There is no easy way to contact…
There is no easy way to contact AbeBooks or the seller. Delivery time frame is too long
About AbeBooks
Data updated- Website
- www.abebooks.com
- Category
- Hobbies & Crafts
- Location
- United States
- Status
- Unclaimed
- Last 12 months
- 102 reviews
- Replies to negative
- 0% (0/89)
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About this business
AbeBooks is your source for Used, New, Rare and Out of print books. Find classic collectibles, rare signed editions, used textbooks, and inexpensive bestsellers from independent booksellers worldwide.
Is AbeBooks legit?
AbeBooks (www.abebooks.com) has a 1.6 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 102 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Hobbies & Crafts and its reputation is poor. 79% of reviews are 1 star, a relatively high share; The business has not yet replied to negative reviews; Reviews mostly discuss Product, Price. Last updated 2026-08-11.
What reviewers say
AI generatedMost reviewers were consistently let down by their negative experience overall. Customers expressed deep frustration over receiving heavily damaged products, incorrect book titles, and unexpected extra fees charged after completing their purchases. People also encountered severe delivery delays, with several orders failing to arrive entirely, lacking proper tracking, or being mistakenly sent to wrong addresses. Some reviewers were happy with finding hard-to-find reference books at very reasonable prices and receiving them quickly in pristine condition without issues. Consumers additionally appreciated surprisingly prompt shipping times and completely flawless items that wonderfully satisfied all their specific personal reading and academic needs.
Auto-generated from all reviews of this business. For reference only.What people say
I ordered two books through AbeBooks
I ordered two books through AbeBooks. After the sale, the seller (G. & J. Chesters) requested significantly more money for shipping than what had been agreed at checkout. I declined and requested cancellation through AbeBooks directly and this was not actioned. The seller then refused to cancel the order himself and redirected me back to AbeBooks, despite later admitting in writing that he could have cancelled at any time but avoided doing so because it "counts against" his seller account. My request only got actioned after I raised a formal dispute with my bank, not because AbeBooks or the seller resolved it directly. To make matters worse, AbeBooks' own records now contradict each other: a support agent confirmed in writing the cancellation was made "as per your request," while the automated system notice claims the items were "unavailable." Neither is being corrected. If a seller changes the agreed price after you've paid, don't expect AbeBooks to intervene quickly or accurately record what happened. It took a bank dispute to get any real movement. Do not solely rely on the reviews of sellers like G. & J. Chesters, listed on abe books because they are not a true reflection of service. G & J Chesters emails responses were unprofessional and deceptive.
Never again
I join the long list of furious customers. I've bought from AbeBooks before & had a generally good experience. Not the last time. The book was said to be in very good condition. It arrived badly damaged -- the book but not the packaging, indicating that the book was heavily damaged before it was shipped. I wrote them, sent the book back as instructed, paying more than twice the cost of the book to do so. The refund covered barely half my cost. I've written several times asking that the return cost be covered. No answer. That's it for me. Never again. As others have complained, their "customer service" is non-existent. Customer disservice is all you get. They shouldn't be in business.
Occulte Buchhandlung Inveha through AbeBooks
I purchased a rare book from Occulte Buchhandlung Inveha through AbeBooks. The book was marked as dispatched, but it never arrived. I contacted the bookseller several times and received no response. I only received a refund after opening a claim through AbeBooks, and then had to wait for the refund to be processed back to my account. The whole experience was frustrating and disappointing, and based on my experience I would not buy from this bookseller again.
Bogus business with ZERO customer support
I ordered a book from Sweden, which was not the book that was delivered. In order to receive a refund, you are required to ship the book back. Return postage is over twice the amount of what I paid. Attempts to contact the seller have been ignored, and there is zero customer service to speak of at AbeBooks. Ripoff Report Rating = 0.
Beware! Zero Customer Service and No Refunds on Return Shipping
AbeBooks literally has NO customer service whatsoever and there is NO WAY to get a refund for return shipping for defective or poor quality books. There is NO chat, contact email or phone support so I am out $25 for my order for a book that was not as describes and is not readable! Do NOT shop at AbeBooks or buy from Dallas Thrift Books unless you want zero customer service and poor quality items not as described. I will never purchase from AbeBooks or Dallas Thrift Books again.
Refunds without reason
Awful experience The company refunded my order after one month of waiting with no further explanation and with no apology Unprofessional flops
WOW fast delivery
WOW - I received my book the day after I ordered it - it was delivered by Evri - which was quicker than Royal Mail. The book was in excellent condition & an extremely reasonable price
Just ordered a book for the first time…
Just ordered a book for the first time and am furious expected delivery is in September! If I'd known upfront I would never have ordered. I will never use AbeBooks again. I DO NOT RECOMMEND AbeBooks !!!!
