Just learned Better World Books will be featured repeatedly on CNN today and this weekend. Check it out during the shows that air at one of these times (all times are EDT). Please pass it on!
CNN-U.S.
Thursday 2-Jul: 8:00a, 12:00p, 2:00p
Saturday 4-Jul: 7:00p, 10:00p, 1:00a
Sunday 5-Jul: 6:00a
CNN HLN
Thursday 2-Jul: 12:00p, 2:00p, 4:00p
Saturday 4-Jul: 6:00p
Sunday 5-Jul: 6:00p
Update 12:35pm: Watch It Now:
Embedded video from CNN Video
You guys are the biggest scam artists that I’ve ever seen… You should also try putting some money into your crappy customer service department. And by the way, you’re lying about your “commitment” to literacy programs. You have people donate on the false pretext that the books are going to be shipped over to needy kids in Africa but you really just sell them and give a SMALL percentage of the profit to the actual programs. Shame on you for lying and using these children for your false advertising and your greedy money hungry desires.
I love that Theresa criticizes the $6M that you’ve given away, without disclosing how much she’s given away. 🙂
I also love that you keep books out of landfills, created a few hundred jobs, and showed that social entrepreneurship can be profitable.
I don’t care what this Theresa says. You’re the best! All the books I ordered arrived much faster (and cheaper, of course) than if I had bought them at any other online store. Your customer service excels! And the social contribution you give is wonderful (you’re even here in Brazil!). So keep up with the great work, guys! Congratulations!
Congratulations- you have a wonderful business just heard about you on CNN and will be ordering books from you soon! Keep it up! It’s brilliant!
Theresa – we are certainly not perfect, and a small percentage of our customers do experience a customer service glitch. If this happened to you, please accept our apologies. You may contact me directly for resolution of your problem at john at betterworldbooks dot com. For perspective though, we do have a 97% positive seller rating on Amazon from 585,000 reviews (the most of any seller on Amazon) and a 99.6% positive rating on Half.com from 285,000 reviews.
We claim that we convert books donated into cash which then goes to our non-profit literacy partners. If you can point me to where you see an alternative claim, I would like to correct it. It is a side benefit that we have actually directly sent 1.3 million college textbooks to Africa, but this is not our primary business.
We do provide about 10% of our revenues to our non-profit literacy partners. For context, consider Target Corp., a best-in-class C Corporation when it comes to charitable giving. It donates 5% of its pre-tax profit to charity. In order to meet the bar we set of donating 10% of revenues, Target would have to donate 196% of its pre-tax profit to charity. We pay our literacy partners regardless of whether we are profitable and before we take any profit. We aim to maintain high single-digit social profit and to achieve high single-digit shareholder profit.
I saw it on CNN as well! Great prices on textbooks! Forget about the 31 million this year, that number is going up because of the exposure. I already posted this site on facebook and I hope my friends get their books from here too.
Keep it up John and BWB!
Libraries should be donating their unwanted books to the residents of the communities that support them financially, NOT to a private business that turns the books into private profits and gives nothing to the libraries that collected the books.
If the books have enough value to be listed for sale on the internet, then they will be of use to someone in the libraries’ local communities and should be either given away to the locals or given to the nearest library that holds a Friends of the Library book sale.
Now i know why i can’t find anything good at my “friends of the library”. Now i have no choice but buy them off line, with the high cost of shipping it sucks. It’s a scam to think that much of the money goes to help literacy.
You have made a monster, hope the libraries find out the truth before they sign sign contracts.
Hey Peter and Ward enough of the anger! BWB does gift book to libraries! The libraries just happen to be in poor countries that can’t afford books. And BW Books has raised $6.5 million for Global Literacy and saved 25,150 001 from land fills. When you buy a book from BW Books you help with these programmes. For $15 you can get 5 books and the postage in the US is FREE. Powell’s charged me $7 + $6 freight just for 1 book. I recently bought 6 books from BW Books, and because I am an overseas customer it cost me $24 freight for the 6 books, but I had them within a week. Great service. Come on people, get on the page!
recently saw your advertisement on CNN. I looked you up amd to my surprise I don.’t see where the book that I need is any cheaper with you than any other online store. I thought I heard you mention something about getting books for $10.00 and since I am in school I do a lot of ordering. I see a lot of the books I needon your site but not one for ten dollars. To me the only thing I found true about what I thought I heard was that the shipping is cheap.
