN. It is also possible to search on different combinations of these criteria to narrow down the results. You can also search and refine by using the navigation. In this way you can browse the various specialist areas more easily. You can also filter, for example, on publisher, category and promotions.

Why are items listed with two prices?

The two prices refer to the normal sales price and the price with a shareholder discount. Are you interested in a lifelong discount on study materials and more? Read more about our Acco share here.

Can I buy the item in one of the shops?

Of course! You are welcome to visit one of our book and stationery shops in Antwerp, Ghent and Leuven or our campus shops in Heverlee and Kortrijk. Addresses and opening times can be found here. The range of products different per shop, but you can always choose in which shop you want to buy a particular item.

Can I see whether a particular item is in stock in one of the shops?

Do not hesitate to contact us via the contact form if you require more information about the availability of a particular title or whether it is in stock. For the time being, it is not possible to do this via the webshop.

Where can I find my coursebooks (as a student)?

Students can visit a specialised webshop per institute. There you can consult and order from a list of study materials. If you can’t find your institute, your school will share the correct link with you.

How can I order a teacher’s copy?

As a teacher in higher education, it’s possible for you to order a teacher’s copy for most Acco publications for 50% of the price. If after reading the teacher’s copy you decide to use the publication as study material, the amount you paid will be refunded. More information and an application form can be found here (only in Dutch).

How can I order a press copy?

Are you a journalist and have you seen an Acco title which has caught your eye? If so, do not hesitate to ask for a review copy. Leave your details here (the form is currently only available in Dutch). We will arrange to send the book to you, digitally or in the paper version, whichever you wish.

Would you like to speak top one of the authors, or do you have any other questions? If so, feel free to contact us.

Can I also order a printing product?

Yes, you can order a printing product through our webshop. Just upload the digital file, select the requirements and we will print it for you. You can either choose to collect or have it sent to you.

Can I also order office equipment?

Yes, you can find a selection of office equipment items in our webshop which can either be ordered for collection or can be sent to you. Do not hesitate to contact us via the contact form if you have any questions, or you are looking for a specific product! We have an extensive selection of office equipment in our shops.

Where do I find the promotions?

Each title in a specific promotion will be labelled. We will also show our promotion on the homepage of our webshop.

Where do I enter my discount code?

You can enter your discount code in the shopping cart. The discount will be calculated automatically.

Ordering

How can I place an order?

So, you’ve found the product you want. What next? Easy! Just put the item in the shopping cart. Once your shopping cart has all the items you need, you can complete the order. Enter all your details as correctly as possible and make your payment online. Your online order is then complete and you will receive confirmation from us by email.

I’m experiencing problems when ordering.

If it’s not possible to order via your standard browser, why not try another browser? And if this doesn’t work, please describe the problem via our contact form giving us as much information as possible (a description, the URL where the problem occurred, if possible with a screenshot).

What happens the item I want can’t be made available?

If it turns out that the item cannot be made available, we will notify you and give you a refund.

Why haven’t I received confirmation?

Confirmation of your order may have ended up in your spam box. Can you find it there? If not, you should contact us via the contact form.

I want to cancel an order before it’s delivered.

You can cancel the online order as long as it hasn’t been sent yet. In this case, the best thing to do is to contact us via the contact form. What happens if the package has already been sent? For physical goods, you are entitled to return the item within 14 days.

Can I add any more items once I have completed my order?

Unfortunately, this is not possible. If you want to order anything extra, the best things to do is place another order.

I’ve ordered the wrong title.

You can cancel the online order as long as it hasn’t yet been sent. In this case, the best thing to do is to contact us via the contact form. What happens if the package has already been sent? In that case, for physical goods, you are entitled to return the item within 14 days.

Payment

How can I make a payment safely online?

All payments are made online. Transactions are processed via Ingenico, one of the leading European providers of payment services. Ingenico processes transactions on a safe payment server, encrypted for maximum privacy and protection. There are various methods by which you can pay online:

• Bancontact/Mister Cash
• Mastercard/EuroCard
• Visa
• Maestro (online transfer)
• ING Home Pay, KBC Online, Belfius Direct Net, etc.
• iDEAL

I’m experiencing problems when making my payment.

If you receive an error message during the payment process there may have been a temporary interruption. Often the problem just sorts itself out. We would advise you to try at a later time. If the problem persists you can contact us via our contact form.

Can I pay on credit?

No, payment on credit or via invoicing is not normally possible. Is this a problem? If so, please contact us via our contact form. We will look at your personal request.

How do I receive my invoice?

If you choose to have your goods delivered, the invoice will accompany this delivery. If you choose to collect, we will give you the paper invoice when you come to collect. If you wish to receive a digital (pdf) version of your invoice, you should contact us via our contact form.

Can my invoice be adjusted afterwards?

Please contact us via our contact form. We will look at your personal request.

Why do I see items listed with two prices?