Tired of the "wishing well" gamble with…
Tired of the "wishing well" gamble with online booksellers. Buying used books online has become a complete gamble. Too many sellers list items with vague descriptions, completely misrepresent book conditions, and leave buyers hoping for the best. The platform needs strict quality enforcement to weed out careless merchants who don't follow grading standards. The platform has become a total rip-off. Buyers deserve policy-compliant sellers who actually care about accuracy, proper packaging, and honest service—not just throwing items in a bubble mailer and hoping for a good rating.
Buyer beware
Buyer beware, I had no idea you couldn’t leave feedback for the seller and that the ratings are based on completed sales. I bought a book that was listed as “Like New” condition and the cover had multiple creases, there were dents on the cover that were deep enough to be seen on the 5th page, and the book had writing in it. I am never using Abebooks again
Book's condition completely misrepresented.
I've purchased books from AbeBooks in the past and the experience was okay. However, I recently purchased a special book listed as "Very Good" condition. I excitedly opened the packaging to discover a completely filthy book, dented on all corners and it smelled. I was very upset and contacted AbeBooks to initiate a return. Well, turns out *I* have to pay to return this VERY misrepresented book. I'm so angry right now and I have zero recourse. Guaranteed I will never purchase from AbeBooks (or Half Price Books which is where it shipped from) again. There are plenty of book sellers out there, avoid this one. You can't trust them!
Books conditions are inaccurate
While the purchase process was easy, the book conditions were grossly misrepresented. We have very different opinions on what is "very good."
I received poor quality books when I…
I received poor quality books when I paid for very good. Now they are telling me I have to return the book when I also sent pictures of the poor condition. This is unacceptable customer service
Poor condition crammed in flat rate envelope
I was skeptical ordering from them, but they were the only site that had a new rate first print set of a title I wanted to purchase someone as a gift, so I took the gamble. I went a while without seeing tracking updates so I reached out and was told that they are slow to ship but it’ll be worth it, so I shrugged it off. When it finally arrived it was crammed in a flat rate usps envelope that they bent around the 4 book set with no bubble wrap or anything. After opening it they were dented, worn, and beat up. I was so disappointed. Customer service played the whole “I don’t know how this happened” act and completely ignored my request to refund the return shipping. Do yourself a favor and never buy from them, unless you just want to be disappointed.
The book was way over priced
The book was way over priced! Sorry I purchased it here! Cover torn and pages turned brown. Definitely not worth what I paid. Definitely won’t be buy here again and will advise other not to either. Sad
Have used AbeBooks for years
Have used AbeBooks for years. As a homeschool family, we have to purchase books every year for our co-op classes. The books are very specific, so I find this website a great option. I'm not concerned about the books being in pristine condition, because we are going to USE them. Which means no fretting about if my kids are keeping the corners straight or the leaving them lying open. The only thing I don't like is that they often put very sticky stickers on the cover, which are unsightly, difficult to remove, and leave sticky residue. Sometimes shipping makes the books more expensive than other sites. So just compare.
Highly rated by Me
Always (almost) have the obscure books I am looking for, condition reports are accurate, sellers are friendly and helpful. I don't know why anyone would not appreciate the very good selection and service.
Extremely disappointed with AbeBooks
Extremely disappointed with AbeBooks. I applied to become a seller with hundreds of genuine collectible books, many over 100 years old, and my application was rejected without any meaningful explanation. It’s frustrating that a marketplace built around rare and collectible books would refuse qualified sellers while providing no transparency about the decision. If you’re going to deny someone the opportunity to sell, at least have the courtesy to explain why or provide a path to address any concerns. As someone with a substantial collection of antique and collectible books, I expected a more professional and respectful process. Instead, I was left feeling like my application was dismissed without consideration. Based on my experience, I can’t recommend AbeBooks to prospective sellers looking for a fair or transparent application process.
Don’t buy books via AbeBooks
I ordered a book to my home in London. The seller was AproposBooks&Comics, London, UK. They took my money, told me they had sent the book and provided a Royal Mail tracking code. Royal Mail tried three times to deliver but couldn’t because of an error in the postal code, and Royal Mail also provided conflicting information online on the item’s delivery journey. Ultimately, however, Royal Mail marked the book as Returned To Sender. The seller claims they haven’t received the returned book from Royal Mail and refuses to refund me, asking why they should be out of pocket for the transaction. I requested a refund from AbeBooks as per its T&C. I got an odd reply with the tracking number, which was not at all helpful. AbeBooks has no formal complaint procedure that I can find online, no method of contact beyond a contact form. I feel that there’s nothing that compels the seller to act in good faith. I feel that AbeBooks and AproposBooks&Comics have behaved badly — I bought an item but didn’t receive it and they won’t give me a refund. How is that OK? In my view, it’s not. Wish I had read all the negative reviews here before buying. I won’t use AbeBooks again and advise you to do the same.
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