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Purchasing OECD Publications - Frequently Asked Questions

You can purchase OECD publications directly on the site via the BUY PDF option available on publication pages.

Here are some frequently asked questions explaining the purchasing option on OECD iLibrary:

What content is available for online purchase?

What exactly is included in my purchase?

I want to buy a print copy but it is not offered.

Why is there is no Buy option for a publication?

Can I buy a CSV file?

I want to buy a PDF file but I do not see that option.

Do I need a PayPal account to buy a publication?

I cannot use a credit card - how else can I buy a book?

I bought a book on the site but can no longer access it. Can you help?

I bought a book for my company and need an official invoice/receipt to get reimbursed. How do I get one?

Does the OECD reimburse me for customs fees?

Can I cancel my order?

Can I buy a forthcoming book and get it once it is released?

Can I share a publication I have purchased?

I have lost access to a publication I bought. How can I access it again?

Are the PDF files of OECD publications restricted with DRM?

How long does it take to receive the print copy of the purchased publication?


What content is available for online purchase?

Only OECD books are currently offered for sale online via OECD iLibrary. Articles, databases and issues of periodicals are only available on a subscription basis and cannot be purchased directly on the site - see the notes about ordering subscriptions. Access to parts of books such as individual chapters or tables require the purchase of the complete book. Always look for the orange BUY PDF button on the right hand side of the page.

What exactly is included in my purchase?

The option to BUY PDF provides immediate access to the publication and all its related files such as chapters, tables in all available formats. Access is enabled for 60 days from the day of purchase and allows the downloading of the files during this period. The access also includes access to translations of the publication if referenced on the publication page.

The option to BUY PRINT adds the delivery of a printed copy of the publication to the online access described above. This option is no longer offered.

I want to buy a print copy but it is not offered.

In most cases, the option to BUY PRINT is available some 10 days after the book is first published online. If the book was published more than 10 days ago, please inquire with our sales team to check on its status. Please note that technical reasons may prevent some publications to be offered in print for online purchase.

Why is there is no Buy option for a publication?

The BUY PDF button will not appear if the print version is not available (forthcoming, out of print) and the online version is free to download. In addition, not all translations are available for purchase, neither online nor in print. However, if an online version is available to buy it gives the buyer the right to download all language editions.

Can I buy a CSV file?

No. CSV files are not available for individual purchase, nor are they included with the purchase of a related publication. CSV files are a premium service only included with a subscription to a database.

I want to buy a PDF file but I do not see that option.

All OECD publications are available online in PDF format. The purchase of online access and/or the print copy will enable the PDF of the purchased publication to be downloaded, along with the ePub version, if available.

Do I need a PayPal account to buy a publication?

The OECD has partnered with PayPal as the payment processing system and PayPal determines which transactions will be processed with or without opening a PayPal account. In general, no PayPal account should be necessary but it is possible that PayPal will change the options presented to you without notice. For some users and regions, an option will not be offered at all, and these users must open an account or proceed with their purchase by contacting our trade partners

I cannot use a credit card - how else can I buy a book?

If you do not have the possibility of using a credit card or a PayPal account to purchase online we encourage you to contact one of our sales agents around the world to explore other purchase options. In case of off-site purchases the delivery of the PDF version will be handled by the sales agent and does not include online access on OECD iLibrary.

I bought a book on the site but can no longer access it. Can you help?

You need to log in to your personal registration on OECD iLibrary that you used to make the purchase in order to access the purchased publication. If you purchased an OECD publication on another site or offline you will not be able to access it on OECD iLibrary.

I bought a book for my company and need an official invoice/receipt to get reimbursed. How do I get one?

The order confirmation email sent to immediately following the completion of your purchase is the official receipt. The order receipts of all your purchases made with your personal registration are also available to you in the ‘My orders’ section of your profile. If you require an official invoice/order on OECD stationary please contact the sales team.

Does the OECD reimburse me for customs fees?

We ship internationally and shipments may be subject to import taxes, fees, and customs duties, levied by the customs office of your shipping destination. Import Fees vary according to the customs regulations of the destination country. Customs policies vary widely, and some countries don't charge Import Fees for shipments that fall below a minimum value. Contact the customs office of the destination country for more information. The recipient is the importer of record and must comply with all applicable laws and regulations of the destination country. Customs delays can affect original delivery estimates. Customs offices in some countries or regions require the importer of record to provide a form of identification before releasing a shipment, such as a Passport, Tax ID, etc.

A special note to customers in the European Union: As of 1 July 2021, VAT and associated administration fees will be charged to end customers by the destination country’s postal service.  Packages will be held until the fees are paid.

Can I cancel my order?

All purchases for online access are final. No refunds or cancellations are foreseen. If you placed an order for a print copy and encounter problems with the delivery please contact the sales team with your concern.

Can I buy a forthcoming book and get it once it is released?

No, there are no pre-sales of publications prior to their release.

Can I share a publication I have purchased?

Purchases made on OECD iLibrary are for personal use only. Please contact the sales team if you would like to network publications.

I have lost access to a publication I bought. How can I access it again?

You have 60 days to download your purchased publication starting from the date of sale. If you would like to extend access past 60 days, you will need to purchase that publication again.

Are the PDF files of OECD publications restricted in their use with DRM?

No, all PDF files on OECD iLibrary are free of digital rights protection (DRM) and enable printing, copy-and-pasting, forwarding, etc The PDF files also offer the entire publication with all pages. Once downloaded from OECD iLibrary, the files will not lock or otherwise cease functioning after 60 days. The 60-day limitation is placed only on the duration of the online access and the ability to download your purchased publication from OECD iLibrary. As long as you download the files before the end of the 60-day window they are your files to keep and open/re-open indefinitely.

How long does it take to receive the print copy of the purchased publication?

All our Print-on-Demand operations are located in the United Kingdom including the shipping facility. For estimating global delivery time please allow 20 – 30 working days.

If you have questions that are not answered here please send us a note via the Contact form.

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