Used dead tree books on sale at Better World Books -- especially useful overseas

eric11210 · 12-26-2010, 06:38 AM

I know this is usually about ebooks, however there are times when you simply cannot find an ebook or, if you live overseas and don't use a VPN, the book you want may be unavailable. Anyway, assuming the mods don't mind (if you do, feel free to move this to wherever it should be), Better World Books, which is my favorite dead tree online bookstore is running an end of year sale. They are offering 15% off 5 or more books or 25% off 10 or more books (all must be used and sold directly by them, not by "marketplace" listings).

Plus, and this is big news for the overseas crowd like me, they now offer free worldwide shipping on all books (one to to one million -- they all ship free).

Finally, for those who just want to feel good about where they buy their books, Better World Books collects books that would otherwise head for landfills all over the United States and then resells them for a few dollars. Profits go to support literacy programs in that country (I think they are a non-profit organization). Plus, they offer an optional "carbon offset" where they'll charge an extra 5 cents per book you buy and donate the money to plant trees, making the shipping of your books carbon neutral.

Again, it's dead tree books, not ebooks, but still, if you're going to buy paper books anyway, this is a good deal and a good deed as well.

Eric

DuskyRose · 12-26-2010, 09:29 AM

Thanks! I've gotten books from them before. Sometimes I find something hard to get somewhere else. Never had a problem with them.

ardeegee · 12-26-2010, 10:58 PM

Great company. I've bought from them several times, they always ship very quickly and do a good job packing the books.

mgrunk · 12-27-2010, 12:34 AM

love, love, love them - I buy lots of the literature books we need for my two high school age kids. I love not having to pay shipping. The free shipping isn't terribly fast, but I don't mind. And, they have local book drop off sites across the country - I think there's one at Whole Food in the Atlanta area.

ardeegee · 12-27-2010, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgrunk

I love not having to pay shipping. The free shipping isn't terribly fast, but I don't mind.

Yes, by "fast shipping", I didn't mean they send priority mail or anything-- they send at "book rate"-- but it still comes quick enough to be obvious that they actually mail it out very soon after the order. In times when I've made several used book orders at Amazon the same time (but from different sellers) the Better World ones are always first or nearly first to arrive. (No "free shipping" through Amazon because of their standard $3.9x charge, but most of the books I've bought have been priced at less than 10 cents on Amazon to compensate for that.)

Crusader · 12-27-2010, 07:19 AM

Thanks. I've just bought $35 worth of books (12 titles) from them. I didn't know about them before this so hopefully my first purchase will be a good experience, especially since it's going to be shipped internationally. Holding thumbs nothing goes wrong!

eric11210 · 12-27-2010, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crusader

Thanks. I've just bought $35 worth of books (12 titles) from them. I didn't know about them before this so hopefully my first purchase will be a good experience, especially since it's going to be shipped internationally. Holding thumbs nothing goes wrong!

I've gotten three shipments from them in Israel so far. Each time, they arrived within about 2-3 weeks so hopefully your experience will be good as well.

Crusader · 12-27-2010, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eric11210

I've gotten three shipments from them in Israel so far. Each time, they arrived within about 2-3 weeks so hopefully your experience will be good as well.

That sounds promising. Guess I'll have to wait and see how my experience turns out. If it works I'm sure going to spend lots of money with them for those titles I can't get new at the Book Depository.

Anteater · 12-27-2010, 11:17 PM

Ordered a few books! Thanks for the link

nashira · 12-27-2010, 11:41 PM

Me too!

Free shipping is win. And so are most of the prices.

Blue Tyson · 12-28-2010, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crusader

That sounds promising. Guess I'll have to wait and see how my experience turns out. If it works I'm sure going to spend lots of money with them for those titles I can't get new at the Book Depository.

Same hemisphere, different country of course, but have had many orders from there.

Crusader · 12-28-2010, 02:27 AM

Ok. So now the only concern I have would be what their definition of a 'Good condition' secondhand book actually means.

lene1949 · 12-28-2010, 03:42 AM

I just looked up a book... It is $80.98 at this store with free shipping and $42.94 at Amazon + shipping... Same book, same year, same description and ISBN numbers...

I would make sure to always compare, and not just rely on the 'free shipping'

Quote:

Originally Posted by eric11210

I know this is usually about ebooks, however there are times when you simply cannot find an ebook or, if you live overseas and don't use a VPN, the book you want may be unavailable. Anyway, assuming the mods don't mind (if you do, feel free to move this to wherever it should be), Better World Books, which is my favorite dead tree online bookstore is running an end of year sale. They are offering 15% off 5 or more books or 25% off 10 or more books (all must be used and sold directly by them, not by "marketplace" listings).

Plus, and this is big news for the overseas crowd like me, they now offer free worldwide shipping on all books (one to to one million -- they all ship free).

