Is AbeBooks Legit?
AbeBooks is indeed legit as it is owned by Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer and marketplace, and has been in business for over 27 years.
Moreover, there are other well-known subsidiaries of AbeBooks such as BookFinder.com, ZVAB.com, and IberLibro.
Some important things to consider before using AbeBooks
Any Mistakes Could Be Complicated by AbeBooks
If you didn't know, AbeBooks solely serves as a mediator for customers and sellers that list their products for sale on the website.
Instead of selling its own goods, AbeBooks links consumers and sellers so that they can make purchases from each other.
When you purchase anything on AbeBooks, you are actually purchasing from independent merchants who have been given permission by AbeBooks to list their goods on the website.
As an intermediate site, it solely serves to streamline transactions between you and the seller you are purchasing from. Once AbeBooks has verified your payment, the seller is notified to ship the item directly to you.
But the problem here is that if an issue arises with your purchase, you’ve to resolve it with the seller through AbeBooks, not directly with the seller, as it’s AbeBooks who handles your purchase with the seller.
In case you need changes, cancellations, refunds, or resolve any other issue, you’ve to contact your seller through AbeBooks who will then communicate the seller’s response with you.
In this way, the involvement of a middleman (AbeBooks) might complicate resolving an issue with the respective seller.
Differences Between Books Received And Publicized
On AbeBooks, sellers offer information on the books they list, including edition, condition, content, description, and other pertinent characteristics.
AbeBooks only permits verified sellers to post their books on its website, so even if merchants offer accurate information and top-notch services, some of them might not live up to the same standards, which could leave some customers with bad experiences.
As a result, several consumers have complained that the books they received didn't correspond with the specifics and descriptions provided by certain merchants.
Contrary to what those merchants advertised on AbeBooks, customers from those sellers occasionally received books in bad condition, obsolete or erroneous versions, missing pages or contents, and inaccurate descriptions.
This issue happens because AbeBooks, like other middlemen e-companies, has no direct control over the services and accuracy of information provided by individual sellers.
Therefore, there’s a possibility that you may find differences between the product you receive and the product advertised by those sellers.
Problems With Delivery And Tracking
Some customers have shipping and tracking issues since AbeBooks does not handle the delivery of items to clients; instead, sellers handle this task.
A number of buyers have complained that the seller's estimated delivery time was not met by the time their products arrived.
Additionally, a number of them have expressed dissatisfaction about sellers failing to give them accurate tracking numbers or current tracking information, which makes it difficult for buyers to follow the status of their goods.
As a result, even if your order will arrive, it might take longer than expected to arrive or you might have trouble following it.
No replacement and a difficult procedure for returns and refunds
Please be advised that if you're unhappy with the product you receive, AbeBooks does not accept returns. You have no choice except to return your order and receive a refund.
You will be reimbursed for both the initial cost of the book and delivery as well as the return shipping costs if you receive the wrong book or if it comes damaged.
However, the issue is that even though you will receive a refund for the cost of the book and original shipping if the seller describes the book as being in poor condition or is an outdated edition, your request to have the return shipping charges refunded is contingent upon the seller's approval.
You are not entitled to a reimbursement from AbeBooks for the return shipping costs if the vendor rejects your request.
Is It Worth Buying on AbeBooks?
Whether you want to purchase through AbeBooks, buy straight from sellers, or use a different site ultimately comes down to your own comfort level and tastes.
In my opinion, you should look for the book in a physical store first so you can inspect it in person and avoid any problems that may arise from making an online purchase.
If, however, the book is exclusively offered on AbeBooks or has a much cheaper price, yet you're hesitant to purchase it because of the aforementioned concerns, I would argue that these problems aren't unique to AbeBooks.
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Tips To Follow While Purchasing Through AbeBooks
Examine its refund and return policy.
Although we've only touched on a few points of AbeBooks' return and refund policy, it's crucial to read it through from beginning to end to ensure you fully comprehend everything.
Visit the section dedicated to return and refund policies to acquaint yourself with the terms, conditions, timelines, amount of the refund, and other pertinent information.
Investigate The Seller
Looking at a seller's ratings and sales history on AbeBooks can give you an idea of how reputable and trustworthy they are, as many vendors list their books there.
It is recommended to only purchase from vendors who have a high rating (more than three stars) on AbeBooks and have been selling books for at least five years.
If more details on the particular seller were available on other websites, like Google and other online book marketplaces, that would be the cherry on top.
To find out whether there is more information accessible about the seller you are purchasing from, do a search about them on other websites.
Choose The Book Condition, Edition, And Binding With Care
Both new and secondhand books in a variety of editions, bindings, and states are sold by sellers on AbeBooks.
As a result, it's critical that you choose the edition, binding type (soft or hard), and condition (new, fair, good, used) of the book carefully because it might be quite challenging to resolve any issues with the seller through AbeBooks.
Dispel Your Doubt
Do not hesitate to get in touch with AbeBooks or the seller directly through AbeBooks if you have any further questions regarding the book you're purchasing, anything else, or if you need more information.
It’s advised to not buy anything on AbeBooks if the seller or AbeBooks doesn’t respond to your query and clear your confusion.
Enter Your Correct Address
Double-check to ensure that you’ve entered your correct delivery and email address as neither AbeBooks nor the seller is responsible if you don’t receive the tracking number or your order is delivered to the wrong place due to your incorrect email and delivery address.
Examine Your Purchase
Check your order summary before confirming your purchase to make sure you have entered all the necessary information, including your address, email, book condition, edition, and other data, to prevent any problems down the road.
Verify Your Purchase With The Vendor
Even while AbeBooks will email you as soon as the seller processes your order, you should still confirm your order directly with the seller to be sure AbeBooks has indeed received confirmation from the seller.
Conclusion
AbeBooks is a legitimate marketplace given that it was founded in 1996, was acquired by Amazon in 2008, and has numerous other respectable subsidiaries.
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