You guys should put this video on your YouTube channel so that more people can watch it. You’re great, keep up the awesome.
Peter and Ward–I’ve worked in libraries, so give BWB a break. For the price of shipping in getting rid of old books, libraries are quite happy to have the shelves free for new titles. Both public and college libraries routinely get rid of books that are in slight or no demand. Ever been to a library book sale? Public libraries depend on public funds for operation of facility and acquisitionis of new titles, so shelf space is in high demand and funds for expansion of facilities are non-existant. Public libraries don’t have the funds to add shelf space in order to bring in all the new titles patrons demand, titles that get more borrowers and keep the need for public libraries alive. Imagine if a public library didn’t have twenty copies of the newest hit like Harry Potter. Even with twenty copies, the wait list for such in-demand books can be as much as a month long if a borrower is lucky.
University libraries suffer from the same dilemma and public libraries. What books can they keep in order to free up space in a finite facility for new titles? If spending $5 for a book isn’t worth the cost, then the book seems unimportant or without much demand. If it’s a specialty book, chances are BWB is one of the few places you can get it. Spending 10, 20, or 50 bucks for a hard to find title is usually a steal. Try pricing things based on the cost of a new book or compare the used book market at places like Half.com, Ebay, Amazon, etc. BWB is usually the best price and a reasonable price to pay. How ever little 5% sounds like in donation, that is a large donation in either money or books. If it goes to third world coutries, so much the better. Ever try to find a book in Kenya or rural Peru? Literacy in third world countries is apalingly low by the standards of the US where almost everyone can read from a young age. Books to foreign countries raises literacy rates and encourages education in all. It’s a good thing.
Some people obviously have no idea of the roadblocks that stand in your way of donating books locally.
I wish I had known of BWB when my grandmother passed. The nursing home and hospitals would not take her books because they couldn’t take used books because of health dept regulations. The library system did not want them. The local (for profit) used book store did not think the majority of the titles were current enough to sell. Our Goodwill stopped taking books because they had too many and they did not sell well enough to justify the space they took up. I couldn’t afford to ship them somewhere on my own.
I was left with the recycle bin, or going through a tiring process of listing on ebay or some such.
BWB certainly fills a need for some. Donating your books is always a personal choice. If this one isn’t right for you, no one is telling you that you have to give BWB a thing, so why the hostility? Because they make a profit? It says so on the front page of the site…
Hello Better World Books,
I noticed your drop box in my University last week, and was very happy to see it. Earlier this year, I began a community-wide effort to change the Waterloo Region District School Board’s wasteful book-disposal policy. (search “Citizens for Saving School Books” on facebook) Though the policy was modified so as to accomodate the possibility of charity donations etc, we are perpetually in search of new organizations who could benefit. Please contact me.
Better World Books is not nearly so interested in “Literacy Programs” for under served people of the world as they are in cashing in on the idea of doing something philanthropic. It’s a pity.
I am from Fiji and doing an MBA course which requires text books that are sometimes almost impossible to source or obtain. They are also very expensive for a third worlder.
I ordered a hard-to-find text book from BWB in Mid-November 2009 and received it in Mid-December 2009. The price was cheap but good for me and the book was used but good condition. Thanks so much Better World Books. You are BETTER.
By the way, I can’t understand the anger and the type of language used by some comments in their criticism. BWB, whether they make profit or not, are really helping third worlders make something of their lives.
I come from a family that would make the same complaints and accusations of “scam” and “profiteers” towards charitable organizations and efforts no matter how the facts showed otherwise. It took a dear friend teach me the wonders of being charitable and the immense power of each of us just giving or doing a little. Interestingly, in my 50 years I’ve noticed that those who complain and criticize the most about the charitable efforts of others, are themselves the least likely to be charitable towards others. So, for those of you who feel the need to complain and accuse, get off the computer, get out there and make a difference in whatever way you see fit since this obviously isn’t it. Keep up the good work, BWB.
