Discover Books was launched based on the fundamental belief that used books have value and should never go to waste. Prior to our founding, many of our staff worked in the thrift industry where we saw millions of books being sent to landfills each year. With each discarded book, we thought of the imagination, magic, and knowledge lost forever to a garbage heap and we endeavored to find a better way.We think books should achieve their greatest possible purpose: Whether purchased by another reader, donated to help a child acquire the lifelong skill of literacy, or recycled as a new product, it has a story to tell. We let stories live on.
Is Discover Books legit?
Discover Books (discoverbooks.com) has a 3.4 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 102 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Hobbies & Crafts and its reputation is mixed. Opinions are polarized: 58% rate it 4 stars or higher while 36% give 1 star; The business has replied to 68% of negative reviews; 1 of them were added in the last 12 months. Last updated 2026-08-12.
A literally filthy broken book described as "Very Good"
A book described to be in "Very Good" condition arrived this week with a broken back, very damaged pages with 2 adjacent pages covered with residue of what looked and felt - and smelled like dried vomit.
I ordered this through Abebooks and will never again use AbeBooks or Discover Books which should be reported for such dishonest presentation and abuse of their customers.
I, for one, will notify everyone in my extensive email system: friends, colleagues, students, patients, and more about the incredibly disrespectful and dishonest behaviors of Discover Books and the complicity of AbeBooks who by now are well aware of this ongoing problem.
Dr. Susan Ever Dale
Reply from Discover Books2023-09-18
Thank you for your review, Susan. We want to make this right with you. Can you please email our customer service team for immediate resolution? Please email us at [email protected] Please mention your review so that your email is handled accordingly.
The rag pickers of the book trade. Don't believe any of their book descriptions/editions/conditions. It's all lies.
I wish I could attach photos of the book they sent me (the wrong edition) and the actual condition of what they describe as "very good." It's literally falling apart at the seams. Run elsewhere for book purchases!
Reply from Discover Books2023-07-14
Thank you for your review, Steve. We want to make this right with you. Can you please email our customer service team for immediate resolution? Please email us at [email protected] Please mention your review so that your email is handled accordingly.
These sellers are total crooks! I ordered two books from them and after 5 days of them not shipping them, I asked them to cancel my order because it would not arrive on time. The very next morning they wrote back saying they couldn't cancel the order because it had already shipped- it didn't ship until 2:15 later that day!!! So they lied to me. They also said that they couldn't cancel my order because "shipping the products as fast as possible is their utmost priority to make customers happy". Based on that response, I asked them "then why did they wait 5 days to ship my order if shipping fast was your utmost priority" and they had NO RESPONSE!!! Buyer beware!!!
Reply from Discover Books2023-06-26
Thank you for sharing your buying experience. I'm disappointed to read about our unsatisfactory service regarding the need to cancel your order. We want to make this right with you and investigate where things went wrong. Please email our customer service team addressing your email to our customer service manager, Shawna, or call our customer service toll-free number (855) 702-6657 again, please ask for Shawna. She will be more than happy to work with you to make things right.
Book not received in condition advertised and no luck getting through to anyone in customer service
I ordered a book that was advertised as in "very good condition". It arrived in less that satisfactory condition- very obviously worn and with a yellow handwritten $1.50 price tag taped to the spine? I called the 1-800# customer service # and after waiting for 31 minutes I finally hung up. I next tried their customer service email option and received a message: "something went wrong, please call our customer service number". I then tried the "chat" option and crickets.
Reply from Discover Books2023-06-07
Thank you for your review, Shari. I'm disappointed to hear that you tried to contact us multiple times and could not reach anyone. This is completely abnormal and unacceptable. I will investigate how your call, email, and chat went unanswered. I want to make this right with you. Please email our customer service team at [email protected], or for immediate resolution, contact us at (855) 702-6657, Monday through Friday, 9 am until 5 pm est. When either calling or emailing, please ask to speak with the customer service manager Shawna..
Mailed me a scammy self-help book without my ever having contact with them. It's unclear how they got my information, or if the author paid them to send this.
Reply from Discover Books2023-04-12
Hello David,
Thank you for your review. I understand that you received an item that you did not order. I want to research this matter further and explain how you received this book. We do not ship items that are not ordered or work with authors to ship items to potential customers. Please email our customer service team a photo of the book and the tracking number from the shipping label. I’ll be able to investigate this situation further and provide you with the order details. [email protected], please address the email to Shawna.
I look forward to hearing from you and working together to resolve this mystery.
