Alibris
Reviews and Complaints

I've been dealing with alibris.com since 2009 when a professor clued me into this site. I've always had excellent and prompt service, which is why I always return in my book and other media (ie. DVD) searches. Prices are super low. As an example, I've just received three books in excellent condition--scarcely touched, like new. And cheap, too. The Other Major OnLine Retailer is fine, but I prefer alibris...they've always been good to me!

I almost ALWAYS can find the quirky books I want at Alibis AND for reasonable prices. Of course, there are some sellers that think they are selling GOLD so are ridiculously priced! I'll let the Oprah's and Gates have those. They are always fast too! So what's up with the 1.52 ratings? Are these the people that get on an airline and think they are going to get a 5 course 5 star meal?!?! More ridiculousness. Why? Words are Words. Some words are not better than other words. They all mean the same! Sigh! Prima donna's As my dad used to say (he had 4 of us girls) - you'd complain if you was hung with a new rope!

As a crotchety old fart, I have used Alibris for more than 10 years. I can't think of a single order that I didn't get what I expected, in a timely manner! That being said, remember that you are getting your product from someone who has listed it with Alibris, not from Alibris themselves. I have read some very negative comments, from people who have done business through Alibris that are confused about the relationship between Alibris and the actual vendor. Again, the product is coming from a customer, Alibris is just the company that keeps you from having to call every bookseller in the country to find your obscure, obsolete, out-of-print, have-to-have book. //rant off//

The prices and selection on Alibris are really great. I love being able to find books that I can't find anywhere else. However, the shipping costs can be a bit steep. But today, I discovered the super shipper thing, which could be a huge help if enough books are eligible. I'm definitely going to keep an eye out for that.

One thing that does bother me is that the availability of books isn't always accurate. On my last order, two of the books I wanted were actually no longer available, but Alibris hadn't updated their website yet. It was a bit frustrating, but one seller told me that they're working on a way to keep Alibris updated better. I'm not sure if it's a problem on the seller's end or Alibris's end, but either way, it would be great if they could fix that issue. It would definitely improve the buyer experience.

I'm guessing that it's a complicated issue with many sellers doing in-person sales of the same items that they list on Alibris. It's probably not easy to keep their inventory in sync, but I hope they can figure out a way to make it work. Overall, I really like Alibris and I'll definitely keep using it to find rare and hard-to-find books.

I gotta say, I was a bit confused about the whole free shipping thing on Alibris. I thought I was eligible for it, but turns out I wasn't. I mean, what gives? I was really hoping to save some cash on shipping, but I guess that's just not how it works.

Anyway, since I really wanted these books, I decided to bite the bullet and pay for shipping. And let me tell you, it was not cheap. In fact, in one instance, the shipping cost more than the book itself! Needless to say, I was pretty ticked off about the whole thing. I mean, who wants to pay more for shipping than the actual product?

Now, I can't really comment on the quality of the products I received, because I haven't gotten them yet. But I'm hoping they're worth the hefty shipping fee I had to pay.

I did a little digging and found out that I didn't buy enough books to qualify for free shipping. I guess I'll have to figure out exactly how much money I need to spend to get that sweet, sweet free shipping. And maybe I'll try to order more than one book at a time to help me get there. It's not really fair to blame Alibris for my confusion, so I'll take responsibility for not understanding the rules.

Overall, I'm a bit disappointed with my experience on Alibris so far. But I'm willing to give it another shot and see if I can figure out how to get that free shipping. Fingers crossed!

I've been using Alibris for more than a decade now, and I must say that my overall experience has been good. However, there are a few things that I think need improvement, and that's why I'm not giving them a full 5-star rating.

One of the things that I find frustrating is that some sellers don't take enough care when packaging the books. As a result, the books often arrive in a damaged condition, with dents and scratches. This is especially annoying when it's a brand new book that I've been waiting to read. I believe that Alibris should take a stronger stance on this issue and insist that all sellers take better care when packaging their books.

On my last order, I purchased books directly from Alibris, and they arrived several days after the USPS tracking said they had been delivered. This has happened to me twice now, and while I don't think it's Alibris' fault, it's still frustrating. If this continues to happen, I may have to look for another online bookstore.

Overall, I think Alibris is a great place to find rare and hard-to-find books. They have a vast selection, and their prices are reasonable. However, I do think that they need to work on improving their shipping and packaging processes to ensure that their customers receive their books in good condition and on time.

So, if you're a book lover like me and are looking for a place to find rare and unique books, Alibris is definitely worth checking out. Just be aware that there may be some issues with shipping and packaging, so it's always a good idea to double-check your order when it arrives.