Your service is absolutely wonderful, very helpful, very fast, goods well-packed, and ALWAYS up front on AbeBook website with the best quality and value combined !!! How could anyone beat that !
A very happy and prosperous New Year to everyone of you, and I say that very sincerely, you deserve it!
Ronald
Theresa is absolutely right. Better World Books IS a scam. On dozens of college campuses I visit in my work, there are BWB collection bins in a good number of buildings. All these bins have words like “Donate” and “Give” in large print, and only in very tiny print at the bottom is it divulged that BWB is a for-profit organization. This tiny print is always at the bottom of these 4 foot high cardboard bins. Very dishonest.
There are also BWB posters around campuses with “Donate” and “Give” in large letters, giving the false impression that BWB is a charity organization.
Are these the ethics taught at Notre Dame these days?
I truly don’t get what people like Theresa are referring to!! You are great and much more reasonable that other sites and the shipping is free and not taxes and on top of that you help with world literacy. Love you guys!!
Rose – Why shouldn’t people donate/give to a for-profit institution if they can see that their donation is doing good in the world? Let’s not conflate a request for donations with a claim to be non-profit, which we do not make. Nor does Better World Books claim to be a charity, though a quick look at dictionary.com leads me to think you’re not so far off in calling us one: “generous actions or donations to aid the poor, ill, or helpless; something given to a person or persons in need”. We do, after all, contribute more than even the best C-corporations by 2 or 3 orders of magnitude.
Randy, over at care2.com, put it pretty well on his blog a few months ago when discussing why he converted to a B-Corporation:
“At the time of incorporation, I chose the structure of a “C Corporation” – the standard, multi-shareholder corporation… From my perspective, the for-profit model had nothing to do with greed or ethics – it was simply the best vehicle for doing good, given the platform we were building.
“In fact, the for-profit model was attractive to me for another reason: I strongly believe that Business needs to be a driving force for good if we’re to get the world out of the mess we’re in. Business is an incredibly powerful force – so if we can harness that power for good, we can change the world.”
Here’s a link to the full blog post, an excellent read: http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/1179837
By the way, there is another definition of charity, “leniency in judging others; forbearance”.
Hey BWB. U guys are awesome! I don’t care where the money goes to though but frankly, here in Singapore, one novel costs like SGD$14 (incl tax) and above, while you guys selling at SGD$10 (incl tax + shipping(for 5 for $15 bargain)). I save a lot. Plus the books arrives after 15 days and no more. Great work!
I love BBW!!! I live overseas, in Africa in fact and have never had one single problem. I tell everyone I know about BBW. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!!
A “small percentage” to the people of Africa is better than nothing at all. I have purchased used textbooks from BWB for literally pennies of the cost of what regular bookstores are ripping..sorry charging us students. They are the only ones that have older editions, which I have puchased and used in my classes many times, because I REFUSE to pay $100.00 for the same (newer) edition/book that I can only sell for less than $20.00 three months later. What’s up with that.
If someone has a complaint abouty BWB’s mission statement, the beauty is that they are free to shop any other company. That’s the American way.
Better World Books is wonderful: great customer service, great books, and great business ethic. They don’t claim to be a charity. We will always have for-profit businesses in the world, so wouldn’t it be great if they all tried to devote some of their resources to philanthropic causes? Just like BWB does.
I guess that people such as Rose et al assuage their conscience by “donating theirn used text books and forwarding to overseas countries at their own expense”, and so are in a strong position to argue that they responsibly recycle at least their tomes of knowledge whilst helping those less able to help themselves!!
With all the hullaballoo about environment and such matters, it would seem that ANY opportunity to have texts re-used … and could Rose explain how she expects such a service to be funded …. seems to meet a need, help another human being to develop knowledge and outlook and save a book from landfill.