Finally, for those who just want to feel good about where they buy their books, Better World Books collects books that would otherwise head for landfills all over the United States and then resells them for a few dollars. Profits go to support literacy programs in that country (I think they are a non-profit organization). Plus, they offer an optional "carbon offset" where they'll charge an extra 5 cents per book you buy and donate the money to plant trees, making the shipping of your books carbon neutral.

Again, it's dead tree books, not ebooks, but still, if you're going to buy paper books anyway, this is a good deal and a good deed as well.

Eric

Crusader · 12-28-2010, 04:31 AM

Was that for a secondhand title? They only really offer nice deals on secondhand books where the shipping normally would've been more than the price of the book.

The books I ordered worked out at $2.92 each including the shipping. Which, if the condition is good enough, is an excellent deal in my book.

eric11210 · 12-28-2010, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lene1949

I just looked up a book... It is $80.98 at this store with free shipping and $42.94 at Amazon + shipping... Same book, same year, same description and ISBN numbers...

I would make sure to always compare, and not just rely on the 'free shipping'

This goes without saying, however I would guess that you looked at a marketplace book. I've bought about two dozen books from them and found the prices (direct from them, not marketplace) to be consistently some of the best around.

Eric

12-26-2010, 06:38 AM	#1
eric11210 Addict Posts: 295 Karma: 400001 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Sony Reader PRS-600	Used dead tree books on sale at Better World Books -- especially useful overseas I know this is usually about ebooks, however there are times when you simply cannot find an ebook or, if you live overseas and don't use a VPN, the book you want may be unavailable. Anyway, assuming the mods don't mind (if you do, feel free to move this to wherever it should be), Better World Books, which is my favorite dead tree online bookstore is running an end of year sale. They are offering 15% off 5 or more books or 25% off 10 or more books (all must be used and sold directly by them, not by "marketplace" listings). Plus, and this is big news for the overseas crowd like me, they now offer free worldwide shipping on all books (one to to one million -- they all ship free). Finally, for those who just want to feel good about where they buy their books, Better World Books collects books that would otherwise head for landfills all over the United States and then resells them for a few dollars. Profits go to support literacy programs in that country (I think they are a non-profit organization). Plus, they offer an optional "carbon offset" where they'll charge an extra 5 cents per book you buy and donate the money to plant trees, making the shipping of your books carbon neutral. Again, it's dead tree books, not ebooks, but still, if you're going to buy paper books anyway, this is a good deal and a good deed as well. Eric

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12-26-2010, 09:29 AM	#2
DuskyRose Guru Posts: 725 Karma: 9209502 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Boox Palma, Kdle Scribe & Paperwhite, Kobo Eclipsa 2e & Libra 2, Ipads	Thanks! I've gotten books from them before. Sometimes I find something hard to get somewhere else. Never had a problem with them.

12-26-2010, 10:58 PM	#3
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	Great company. I've bought from them several times, they always ship very quickly and do a good job packing the books.

12-27-2010, 12:34 AM	#4
mgrunk Zealot Posts: 130 Karma: 96 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: metro Atlanta, GA Device: Sony Reader PRS-505	love, love, love them - I buy lots of the literature books we need for my two high school age kids. I love not having to pay shipping. The free shipping isn't terribly fast, but I don't mind. And, they have local book drop off sites across the country - I think there's one at Whole Food in the Atlanta area.

12-27-2010, 07:19 AM	#6
Crusader Space Cadet Posts: 1,180 Karma: 4030536 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: South Africa Device: Sony PRS-T1, Cybook Opus, Kobo Glo	Thanks. I've just bought $35 worth of books (12 titles) from them. I didn't know about them before this so hopefully my first purchase will be a good experience, especially since it's going to be shipped internationally. Holding thumbs nothing goes wrong!

12-27-2010, 11:17 PM	#9
Anteater Member Posts: 24 Karma: 12 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kobo	Ordered a few books! Thanks for the link

12-27-2010, 11:41 PM	#10
nashira Addict Posts: 219 Karma: 73734 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Me too! Free shipping is win. And so are most of the prices.

12-28-2010, 02:27 AM	#12
Crusader Space Cadet Posts: 1,180 Karma: 4030536 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: South Africa Device: Sony PRS-T1, Cybook Opus, Kobo Glo	Ok. So now the only concern I have would be what their definition of a 'Good condition' secondhand book actually means.

12-28-2010, 04:31 AM	#14
Crusader Space Cadet Posts: 1,180 Karma: 4030536 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: South Africa Device: Sony PRS-T1, Cybook Opus, Kobo Glo	Was that for a secondhand title? They only really offer nice deals on secondhand books where the shipping normally would've been more than the price of the book. The books I ordered worked out at $2.92 each including the shipping. Which, if the condition is good enough, is an excellent deal in my book.

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