Alibris is a great website for book lovers. They have a vast collection of titles that range from classic literature to modern-day bestsellers. If you can't find what you're looking for, they offer to find it for you and let you know if they have it. They keep you updated on your order's progress through a no-nonsense email system, so you always know where your book is and when it will arrive.

The best part about Alibris is that you can buy used books at a fraction of the cost of new ones. I don't need a brand new book to enjoy the information, substance, knowledge, or entertainment within it. I just want to read it and have it on my shelf for reference. Used books are just as good as new ones, and they make great gifts too.

I love buying from Alibris because they have almost everything I'm looking for, and their prices are unbeatable. They are all about service, and they go above and beyond to make sure their customers are satisfied. If you're a book lover on a budget, Alibris is the perfect place to find your next read.

So, I gotta say, I had a pretty rough experience with Alibris. I ordered this super fancy book that was supposed to come in this really cool box with all this artwork on it. But when it arrived, the box was all messed up! It was open and unsealed, with a big old USPS label on it that totally ruined the whole thing. And to top it off, the book itself had a little hole in the plastic wrap. I mean, come on, Alibris, what gives?

But, to be fair, I did reach out to them about it. And you know what? They actually offered to refund half of the price! I was pretty surprised, to be honest. It's kind of like when Amazon takes care of you even if it's not their fault. So, I gotta give Alibris some credit for that.

Overall, though, I don't think I'll be shopping with them again. The shipping was just a total mess, and I don't want to risk getting something else that's all messed up.

I was super stoked when I stumbled upon the Vinyl Cafe series by Stuart McLean on Alibris. But when I saw the total with shipping, I was like, "What the heck?" I mean, $40+ to ship 8 books, mostly paperbacks? That's cray-cray! I get that shipping costs money, but come on, man! Ain't there a way to work out a deal when you're buying a bunch of books from the same seller? Like, can't they cut us a break or something? Knocking off a measly dollar per book ain't gonna cut it, ya know? I know sellers gotta make a profit, but jeez, it's like they're punishing us for wanting to buy more than one book.

I mean, I had to buy 8 different books, 7 from the same seller just to get a teeny-tiny discount. And it's not like I can just waltz into my local library or used bookstore and find these books. Nope, they're nowhere to be found. So, I gotta rely on the internet to get my fix. But dang, these shipping costs are a real bummer. It's like they're trying to make it impossible for us to buy books online.

All in all, I'm not sure if I'll be coming back to Alibris anytime soon. Don't get me wrong, I love the selection and all that jazz, but these shipping costs are just too darn high. Maybe they can work something out with their sellers to make it more affordable for us bookworms. Until then, I'll just have to keep searching for my books elsewhere.

Alibris, man, they sold me an e-book that was straight up empty. I was trying to get my learn on for college, so I dropped $70 on this e-textbook. But when I finally opened it up on day 20, all I saw was the cover. That's it. No words, no pictures, no nothing. I was so mad, I wanted to throw my computer out the window.

So I hit up their customer service, but they told me I couldn't get a refund because it had been more than 14 days since I ordered. I was like, "What?! How was I supposed to know it was empty if I didn't open it?" They didn't care, man. They just left me hanging.

But then, a few hours after I posted my review, I got an email from Michael B. at Alibris customer service. He said he didn't know what happened with my e-book, but it was obviously messed up. He agreed that it didn't make sense not to refund me since the book was basically useless. So he pushed through my refund and said I should see it on my credit card statement in a few days.

I gotta give it to Michael B., he came through for me. But Alibris, man, they need to get their act together. How are they gonna sell empty e-books and then refuse to give refunds? That's just messed up.

So, I was trying to buy some books from Alibris yesterday, and boy oh boy, did I have some trouble! First off, my password wasn't working, even though I knew it was right. So, I had to go through the whole rigmarole of requesting a new password and all that jazz. Finally, I got a new password and put it in, but the button to confirm it just wouldn't work! I took a break and came back to it later, and finally, it worked. But then, when I went to buy the books I had picked out, my cart was empty! Can you believe it?

Luckily, I was able to find all the books I wanted again, but here's the kicker: they were all a dollar or more than they had been when I first picked them out! What's up with that, Alibris? I really like shopping with you because you seem like a cool independent book seller, and I don't want to give my money to Amazon. But this isn't the first time this has happened to me, and with the shipping costs, it's starting to feel like I might as well just get Amazon Prime and not have to worry about it.

Anyway, I'm willing to give Alibris another chance, but I really hope this doesn't happen again. It feels like a bait and switch to me, and that's not cool. Thanks for listening to my rant, y'all.

I gotta say, I'm pretty upset with Alibris. I mean, I only wanted to buy one book, and now I'm worried that I've been tricked into subscribing to some kind of service that's going to keep charging me every month. I'm not made of money, you know? I bake pies for a living, and my boss is a total nightmare. I barely make enough to get by as it is.