Wonder how much she charged for her used texts???
I have bought a number of books and had them shipped to Australia, and wish that we had such a service available here .. especially for the paltry shipping fee that is charged.
KEEP UP THE THOROUGHLY COMMENDABLE AND SUPPORTABLE WORK.
I love BWB – I dont buy every single book through you but every book I have had – excellent customer service and I agree with the principles of the company.
Compacting is something everyone should be doing, my basic understanding of compacting is that we should be recycling anywhere and everywhere possible. Not just with plastics and paper but with every day items such as BOOKS!
Holden Bonwit – July 2, 2009 made a very good point in her comment above “I also love that you keep books out of landfills”. there are plenty of reasons why better world books may not appeal to everyone but there are more than one reason why they are helping are planet and one is enough!
Recycling our books limits that amount of books being bought brand new, reducing the amount of chemicals and materials being created and used to make new books. Reusing books and other items cuts down the process of waste and the cost!
I bought a book valued at $16.99 USD paid $14 USD and only paid like $3-$4 for international shipping, to buy the same book off of the people supplying the book brand new was going to $16 + $50 for shipping…. that in itself is awesome!
The fact that people are under the impression that these books are being shipped to 3rd world countries and then finding out that they are not should not be sooo disapointed. If yo cared so much about BWB then you would have researched what the do first.
To be honest i think it would be fair in saying (my own opinion) that the money that is sent to these 3rd world countries are probably more profitable to them in the long run. It will stimulise there economy, puts food and there mouths and supply medical supplies. Books arent going to keep them alive!
The profit they refer to is what they made on top of selling the books, they then disperse that amount to the employees and pay back there debt and what is left after that would go to the needy.
you have to understand how a business works when it is for charity, you wouldnt get half the amount of workers if they were not getting paid at the end of the day, after all we need to surviv also!
by books from the website or dont but dont say that this website is not helping!
Better World Books is the best book site ever. I have brought many books from them and have always been satisfied. I have also brought many books I would never have otherwise come across in Australia. Keep up the great work!
I buy books from better world books and they do a great Job. I was not aware that they collected these books and resell them. This in itself is not anything to be concerned about, however if people feel cheated or slighted that better world is for profit while it gets its books from donations from the same people i think it is only ethical and fair to declare upfront in bold letters that Better World is for profit. Not withstanding I still purchase from BWB and will do so in a few days. I however hold that BWB owe it to the people that are in fact their suppliers more transparency. No Hard feelings. Keep up the good work
Hi
I am also in Australia and order most of the books I read from beterworldbooks – it is one of the few places I can get the books I want secondhand at a good price – I hate people who only complains – at least you give something to a good cause not like other bookstores. Most peolpe ( like me ) really don’t care what you do with the money I pay for the books. –
AT LEAST YOU GUYS AND MOST OF YOUR CUSTOMERS KNOW YOU ARE DOING A GOOD JOB – THAT IS WHAT MATTERS
Wow. Just stumbled across this looking for something else entirely. I have to say I’m shocked. I use BWB all the time, and I actually decided this year for my birthday to have a contest on my blog where the winner gets books from BWB because I love BWB so much I wanted to tell the world. I don’t get the hate at all. And if you’re angry at your library for giving books to an organization instead of directly to YOU, I have 2 things to say: 1) ask your library why, if it concerns you so much, rather than take it out on the organization it gave them to, and 2) stop being greedy.
