AbeBooks.co.uk

Negative reviews are attributed to lousy experiences with particular booksellers. Better to review the booksellers themselves, rather than the website they use to sell their wares. That's like reviewing eBay or Amazon negatively as a whole because of a bad private seller.

The vast majority of my experiences on Abebooks have been professional & speedy, and the few times things have gone wrong Abebooks have enforced refunds, so long as you can provide tracking information for the return. Descriptions tend to be less accurate when dealing with bulk warehouse-sellers rather than bricks & mortar second-hand Bookshops. Minus 1 star for representing a regrettable global monopoly -- try 'Biblio' if you can, first.

I've ordered a good few books from Abebooks.co.uk over the years and many of them have been just fine, with a few glaring exceptions. One had a hole in the back cover and six pages were completely blank (this bookseller can't be found on the site anymore, though of course they may have changed their name), and recently a booked described as 'new' arrived with a tatty dust jacket and black marks on the dust jacket, inside cover and outer edge of the closed pages. I wonder if the absence of a seller review function on the site encourages sellers with poor standards? Shame for the good ones to be tarnished by the poor behaviour of others.

Abebooks is the best place to find out-of-print books to buy. The site lists books available from independent booksellers in a number of countries. I've been able to find and buy all kinds of out of print books, that you can't easliy find elsewhere. The booksellers have all been helpful and I've got my books quickly in the condition described in the listings. When you order through abebooks, you are ordering from an individual seller, so check their rating and reviews before ordering from them. I have had NO problems with any or my orders over the years.

AbeBooks UK, my favourite company since 2016 until they exposed me to the worst bookseller ever. My new and expensive book arrived with a long thick gluey streak down the front cover with part of the envelope adhering to it too. Never seen worse. The gluey flap of the cardboard envelope had been tucked inside, adhering to the book, instead of being glued to the outside of the envelope. I asked for a replacement. Seller gave me a refund. I wanted quality and service, not a refund. Lied to me about their replacement policy – two different versions from two different staff. I expected AbeBooks UK to ask them how dare they send one of their customers a book in that state. It was wrecked at point of dispatch. They supported the bookseller instead. Offered me a discount and apology. Don't want either. I think that regardless of any replacement policy, the damage was so severe that I should have received a replacement. AbeBooks UK exposed me to this bad seller. AbeBooks UK threw me under the bus for the seller. I can no longer trust them to vet their sellers and will do it myself. A good company heading downwards. Look at the images and be appalled.

I purchased a book from greatbookpricesUK through Abebooks expecting the item to be posted from the UK! However, this was not the case one frustrating month of waiting later (so clearly not posted within the UK then!) the item arrived.

The item that arrived wasn't what I purchased or what was advertised to be for sale. After initiating a return to get a refund `I`m now expected to pay the return postage on the item in order to get a refund.

The name is completely misleading with the "UK" included i have contacted both gbpUK and Abebooks to rectify this situation both have been as useful as a chocolate kettle and I won't be purchasing anything more from either again.

Avoid this company! If you are buying a book, try to find it somewhere else. Do not trust this company!
1. Their descriptions are dishonest: "excellent should not mean a battered ex-library copy with a torn cover and damaged spine; nor should "very good" mean pages ripped and a worn ex-library copy. (Ex-library copies should always be disclosed in the description, so that I, as the buyer, can make an informed decision.)
2. Poor response / customer service - not replying promptly, sometimes not at all, or completely misunderstanding of the problem described.
3. Promised refunds not actually paid until further complaint.
4. They can't even get the refund right - maybe I should just take the money and run, since it was more than I paid! How was this worked out? Still waiting for a response.
Avoid World of Books in particular. Greener Books is not much better.
So unless you want to waste your money and time and get yourself into a schemozzle, do NOT even think about buying anything from this company. There are plenty of good booksellers out there - but Abebooks.co.uk is a big rip-off!

Cheaper than Amazon, decent quality used books for a fraction of the price, many with free postage. Good delivery periods too. Just about to place another order! That's three this week...