Help, I'm addicted to Bookcloseouts!
Written: May 20 '05
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I have to be careful to avoid Bookcloseouts, because if I go there, I'm almost certain to spend 30$ or more. This is very bad when you're broke. On the other hand, Bookcloseouts offers incredibly cheap books. This is very good for a book addict.
The Website
The website used to be very poorly designed. It was impossible to browse with anything like efficiency, so you pretty much had to know exactly what books you were looking for and use the search engine. Not that this stopped me from searching the entire science fiction and fantasy section of hundreds of books listed alphabetically. Sometimes I have too much time on my hands.
Not too long ago, though, Bookcloseouts revamped their website. It's still not as fun or efficient to browse as Amazon or similar sites, but it's much better than it was. And let's face it, Amazon is a lot to live up to.
The information about the books is pretty good. On some book sites, the information is incomplete, wrong, or missing altogether. On Bookcloseouts, you'll have a fairly good idea of what you're getting. They also keep up-to-date track of how many books they have in stock, so they probably won't cancel your order for being out of stock unless you happened to try to order the last book at the same time someone else did.
The shopping cart does remember what you've put in it, provided you've logged in. How many books are left in stock is also kept track of in your shopping cart, so it's good for a quick reference.
Price
This is the main reason to use Bookcloseouts. The prices are very good. 50% off of the list price is very common. There are frequently other bargains and sales. They seem to very often have sales on children's books in particular. Right now there's a sale that has many books for 90% off of list price. That's not a typo.
Additionally, you can usually find coupons you can use. A quick search of my favorite coupon site yields a 5$ off of 35$ coupon.
Condition of Books
Where's the catch? Well, here's the catch. These are mainly books that have been returned to the publisher. Many of them have black marks on the edge of the pages or across the bar code. This does not affect readability in the least, but if you're purchasing gifts, you may want to think twice about it. Not all of them have these marks and I've found that children's books more often don't than do.
There is also a Scratch and Dent section for those seeking even more bargains. These books are banged up a little, but still readable, and marked down in price as a result.
Bookcloseouts is very upfront about the condition of the books and a mark you won't see when it's on your shelf or when you're reading it isn't too hard to deal with considering the good prices.
Selection
Bookcloseouts isn't a site to find the latest selection of books. They have what they have. They do often have fairly recent books, and I'm sure you'll be able to find something you like. I've found it's helpful to have a list of books you're looking for or favorite authors and use the search engine. Then if you're the type who likes to browse, you can round out your order with a bit of browsing around.
I've never had any trouble finding enough books I want to make a respectably-sized order. My problem is stopping before I break the bank.
They also offer audio books and videos, both VHS and DVD.
Shipping
Shipping usually takes a week or two, if I recall correctly. It's fun to get a large box full of books, especially when they cost you the price of two or three at a regular bookstore.
Conclusion
Bookcloseouts is like going to a large garage sale. You never know what they might have, but the prices will be very good. Unlike a garage sale though, the books will all be in very good if not mint condition.
I recommend it for book addicts and anyone buying books for children.
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Books, books, and more books!
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Epinions.com ID:
Jellyn
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Location: New Hampshire
Reviews written: 210
Trusted by: 47 members
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