So when I got an email from Alibris that said "THANKS FOR SUBSCRIBING," I freaked out. I don't remember signing up for anything like that, and I certainly don't want to be charged over and over again for something I didn't even know I was signing up for. I mean, come on, Alibris, that's not cool.

I sent them an email to try to get some reassurance that I'm not going to be charged for anything I didn't want, but I haven't heard back yet. I really hope they can clear this up for me, because I just want to buy my book and be done with it. I don't want to have to worry about getting charged for something I didn't even know I was signing up for.

Honestly, if they can't fix this, I'm going to have to give them a one-star review. I don't want to do that, because I really do love books and I want to support companies that sell them, but I can't afford to be charged for something I didn't want. Alibris, please don't scare away your customers like this. Just process our orders and ship our books, and we'll be happy to give you five stars.

Alibris is a website where you can buy used books. It's like Air BnB, but for books instead of rooms. They're just one part of a big world of buying and selling books. When you buy a book from Alibris, it's actually shipped by someone who sells books independently. I tried to buy some books to send as a gift to a friend, but the website is old and not very good. When I tried to order books for myself later, I found out that the website had changed my default address to the gift address I had used before. I went to the website to ask for a refund, but it was clear that this was a common problem because there was a drop-down menu option for "Shipped to wrong address." Even though they know this is a problem, they won't take responsibility for it or fix it. I asked for a refund or credit, but they just sent me a copy-and-paste response that didn't help at all.

Alibris doesn't seem to care about making their website better or keeping up with the times. They don't care about your time or your business. If you have other options for buying used books, I would recommend going somewhere else. Alibris is just not worth the hassle.

I ordered for a book, "Handbook of Tribology" online and fully paid with my credit card since mid-February. I received an email notification from Alibris CS that my book order was shipped February 27 and will be delivered March 17, 2011. Not receiving my order after March 17, I emailed Alibris but was asked to wait until 30 days after the shipment date (being March 29) afterwhich if not received they will fully refund me. I have email correspondences to this effect. I have emailed Alibris on March 29 and 30, notifying them I have not received my book order but so far their CS prefer not to respond. I earlier requested for their phone number, but none was given me. Now I am confused, sad and disappointed. If I know the appropriate Govt. Authority to complain to, I will hastily refer my complaint.

We placed an order with Alibris for three books on 12/8/10. We never received the first two items; we received an incorrect book for the third. We immediately contacted Alibris, followed their instructions and returned the book to them. We received an email yesterday stating this seller has denied our refund for the book we returned.

We have tried repeatedly to work with Customer Service to resolve these issues, to no avail. We have filed claims with our credit card company, and now intend to go forward with any and all legal means at our disposal.

My story: I wanted to order as many hardcover copies of Hermann Hesse's works as I could find, and Alibris offered many. I ordered about twenty or so. One, in particular, Narcissus and Goldmund, was listed as, "Hardcover: New, New, Great Conditon." I paid $37.00 for that one book, plus a shipping charge of $3.99. What I received was a yellowed, worn paperback copy from the sixties--something one might find at a garage sale. Alibris and I traded numerous emails because I discoverd that there was no way to contact them by phone, and they refused to call me, though I requested a call back, leaving my phone number with, at least, two people in my emails. I was shocked to find that they did not even have a record of the sale! They told me to go to Google and find it myself. When I could not find it, someone at Alibris, finally, sent me a copy, but all it said was Alibris and the name of the book. No details--just the title of the book along with Alibiris, Alibris, Alibris repeated over twenty times: no book seller's name, no price for the book, and no shipping charge. Please know that if you need to return a book, for whatever reason, you, the customer, pay for shipping--which I did. When I complained that I should not pay for returning a book to a bookseller that was, obviously, a scam, at first, they stated that was there policy. After a few more emails, I was told that they would pay for the return shipping. Needless to say, they never did. I returned the worn paperback copy of Narcissus and Goldmund to a bookseller in New York City that offered only a PO Box and no phone number or email address on its "receipt." I even offered to accept the hardcover edition that was described on the Alibris site from that same bookseller because one of the emails Alibiris sent to me stated that "even a bookseller makes a mistake" now and then. I discovered that this was no mistake. The so-called "bookseller" never contacted me, even though I sent a letter with the book when I returned it stating that this transaction might be a "mistake, " and they could send me that hardcover edition that it lists on Alibris. I wanted to return other books because they were in paperback or not in the condition described on Alibris, I even was sent a dust jacket with no book, but paid for the book. Only yesterday my credit card company finalized the the payback. Caveat Emptor!