Respectfully,
Shawna
Customer Service Manager
Discover Books has the worst customer service I've ever experienced.
I ordered four books from the company. When they arrived, two of the four were the wrong titles. I immediately contacted the company and was told I would receive a refund for both. Nearly two weeks and ten emails later, I have received a refund for only one book (and that refund came through only after a week of my emails trying to hold Discover Books accountable to what they told me they would do--such fun).
Discover Books doesn't follow through on their own policies and emails, they are sloppy in their work (I got multiple responses from different people to each of my emails, each of the responses telling me something different), and this has all taken far two long.
I love Thriftbooks and will continue to order from them exclusively from now own. Discover Books is a nightmare!
Reply from Discover Books2023-03-14
Thank you, Amy, for your review. I am terribly disappointed that you received multiple responses regarding the same issue. Our Customer Service team members are all trained on the same policies, procedures, and follow-through. I want to make this right with you and turn this experience around. Can you please provide me with your order number? I also want to investigate how your concerns were addressed and where we failed you.
I placed an order for the Salesian Trilogy (3 books as posted in photo and advertised by seller as hard cover #303447690014.) The price was very good. The offer arrived yesterday but only one book instead of three. The paperback was in very good condition, but it was not hard cover. What happened to the description of hardcover and three books instead of one?
Reply from Discover Books2023-03-09
Thank you for your review, Brooksyne, and I'm sorry to hear that the book arrived was not as listed. We want to make this right with you. Can you please email our customer service team for immediate resolution? Please email us at [email protected] Please mention your review so that your email is handled accordingly.
My partner ordered a specific edition of a book as a gift for me which costed more than a random one I would have picked had it not been important for me to have the one I chose. I'm now going to have to buy it again from another bookseller.
The condition of the book was also marked as 'good', yet it arrived in close-to-poor condition: yellow pages, sticky cover, and marks.
Really disappointed. Not buying again from this company.
Reply from Discover Books2023-01-24
Thank you for your review, Mike. We want to make this right with you. Can you please email our customer service team for immediate resolution? Please email us at [email protected] Please mention your review so that your email is handled accordingly.
Least helpful customer service exchange I've ever had. They failed to send me a book I paid for and when I contacted them they gave me very unhelpful suggestions. Won't ever be shopping with them ever again
Reply from Discover Books2023-01-12
Thank you for your review, Matt R. We want to make this right with you. Can you please email our customer service team for immediate resolution? Please email us at [email protected] Please mention your review so that your email is handled accordingly.
One of my new favorite book stores for cheap prices on hard to find books! I like that they have a point loyalty program too. The website is a little dated, but their prices are usually the cheapest around so I can deal with that! I highly recommend them as I've never had a problem yet.
Reply from Discover Books2022-12-14
Thank you for your review, Ria. We are currently making a few updates to our website that we hope will improve your buyers' experiences.
I initially left a 1-star review. I ordered 13 books for 160$ but only got the cheapest one, with a pricetag of 4$. I'm ordering these to Europe, so the postage isn't exactly cheap. After communicating with their customer service department they did end up sending the other books. I am happy with the books and the condition that they're in. Communication wasn't the best, I had to ask 3 times before they gave me the tracking numbers, but in the end I'm happy that I got what I paid for.
Reply from Discover Books2022-12-09
Thank you, Kristopher, for your review. I appreciate you bringing to our attention the lack of communication regarding the tracking details. I will have this addressed right away. I'm happy to hear that you are overall pleased with your purchase and hope you'll allow us to be of service to you again in the future.
Terrible company. I ordered 2 classroom big books and 1 hardcover book. They were described on the website as such. I recieved 1 baby board book and 2 regular sized books. After reading other reviews about this comapany I was lucky to even get any books at all.
Reply from Discover Books2022-11-28
Thank you for your review, Cheryl. We want to make this right with you. Can you please email our customer service team for immediate resolution? Please email us at [email protected] Please mention your review so that your email is handled accordingly.
The book was described as "like-new" but what I received was "Acceptable" at best
Reply from Discover Books2022-10-03
Thank you for your review, Janet. We want to make this right with you. Can you please email our customer service team for immediate resolution? Please email us at [email protected] Please mention your review so that your email is handled accordingly.
The dictionary was in excellent condition. What I paid was an amazing price for the quality of product I received. I am extremely happy with my purchase. Shipping was very fast as well. I'm very glad I found this site. I will be sure to shop here again and recommend the site to others. I homeschool and this site is an amazing cost saving option.
Reply from Discover Books2022-09-19
Thank you for your review, Nicolasa. Happy reading!