Why Shop at ubiq

First and foremost, we LOVE books! Books aren’t just a business for us – we see them as a way to better yourself, learn new skills, or just relax, unwind and escape the stresses of life for a while.   From a child's first book to the most technical, in depth material and everything in between, we are here to help.  And if we don't have it, we'll get it in for you! We ship the length and breadth of New Zealand as well as around the world (including some pretty impressive overseas customers… we’ll never tell who!).

We offer a personalised service, specific to your reading preferences.  Not sure what to read next? Just email a few books you have loved in the past to stuck@ubiq.co.nz and our staff will suggest some wonderful options.  Or have a look at a book you love on this website and you’ll see recommendations that allow you to easily get lost in the wonders of the written word.

ubiq is 100% New Zealand owned and operated and when you spend your money with us, you can do so knowing you have helped students.  Not only do we believe we're the most cost effective and efficient stores for textbook supply, but any profit we do make either stays within the company for redevelopment so we can bring you new and innovative ways to help, or they go back to students.  The future leaders of New Zealand thank you!

ubiq (pronounced u-b-i-q) was first established in 1966 – we were University Bookshop (or UBS) for the first 51 years but wanted a more modern look and feel.  We have grown from a small shop on the University of Auckland campus to New Zealand's leading academic store and are the most trusted source of reading material in New Zealand from individuals, SMEs, large multinationals to Government departments.

What’s behind our brand? 'ub' is a nod to our past and 'iq' is what we do - sell smarts.  It's also a play on the word 'ubique' which means 'here and everywhere' in Latin.  Our colours represent a mix of all the institutions we have relationships with at the time of the change as well as our owners.  Our logo also contains a symbol which is based on the triple pikorua - it refers to the bond between peoples or cultures rather than just individuals, it is a symbol of eternity and is also known as the 'three baskets of knowledge', the necessary knowledge to survive.  We wanted something that encapsulated what's important to us – our history, our communities and the future and we think ubiq does exactly that.

ubiq currently has two permanent retail stores – our stores are located on the University of Auckland and AUT city campus. We have many pop up stores for various institutions at semester start and are the official stockists online for many other institutions including Unitec, Northtec, Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology and WITT. We also specialise in titles for students learning English and professional titles, particularly in law, medicine and business.