The two different prices refer to the normal sales price and the price with a shareholder discount. Are you interested in a lifelong discount on study materials and more? More information can be found here.

Will I get student discount?

We do not give student discounts as a standard, but as a cooperative provide discounts via the Acco share. You will receive up 25% discount on courses, coursebooks and office equipment. Most students recoup their initial outlay after just 1 year! Every now and again, we have special prices for students in a specific educational establishment, so it is important that you order your study materials through the right webshop.

Where can I see the discount with my Acco share?

If you are entitled to discount with your Acco share, you will be able to see two prices alongside the item, one with and one without discount. If you have entered your personal shareholder’s number in your account, you will automatically see the prices with the share.

Where can I use my discount code?

You can enter your discount code in the shopping cart. The discount will be calculated automatically.

Can I use a gift voucher in the shops?

You certainly can! Our gift vouchers are valid in all our physical shops.

Can I use a gift voucher for an online order?

No, Acco (gift) vouchers currently cannot be validated in the webshop, only in our bookshops. You can always contact us via the contact form. We will arrange for the books to be picked up so that you can collect and pay using a gift voucher.

Delivery and collection

Where can I collect my order?

You can collect your order from the shop you select. We have bookshops and stationery shops in Leuven, Antwerp and Ghent. There are also two campus shops: in Heverlee and in Kortrijk. Addresses and opening times can be found here.

When can I collect my order?

You can collect your order as soon as we have sent you notification. Our bookstore staff will carefully search for the title and make sure that your invoice is printed out.

Can I have my order delivered?

Yes. We can arrange to have your package delivered through a postal delivery service. At Acco you can either choose for home delivery to have it delivered to a collection point.

How much are the delivery costs?

The delivery costs for online orders are calculated when you add them to your shopping cart. At Acco there are different delivery options you can choose from: home delivery or delivery to a collection point.

When will I receive my order?

The length of time you wait depends on the number of items you have in your shopping trolley. Our webshop will give you an indication of the estimated delivery period. As soon as you have placed an order, we will send you confirmation by email. The email will contain a summary of your order. As soon as we have arranged your package, we will send you another email listing the items being sent. You can click on a link in that email, or in your account, to track your order via the postal delivery company.

The status is stuck on ‘sender preparing item’.

If the status of your order is stuck on ‘sender preparing item’ this can be for several reasons:

• Your package has left our warehouse, but has not been scanned by the postal sorting office.
• The postal service may have delays sending out deliveries which means it will take longer before they are distributed.
• If your package has the same status for more than 10 days, it is likely it has got lost and you should contact us via the contact form.

My package has been sent but not delivered yet.

You have received an email saying that your package is on its way, but you’ve still not received anything? It’s possible there’s a delay in the postal sorting system. If you have still not received anything after 5 working days, contact us via our contact form.

I entered the wrong delivery address.

If the package has not yet been handed to the postal services, we can still change the address. Otherwise, we will see what other options are available. Please contact us via the contact form.

I’ve ordered several items, but not yet received everything.

Check on the accompanying documents if some titles have been specified as ‘still to be delivered’. This means that the title(s) in question are temporarily out of stock and will be sent to your address at a later date without you incurring any further delivery charges. If the title has not been specified, we’ll be happy to check for you. In this case, you can contact us via our contact form.

Can I have an order delivered outside the Benelux?

Do you want to receive a package outside the Benelux? If so, you should contact us via the contact form and we will check what is possible for you. For digital products there are no handling or delivery charges; after you place your order, we will send an email with the necessary information.

After delivery

I’ve still not received one of my items.

We will try our best to deliver your order as soon as possible. Are the delivery periods too far apart? In this case we will deliver in batches, so that you receive what you need as soon as possible. We will inform you about this by email or through your account. If you’re not sure whether a batch is on its way, you can contact us via the contact form.

I received the wrong item.

If we delivered the wrong item, please let us know within 48 hours using our contact form. The wrong item can be returned with our return form. We will issue you with a return label so that you can return the item free of charge. In this case, we will send you a new copy as soon as possible.

I received a damaged item.

If we delivered a damaged item, please let us know within 48 hours using our contact form, along with a photo of the damage and any damage to the packaging. The damaged item can be returned with our return form. We will issue you with a return label so that you can return the item free of charge. In this case, we will send you a new copy as soon as possible.

The item I received has printing errors.

If we delivered an item with printing errors, please let us know via our contact form, along with a photo of the problem. The item can be returned with our return form. We will issue you with a return label so that you can return the item free of charge. In this case, we will send you a new copy as soon as possible.

I want to return my order.

In order for us to take back the item, a number of conditions must first be satisfied:

• You are able to submit a purchase receipt, invoice or confirmation of the order.
• The item is undamaged.
• The item is still in its original, unopened packaging, if received in this condition.
• The 14 days after purchase/collection have not been exceeded.
• Syllabi (loose-leaf courses), which are printed at the request of the customer, cannot be returned.

