How would you rate ThriftBooks?
grey star
grey star
grey star
grey star
grey star
Illinois
1 review
1 helpful vote
Follow A D.
Unfollow A D.
Send Message
Share Review
Report Review

Bought a book from this seller on Abebooks. The book was in terrible condition (the condition was supposed to be as new). I returned it but I got a refund only for the book and not for the return shipping. The support told me that they couldn't return the money because of the Abebooks website rules, but this is a lie, since Abebooks says that the money for delivery is returned at the discretion of the seller. So if you don't want to pay for the seller's mistakes, I don't recommend you to buy books there.

Date of experience: February 23, 2025
New Jersey
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Karen F.
Unfollow Karen F.
Send Message
Share Review
Report Review

I ordered a book listed in "Very Good Condition" but it arrived in poor condition, with deep yellowing on all sides & yellowing deep into each page. I filed for a request for refund/return, which I didn't hear back from. Next day, I have two new emails from them asking me to rate my experience with Thriftbooks and customer service even though I had zero contact regarding my experience and return request. So I rated them low. After that, I get an email from a rep I'll call "B" ranting about my low review and how I'll never be satisfied, blah blah wah. He claims he sent an email about my replacement book. First I heard of it. I then get another email and it's this missing email. But all the dates are wrong. I consider changing my review due to some communication issues but B is such a butthurt little man, I added his drama to my review instead. Well, B went off the rails and sent me another jackhole email. Lord, it was bad, accusatory, self righteous, and weird AF. I wanted to give him some FAFO but realized B was a little man, and little men don't let it go. I wasted enough time, and I all-caps told him to stop emailing me. Haven't heard back but I screenshot everything and saved the correspondence just in case.
I am getting a refund for my whole order, but let's see if it happens. Just be careful of the bait & switch with the book conditions, and any customer service dude named B**** (rhymes with deuce)

Date of experience: February 25, 2025
District of Columbia
2 reviews
21 helpful votes
Follow Brittany N.
Unfollow Brittany N.
Send Message
Share Review
Report Review

Horrible service
November 29, 2024

I ordered a Marvel graphic novel called The Runaways for $15 bucks including shipping and was so excited to get it. They sent me a children's book called "the runaway" worth two bucks. I was super bummed and asked for the right thing and they said they didn't have any copies of the right thing at all. That makes no sense considering their site said they had multiple copies of the graphic novel I wanted, paperback and hard copy. Ridiculous. I did get a refund but I wanted my book. Just BS and I will never use this site again.

Date of experience: November 29, 2024
Louisiana
1 review
3 helpful votes
Follow ross s.
Unfollow ross s.
Send Message
Share Review
Report Review

Wanted to buy from you...didn't. It's a poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, business concept to not take all reasonable returns.

Date of experience: November 9, 2024
New Mexico
1 review
3 helpful votes
Follow Laurence H.
Unfollow Laurence H.
Send Message
Share Review
Report Review

BUYER BEWARE!
October 22, 2024

Does not send the edition they have pictured. This happened twice to me.
Good luck on getting a resolution your money back as well. Thriftbooks is a scam!
Unfortunately, Amazon supports Thriftbooks as a 3rd party bookseller, so check who the seller is before you checkout.

Date of experience: October 22, 2024
California
1 review
2 helpful votes
Follow Mark M.
Unfollow Mark M.
Send Message
Share Review
Report Review

Ordered several books. One was never delivered. When I contacted customer service they refused to fullfill the order because it was past their 30 day window. Bad order fulfillment and just plain dumb customer service. Lost a good customer over a measly $5 book. Don't trust them. It's not that they have poor customer service, it's more like they just don't care about the customer.

Date of experience: October 11, 2024
California
1 review
1 helpful vote
Follow Amanda H.
Unfollow Amanda H.
Send Message
Share Review
Report Review

I order a book listed on their website with a specific cover as a gift for my Aunt. I wanted this specific book with this cover becuase it was a childhood book that she was attached to and lost. They sent me a book with the same title and a different cover. I reached out to them abd they said that it was the correct book and would not issue a refund or exchange. This is a awful company and i would never do business woth them again and do not recommend any purchasing from them.

Date of experience: October 8, 2024
Canada
1 review
2 helpful votes
Follow Steve S.
Unfollow Steve S.
Send Message
Share Review
Report Review

Ordered a textbook for school. The delivery status says "no safe drop" "return to origin". I live in an appartment in a safe neighborhood. No phone call. No email. No attempt to contact me at all. So if you have a job or are a student do not order anything from this site. You likely won't be home when its delivered so they will just send it back. Waste of time and money.

Date of experience: September 12, 2024
South Carolina
1 review
1 helpful vote
Follow Daniel H.
Unfollow Daniel H.
Send Message
Share Review
Report Review

Received one volume of a two-volume set
August 1, 2024

I ordered a two-volume set from Thriftbooks off of Abebooks.com. I emailed Thrift and asked them if both of the books were included, AS ADVERTISED. Customer Service did not answer my query, but sent a boilerplate response that was irrelevant to my specific questions. I sent the same message again and then a third time. I then proceeded to cancel the order within minutes of placing it but they sent the order to me anyway, ignoring my cancellation, and of course only one volume arrived. They then stated that they would refund me only if I returned the book I hadn't asked for! I refused. I'm retired, somewhat disabled, and I don't drive. It would inconvenience me terribly to take public transportation to a distant post office. I refuse to return this order that I did not want or ask for.

Date of experience: August 1, 2024
Virginia
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow A E S.
Unfollow A E S.
Send Message
Share Review
Report Review

Ordered 3 books. All hardback. Two came ok. One came paperback. Customer service said they would send replacement. It came - another paperback. This time they said they do not have a hardback. They did say they would refund the money BUT... this is not the first time I've had this problem. Definitely the last.

Date of experience: July 17, 2024

Overview

ThriftBooks has a rating of 1.8 stars from 374 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers dissatisfied with ThriftBooks most frequently mention customer service, good condition and dust jacket. ThriftBooks ranks 22nd among Used Books sites.

service
154
value
154
shipping
157
returns
90
quality
153
+6