DoubleDay Your Pleasure and Money by Buying and Selling Books
Written: Nov 16, 2003
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I have been buying from Doubleday on and off for years now. This is the second time that I bit at an e-mail (or pop up –can’t remember) asking me to come back. I did.
About the site:
We are immediately told when we arrive at the site that we will get 5 books for $.99 plus 1 free book with membership. We also learn that we will enjoy benefits such as getting up to 60% off publishers' edition prices; that we can get bargain books including health books, diet books, craft books, self help books, romance novels, mysteries, and biographies; and that we will get club magazines.
Doubleday Book Club online has a huge selection of books. Nine very popular or best selling books are shown on the site as you arrive. We are shown how much we will be paying if we join. For example, Safe Harbour by Danielle Steel, costs $16.99 if you are a member, retails for $26.95 but you’ll get it for $.20. That doesn’t include shipping which I will talk about later.
You can browse books by New this Month, Coming Soon, African-American Bargain Books, Biographies & Memoirs, Children's Books, Christian Cooking & Entertaining, Fiction, Health, Mind & Body, Holiday & Gift Ideas, Home & Hobbies, Mysteries & Thrillers, Real-Life Drama, Reference and Romantic Reads. There are 41 books in New this Month alone.
You can search by title, author, id or keyword.
We are asked, "If you are responding to a mailing or advertisement and want to join, click here." Well that was me. I was asked to enter a code which I did. My deal was 5 books for $.99 each but I didn’t have to pay any shipping or handling. I then had a choice of a free tote bag or the first of the 4 books I have to buy over the next 2 years for $5.99. I chose the latter. So for $11.00 I got 6 books.
If you don’t have a promotion the deal is fantastic anyway.
Ordering, shipping, returns:
Ordering was simple. The choices are so amazing that I had no problem quickly picking out 6 books I wanted. The pages don’t load immediately but they aren’t so slow that it is annoying. You will be told at checkout, though, that due to heavy volume it might take a moment. In my most recent case it was just a second.
Make sure you read the membership agreement. The two deals offered only vary by a few dollars, but I look for the deals without shipping and which require me to buy no more than 4 books in two years. Make sure you know what you are signing up for.
Although I find the site very easy to work I do like to look through the magazine that is sent 19 times a year (approximately every three weeks). NOTE: Featured Selections are sent to you automatically unless you cancel them, or order other books instead. I do this online by either accepting or declining the featured book. Remember the days of returning cards? Well you don’t have to anymore.
For your introductory package, the shipping and handling charges are $4.99 for the first item, and $1.99 for each additional item. If you do the math you will see that my deal of free shipping costs $5.00 less than the usual offer.
The shipping and handling charge for regular shipments after any promo is $3.99 for the first item and $1.99 for each additional item.
Credit card orders are shipped in 7 to 10 business days. If you use a credit card (rather than being billed at a later date) you can receive your shipment in 5 to 6 business days. You can also opt for express shipping for an additional $5.00 charge. I have consistently received my books on a timely basis and the orders have always been correct. I get them quickly in spite of not paying at the time of purchase. I opt for the "bill me later" option. All major credit cards are accepted.
On one or two occasions a book has been back ordered but you should be told that when you go to order it. I find very few surprises on doubledaybookclub.com
Satisfaction is guaranteed; membership is risk-free. If you're not completely satisfied with your introductory package, you may return it within 20 days at their expense. Your membership will be canceled and you'll owe nothing.
We are told that we will save about $178.00. That is probably true but I wouldn’t buy 9 books at $12.00 and up. My “deal” will come to approximately (depending on what 3 books I choose in the future) $49 give or take a few dollars. That is between $5.00- $6.00 a book- less than the cost of a paperback. To make this even better I then sell the books on half.com or eBay! I have made back most of the money I spent the last time I enrolled online.
My final thoughts:
I love to always have a book to read. I reserve books at my library and either wait weeks or get a call that 4 have come in. Doubleday Book Club has been fantastic for me. During my last round I bought a Danielle Steel book, read it in 2 days and sold it for $10.00! Great site, great selection, excellent shipping - just be careful if you do not want the featured selection.
Let me know if you have any questions or comments.
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Member: Jo
Location: on a bluff overlooking the ocean
Reviews written: 1923
Trusted by: 1198 members
About Me: Prayers go out to my city of Boston
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