Half Price Books operates a chain of stores and an online platform selling used and new books across multiple locations. This RetailCoupons.com review page aggregates shopper ratings and feedback about Half Price Books' buying, selling, and customer service practices.
Half Price Books Reviews
1.7
23 reviews
What Shoppers Say About Half Price Books
Created with AI, based on recent reviews
Half Price Books receives overwhelmingly negative feedback, with shoppers reporting significant problems across both buying and selling experiences. Customers who attempt to sell books to the store describe shockingly low buyback offers, receiving only dollars for collections worth hundreds. Those purchasing online encounter frequent inventory misrepresentation, particularly regarding book format and condition, and report slow or non-existent customer service when attempting to resolve issues or process returns. Several shoppers mention being charged for return shipping on items that arrived incorrectly, and one customer reported an unrefunded order after submitting return tracking confirmation. A small percentage of reviewers appear satisfied, likely reflecting positive experiences, but the dominant pattern shows customers feeling deceived by pricing practices and disappointed by the company's responsiveness to complaints.
The store's reputation for being a destination for affordable used books appears damaged by current operations. Shoppers note that prices for used inventory rival new book prices at other retailers, and the buyback program offers minimal compensation compared to listed online values. Issues with order fulfillment, including receiving different formats or editions than ordered, suggest systemic inventory management problems. Customers express frustration that the company has "lost what made it worthwhile" and actively warn others against purchasing from or selling to Half Price Books.
Customer Reviews (23)
Sorted by: Most recentRaymond K.May 27, 2023
This place is absolutely shameless with their pricing. I brought in a huge stack of DVDs and Blu-rays expecting a fair deal, and they handed me $27 total. Meanwhile, I saw those same DVDs on their shelves going for $5 and up each. Don't bother taking your stuff here unless you want to be let down. When I tried to pick up my payment, the cashier didn't even have a twenty in the drawer, so I got a bunch of fives instead. The whole experience was stressful and annoying. Honestly, they're basically thieves running this place with zero customer service skills or friendliness.
Michael T.Sep 16, 2022
The description said the book was in good condition, but when it arrived it had pages torn out. That's not acceptable.
Thomas M.May 14, 2021
I've ordered around 30 books from their site and haven't had any real issues. The prices are generally lower than what you'll find elsewhere. A couple orders took a bit longer to show up than I would've liked, but at those prices it didn't bother me. What's cool is they sell through multiple store locations, so sometimes you'll order five books and receive shipments from different parts of the country.
Half Price Books Review FAQ
How is Half Price Books rated on RetailCoupons.com?
Half Price Books is rated 1.7 out of 5 based on 23 customer reviews. The rating reflects experiences with both in-store and online transactions, including book purchases, sales, and returns.
What do shoppers complain about most regarding Half Price Books?
The most frequent complaints involve inventory misrepresentation (receiving paperbacks instead of hardcovers, different editions than listed), extremely low buyback offers for used books, unresponsive customer service, non-refunded returns, and charges for return shipping on orders containing incorrect items. Some shoppers also report delivery delays and unshipped orders.
Is Half Price Books recommended by shoppers?
The vast majority of recent reviews do not recommend Half Price Books. Customers advise against both purchasing from and selling books to the store. A very small number of shoppers appear satisfied, but positive experiences are significantly outnumbered by negative ones.
What issues do customers report with selling books to Half Price Books?
Shoppers report that Half Price Books offers extremely low buyback prices that bear little relation to the books' listed online values or condition. One customer was offered $5 total for 14 books that were listed at approximately $347 combined, and another reported barely anything offered for trade-ins at a Texas location.
What problems occur with Half Price Books online orders?
Common issues include receiving books in a different format or edition than ordered (hardcovers arriving as paperbacks), slow or non-existent shipping, charged return shipping for incorrect items, and unresponsive customer service when attempting to resolve order problems or obtain refunds.