On 12/23/09, I placed an online order for a book and received confirmation of my order(#[protected]). I was charged for the full amount $62.24 but never received the book. I tried to contact the seller several times and, on 4/13/2010, received an email letting me know that another copy would be shipped. However, I have never received the package. Alibris is telling me that, because the issue is so "old", it's ok for them to keep $62 (I checked I was charged but not reimbursed)... Isn't that considered theft?

I ordered a book from a Canadian seller, Aldresbook to be delivered to a Canadian address, 60 miles from the seller. Alibrist first requested additional $3 for shipping costs on top of $11 already paid then the book never arrived. Alibris partially refunded yhe missing book for the cost of the book but decided to not refund the shipping cost of $14.

I advise buyers to avoid Alibris at any cost - this is a dishonest retailer.

I going to said the same of the other.Please be careful when placing order with alibris. They are extremely slow in shipping and sometimes they claim that they have shipped, but the item will never arrive. The only offer a refund after 1 month of waiting and not receiving the item. Not to mention, they immediately charge your credit...

I ordered a book from NOMADE BOOKSTORE through ALIBRIS on Dec 15th, 2008. Until today, my order status is still pending. The expected arrival date of the book is on January 16th, 2009. I doubt that they can deliver the book on time if the status is still pending until today. I am worried that they are not going to send the book at all. If they did not send the book, I will report them to the authority for doing a fraud. They have taken the full amount of the order total value from my credit card on Dec 15th, 2008. I am totally disappointed with them because of this.

The book I received from Alibris.com was a disgrace.
The book’s condition was described as follows:
“Very good condition Good dust jacket.”

The book I received had:
*Mold on the inside cover and many of the pages
*Wavy pages from water damage (68 of the book’s 168 pages were wavy.)
*Several torn pages.

The book never should have been sold in the first place because it was in such poor condition.
Alibris' $3 coupon on my next order to help cover return shipping costs means nothing to me because I won’t be ordering anything from that company again. Instead, I will be filing a complaints with the Better Business Bureau and Colorado Attorney General.

Book ordered from alibris, allibris was paid only alibris forgot one thing... To deliver the book. Similar to last complaint alibris would not or could not respond to my complaint insisting I wait 30days before I contact them for further investigation.
Well I am not your average patient joe... I demand action so I have taken steps to contact the alibris ownership & management team...in other words I am stirring the pot.
This is a warning to others, alibris has a great business plan, sell a book, take the money to the bank & voila... Claim the book has been mailed, no proof of such being necessary "what you doubt our word?"
Stay away from them, their customer service is non existant as is their commitment to their customers.

I used Alibris.com to get a DVD box set for the anime Yu Yu Hakusho. I had all of the sets but the very last one, and since they are out of print I took whatever I could find. I found what I was looking for on this site and ordered it. I get a notice that the box set was shipped Jan 1 and would arrive no later than Jan 11 as packages take no longer than one to two weeks. My order number was xx706.

I waited until the 11 and got nothing. A week later I still have nothing and ask customer service what the problem is. They said they cannot do anything until at least thirty days have passed. So, I emailed the seller and asked what was going on. They did nothing but notify me that they were refunding my order.

So it seems Alibris.com did not have the DVD box set that they had in their search result but they still sold it to me. I got a receipt that told me that my money would show up in my credit card (I have a debit card) again in one to two weeks. But seeing as how reliable they are to get things done in this time span, I doubt that I will ever see my money again.

Now, I had to buy the entire series of this show through a website that does direct trade in Japan. It cost me 150 dollars for the whole series just so I could get one season because Alibris.com failed to due proper business and lied about their stock. I will never use this website again for anything. This is also the very last company I will ever buy from without searching for it here first.

Alibris has just given me the absolute worst customer service experience. First they failed to ever ship my order and second, the refund they promised was less than the amount paid. Emails are answered by what seems like people on Prozak - actually they are probably employed by a third party service in Asia. The language is too flowery to be North American and the manner in which detail is ignored seems un-American.

I recommend shopping with a company that actually can deliver on promises and one that cares about it's reputation. Avoid Alibris at all costs.

I ordered a textbook through Alibris from a seller named "Payless" and I paid extra for express shipping. I received a message telling me that my order was shipped on September 25th. It is now October 16 and I have not received the textbook. I inquired with Alibris into the status of my order, and in return I received a "form letter" telling me that their policy allows 30 days for orders to be received. I had a number of other questions about the status of my order and the questions were not addressed.

FURTHER... Alibris doesn't have customer service reps that you can actually talk to over the phone. For all I know, the entire company is a big fraud syndicate much like the Alibris seller named "Payless."

I'm not going to bother dealing further with this company. I'm going to simply dispute the charges on my credit card and order my book from another vendor. I did a google search on Alibris and the complaints are numerous.

Mike,
Cincinnati, Ohio