I second Misty’s WOW!!! I was about to order a gift certificate for my son’s girlfriend in Nicaragua and when I googled BWB to order it, I noticed a link to something about BWB being a scam and figured I’d check it out. I have been ordering books from BWB for many years and the only gripe I have is that the books and shipping are so darn reasonable and the selection and quality are so great that I end up ordering way more books than I should and thus being a book junkie am drowning under a sea of books! I find BWB to be very transparent. Their website clearly states that it is a for profit business and actually, with a donation rate of 10% of revenues, they probably qualify or would be close to qualifying for non-profit status were it not for other criteria. As someone who used to sell used books both online and brick & mortar, BWB is to be highly commended for the amount of textbooks that they remove from the waste stream and get into then hands of people in developing countries desperate for these textbooks which are used only one semester in the States. Most booksellers and non-profit book sales avoid textbooks like the plague because you can’t sell them easily and then you pay a ton of money to dispose of them. The amazing young woman who I am sending the gift certificate to is an English teacher in Nicaragua and teaches Spanish to people from away. She speaks eloquently about the need for literacy and education for her people. Just the fact that they will ship books all over the world for $3.97 per book is amazing. If you have been to any of these countries you would know that the cost to get anything shipped in from the States is prohibitive. I honestly don’t know how they do it but am very grateful that they do. It’s just too easy to tear really good people and groups apart on the www. I know, I’ve been on the receiving end too. BTW, BWB maybe it would behoove you to redo the signage with your book depository bins to clarify things so that people can’t make damaging accusations. BWB, thank you and God bless you for what you do!
hi i ordered a book to be shipped to australia for only 3.97 bloody cheap as, some stores are charging 30.00 postage for ONE book. i received my book in excellent condition, at a reasonable time. i will definetly return to buy more. i alrady have a long wishlist. cheers guys
I’m more than happy with BWB. We are ex-pats living in C. Europe and have no choice but to homeschool one of our sons because of learning disabilities the local schools can’t accommodate. I don’t know what we’d do without you. Ever tried having no access to English language books while being responsible for teaching your kids to read English? The cheap shipping makes it possible to buy what our boys actually want to read without going bankrupt. Our family considers you a God-send.
I’m so glad this is the post that tops the list when google brings up “betterworld books scam” since, while you may not single handedly cure the problems of Third World countries (as the nay-sayers seem to think is your claim and duty) you are certainly making a difference. I had no idea how much you are donating and am seriously impressed. This post and the unreasonable complaints have just served to make me a more loyal customer.
Well, pooey on all you negative Nellies. I love Better World Books. I am an avid reader, averaging 3 paperbacks each week and when I ordered through Amazon, even “used”, I’d get the book for $2.00 and they’d charge me $6.99 FOR SHIPPING! So I’d order $15.00 for 5 books and get charged $16.00 in shipping as each book comes from a different vendor, each charging me $4.99 to $6.99 (for a 300 page paperback)
So there. If they make a few bucks, so what! At least I get my beloved books in record time, at zero cost for shipping.
So there! (Loud raspberry)
Profitable social capitalism is the best chance this world has at effecting social, economic and ecological change. As apposed to ridiculous banker pensions as a reward for excessive greed, poor leadership and bringing the financial industry to the brink of collapse.
You go Better World Books! Great job, great idea and great commitment to the greater good! Everyone should patronize a B Corporation. Check out a list of socially responsible profitable companies at http://www.bcorporations.net.
Despite BWB’s ready admission here that they’re a for-profit organization, their listings certainly give the random buyer the impression that they’re a non-profit. The real question is: is a world without open used bookstores where you can browse really a better world? Because BWB and the other mega-listers probably put another used bookstore out of business every day. The tragedy is that the people who sell the most books in this country now know nothing about books, or care.
Someone please help me with my question…has ANYONE ever sold used books to BWB? I am interested in selling some of my books to them but I want to make sure I don’t get screwed over, I paid a lot of money for the books (for college) last year and it would be nice to make a little bit of money for them. Are the pretty reliable?
I order from BWB and have them shipped to Australia.
I have saved not only hundreds of dollars on the price of the books but also the price of shipping as compared with that of other companies.
In addition, the service has been excellent and friendly, extremely fast, the packaging has been eco friendly and I have given far more books away than I would have otherwise been able to.
I AGREE 100% that the people who tend to complain the most are those who tend to help the least; Sad but true.
What we focus on grows and these folk tend to experience far more negativity in their lives not only because that is what they seek to find but also because they radiate bitterness and this attracts more of it to themselves.
When they find reasons to praise others, they will in turn attract more to themselves.
