Anything that makes a company stand out in a positive way serves as an advantage to that company. For Thrift Books, they have set themselves apart as being passionate about books-not just the new and shiny ones that adorn fancy bookshelves but also (and perhaps especially) older books that have been well loved. Ultimately, their work is about making these used books available for reading-for a great price. That's what they've done well. In addition, this company has a few features that will give customers more confidence and satisfaction:

Shipping. Shipping with Thrift Books isn't bad at all. For any order that meets or exceeds $10, Thrift Books will ship it for free. They ship order to other countries as well, which makes their services even more convenient. While it would be nice if they offered free shipping altogether, a $10 order is a reasonable bar to set, particular because their book prices are low anyway.
Returns. Plainly put, the return policy with Thrift Books is awesome too. They allow customers 60 days to return an order they aren't satisfied with! Especially compared to competitors who leave you only two weeks or even a month to make a return, a two-month period is very convenient.
A customer loyalty program. As somewhat of a surprise, customer loyalty programs are not widely available with online bookstores. But Thrift Books definitely has one, and that's one aspect that sets them apart. Through their Reading Rewards program, customers earn $5 coupons for every $50 they purchase. In addition, you can sign up for the program for free, get a discount if you refer a friend, and enjoy a 20% off coupon for your birthday.Thrift Books has a lot going for it-they have passion, a good cause, and policies that are hard to beat. As a customer, it's nice to know that your purchases support a cause like theirs.

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The Bad

No new books
No selling books back

While Thrift Books does many things right, they do have a few weaknesses. For the most part, these will be deal breakers for customers with disagreeing needs, not necessarily for the average customer:

Types of books. Thrift Books is an obvious candidate for used books, but they may not be the best resource for other types of books. For instance, if you prefer reading brand-new books, you won't find many of those here. Granted, their used books are sure to come in a variety of conditions, so it's not like their books are in bad shape by any means. But plenty of customers prefer to be the first and law owner of a book, and Thrift Books doesn't really cater to that customer base. In addition, you won't find a huge collection of ebooks here. Ebooks are becoming increasingly popular for many reasons, so if you're a customer who prefers them, you won't have much of a need for Thrift Books and their library.
No selling back books. In addition, Thrift Books isn't a place where you can sell back books. They salvage used books, yes, but they don't buy back used books. Surely you've heard of book companies who regularly rent out or sell books and then buy them back for a portion of the selling price when the user is finished. Thrift Books doesn't roll that way, so don't count on them to make any money off of your used books.As you can see, what Thrift Books lacks is only a negative for certain consumers. In summary, you won't have a need for their business if you prefer new books or ebooks, or are looking to sell your books. This company is an awesome resource for used books in almost any other format, but for these customers, the company just won't deliver.

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The Bottom Line

If you're still on the fence about Thrift Books, you might be happy to know that they have customer reviews and editorial reviews on their company website. Especially in an online world, reviews can help make or break your decision to give someone your business, especially when it comes to beloved books! Aside from reviews, however, Thrift Books does provide several features that are helpful to customers and to the use we get out of books. For many readers, they would be a satisfactory option because of their extensive library, shipping and return policies, and especially their customer loyalty program. For customers whose needs don't match up with what Thrift Books offers, however, another company would be more useful. Overall, this company has succeeded in targeting a great customer base, establishing policies that are flexible and convenient, and setting up a good cause for people to support. Between these features and their positive reputation, they are a great bookstore to give business to.

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15 Reviews

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trent reznor

horrible!! - prices fluctuate significantly (items i had in the cart got significantly more expensive when left there for a few hours). - items not as described - customer service poor - i was told to return a item for a 'full refund' (when not as described) even though i live overseas & the shipping cost makes it an impossibility. i'm appalled that any thinking person would even suggest it! when offered a refund for a book that was not at all as described, i was offered 15%(??) - practically EVERY decent seller/site is fine to take full responsibility & compensate with a FULL refund without the joke of 'returning the item' - items arrive late (so their delivery estimates even during the covid situation are STILL inaccurate/flawed, but as a CUSTOMER, you're expected to be understanding & supportive of THEM(??) not impressed at all & would NOT recommend to ANYONE. want a better option? go with powells books - their customer service standards are MUCH better as are the conditions of their books (which are nearly always BETTER than what they're listed as).

6 years ago

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rosh2020 Houston, TX

I ordered a book. I never received any shipping tracking number. I got refund in my card after few days. I pinged them to see what's going on. They said they canceled my order because they thought it was suspected as fraud order. Then I checked the same book in their website and it showed out of stock. I think this book was never in stock. The fact that it showed out of stock right after they refunded means, either it was never in stock. This is so unprofessional. I hope this website is not a scam website just to steal our credit card information. Be careful guys. Even if this website is not a scam, then they are not professional. The show the books that are not in stock as available. So unprofessional and frustration.

6 years ago

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Matt Benjamin Brainerd, MN

I had an item that was routinely needed on Sundays, I ordered it from thriftbooks. After it was two weeks late, I emailed support to find out why I didn't have my item. Do to a stocking issue, they refunded me my payment weeks ago. They did not update my order on their page, they did not email me. I was waiting for something they had decided to never send. Customer service ignored me when I asked if I could get the 2day shipping free to make up for it. Now I still don't have an item that I need again tonight. They don't take care of their customers. Trusting them hurt my business, they are completely misleading. They also spam your email inbox with offers. The unsubscribe button doesn't work.

7 years ago

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R. Meister Paris, ME

I ordered from thriftbooks.com on December 10th. A Christmas gift for one of my granddaughters. NEVER AGAIN!! The tracking number provided didn't show any thing day after day. It said usps was awaiting the package. I emailed thriftbooks 3 times. They kept insisting they mailed it on Dec. 13th and would take 4-8 days. A lie. Today, Dec 23rd and still no package but the tracking finally works and tells me it wasn't shipped until the 19th!! And it won't arrive until Dec. 27th. Thriftbooks held my order for 9 days before they shipped it!! Even today they are saying they shipped it on the 13th!! They can't even be honest! I only see this grand child one day a year and that is Christmas!! She won't be getting this gift. And she will be gone by the time it arrives! I will then have to pay to ship it to her! I am so pissed you can't even imagine. I will never order from them again nor will I ever suggest anyone else does. They have screwed up this 1 day out of the whole year that I get to see this grandchild!! They should give me back my money for lying and holding my order for 9 days before shipping and for me having to pay to ship them to her late!!

7 years ago

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LM Ambler, PA

I purchased a book from them through Barnes and Noble. The book was supposed to be a hard cover what came was a soft back uncorrected proof that said not for resale. I have complained to B&N and have disputed the charge which was $15 plus shipping. These books are mailed free to reviewers and are not for sale.

7 years ago Edited September 14, 2021