You can take the item back to one of our shops in person and you will be refunded the amount you paid in cash.

You can also choose to send the item in its original condition to Acco RETOURS, Rijweg 173, 3020 Herent with the required documents and the return form. You can find our return form here. A credit note will be drawn up for the purchase amount, and if the package was returned as a whole, also the initial costs of shipping. The costs for the return shipment will not be refunded.

If we accidentally delivered an incorrect or damaged item, please let us know via our contact form, along with a photo of the damage. We will issue you with a return label so that you can return the item free of charge.

I have returned my order. When can I expect a refund?

Once we have received your return, we will try to refund the amount within 5 working days.

Where do I find downloads for a book?

There is a specific link to the downloads in each Acco book. When you go to this link, you will be able to find more information about the book you have bought, including the downloads. For downloads in a book which is not Acco’s you should follow the instructions in the book.

What should I do if the downloads are blocked?

Some downloads for books are freely available; others require an activation code. You will find this code in our books. The page on which the code can be found is always indicated by an icon. If your downloads are blocked, enter your activation code. After entering the code, the downloads will be freely available.

What happens if I cannot find the downloads with a book?

Does it specify on the page that the downloads are subject to delay? In this event, they will probably be soon available. Can’t you see any information about the promised downloads? In this case, you can contact us via our contact form.

E-books and Sofia

Does every book also have an e-book version?

No, we only sell the e-book for specific Acco books. You can search for these by filtering on product type.

When will I receive my e-book or online code?

After ordering you will receive an email with the link to the purchased e-book or online code. This can take up 15 to 45 minutes.

Which format do I receive my e-book in?

You will receive your Acco e-book in ePub. Depending on the title, e-books may also have DRM protection.

How can I read my e-book?

You download your e-book via the link which you have been sent by email. The ePub file will then be on your computer. You can transfer ePubs to e-readers or read in webapps in the browser.

Where can I find more information about Sofia?

Do you have any questions about Sofia, our online learning platform? If so, please consult the knowledge base.

I have bought a Sofia code. What next?

In addition to your order confirmation, you will also receive a separate email with your personal code for Sofia, our learning platform. To use the code, sign up or register on Sofia and validate the code.

I have bought an online code. What next?

In addition to your order confirmation, you will also get a separate email with your personal code. You will be given more information about logging in via your educational establishment.

Print service

Can I print in the physical shops?

Yes, there is a print service in our Leuven, Heverlee, Antwerp and Ghent shops. If you buy a print card for a certain number of pages, you can start printing immediately from one of our computers. Please note: at the moment it is not possible to print in colour in all our shops! Our staff will be happy to assist you.

Can I print something digitally?

Yes, at Acco you can print your files digitally via our printservice. We will send you the printing product or you can choose to collect in one of our shops.

How much does it cost to have something printed digitally?

For a printing product we ask you to fill in some specifications, such as the number of copies, number of pages, printing type (single/recto or double-sided/recto-verso) and printing color (black & white or color). We will give you an indication of the price based on this information. When you upload a file, this will be checked and a definitive purchase price will be calculated.

Can I also print in color?

Yes, this can be arranged via our webshop. Just choose the colour option when you place the order.

What kind of files do you accept for an online printing product?

We accept files in pdf. You should upload this file when you place the order.

What is the delivery period for a printing product?

We estimate a delivery period of 4 to 5 days for a printing product, via the post service.

Study materials

Where can I find what I need for my studies?

Students can visit a specialised webshop per institute. There you can consult and order from a list of study materials. If you can’t find your institute, your school will share the correct link with you.

How can I find what I need for my studies?

Select your university or school in the drop-down menu, and continue by selecting a study programme. You will be shown a list of subjects and the books linked to these. Please note: you may have bought some of these books already, so that you don’t need to put them in your shopping trolley. Other books might be optional. You should ask your teachers as to the degree to which particular books might be relevant to the course.

Are all the books compulsory?

No, some books are optional or recommended literature. This means that they are not compulsory, but might contain interesting information in order to study this subject. It might be best to check with your teacher if it’s advisable to order these.

Is this everything I need for my studies?

We aim to offer you the most complete package available. Nevertheless, it is always possible that you have to purchase additional study materials via an external printer, via your college or through the services of your student society. You can also find study materials on the digital learning platform of the school.

I ordered an Acco coursebook, but the covers look different to what I expected.

It might be the case that the cover looks different to what you thought if you order it later on in the semester. When an Acco coursebook is no longer in stock, in some cases we might decide to follow a print on-demand process. This means that a coursebook is reprinted at the moment you order a copy. In order to get the printed coursebook to you as quickly as possible, we choose to work with a generic cover, with the the title visible through a panel. No need to worry, the content is the same as what your fellow students have!