BWB is brilliant! Low prices for the public, lower landfill amounts for the environment, higher employment for Americans, fewer chemicals in book production, greater joy for recipients of their books and help for students and charities. So who does NOT benefit?
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
G-d bless!
Well don’t know about you guys but I got my books,and incorrectly talking books which were sent to me by mistake ( instead of books ) I was credited for the mistake and told to either donate the talking books or do what I want with them. Great customer service as well. stu
I live in Australia and have ordered my first book from BWB to be sent to my dear friend who is incarcerated…..no US postage, great deal on secondhand books – I’m thinking I’m going to be ordering many more books in the future.
It’s true that you can’t keep everyone happy – there’s always going to be doubters….from what I can see, BWB are doing a good thing on so many levels.
It’s a pleasure to do business with you.
K.
I am another Aussie
bought plenty of books from bwb
you rock
i am always telling people to check you out
keep shipping bwb
I received all the books I ordered at less than the regular price. That would mean that I am saving on books and also helping illeteracy.
I buy from Better World often and have done so for years, and got great prices on the books I bought for my Kid Lit class. I buy a lot of books from a lot of sellers, and have had few issues with BWB. I received a book that was in crummy condition, got a full refund, and was told to keep the book.
Those complaining about “mega-book-stores” and buying online/ putting on-ground used sellers out of business–get real! For those of us who do not live near on-ground stores, buying online is a real help. Online shopping is not going away any time soon.
As a steadfast volunteer, I would much rather see a ‘for-profit’ charity than another 501-C(3) Not For Profit organization such as our local YWCA close or come close. The Y nearly closed after serving the community for 133 years due to a lack of donations from the residents of the impoverished and depressed area it is located it. Had they run a business in addition to the charity, it’s doubtful it would have happened. For-profit businesses have greater philanthropic capacities than those running charities or non/not-for-profit organizations do.
So long as the the company does not misappropriate it’s funds (as the United Way has been guilty of), and owners/board live up to their stated commitment (unlike the Walton family, owners of WalMart who are supposed to match employee donations but give less than 2% annually), I fail to understand the resentment, or the arguments against BWB.
Moreover, the claim Rose makes about the tiny disclaimer that BWB being a ‘for profit’ company at the bottom of collegiate donation bins and the lack of honesty therein is faulty logic. Do you issue the same lack of honesty to credit card companies, banks, scholarship applications, contests or giveaways, or Post Office mailing labels for various forms of shipping?
I’ve also noted that the supposed anti-BWB claim to be college students or well read. How is it that a well-read person (or college student) cannot even type correctly or spell small common words? The train of thought or logic used by naysayers is based on negative emotions at best, so please, refrain from making arguments based on faulty logic…
Theresa, there is a difference between poor customer service (examples would have been nice) and dishonest advertising (proof would have been nice as well). You are obviously upset at either the news story or the company itself, perhaps dealing with it so you can clearly make a case…
Peter, libraries attempt to sell unwanted books to …raise funds to stay open. I have worked with the Boston Public Library (again as a volunteer) for their Big Read program, and they along with every other library I know of give local residents the first opportunity to purchase unwanted books. Sheesh man! what do you want them to do, supply your personal library for free? Are you even aware how drastically library funding has been cut by the government??? And let me ask you something, if a library is in a ‘disorganized neighborhood’ –as sociologists call it–, what exactly will be gained by handing out books to people who utilize the library for the free internet access far more than for reading?
To Ward… the last time I checked, one purchased goods “offline” by walking into a store or up to a vendor personally, or by mail order or telephone. An “online” purchase is made by a person using a device (computer, cell phone) connected up to the internet. Given the content and quality of your post, I find it hard to believe you have walked into a library for more than ‘net access. (Which would be–online just so you know.) Kudos to Adam, the librarian, who is entirely correct about the libraries’ vast need to stay current and competitive with book stores. Secondly, if they were a scam, CNN would not have run the story because they require verification of facts, such as proof of the total donations. Thirdly, when purchasing online, ask about a combined shipping rate. Even without it, online stores are vastly cheaper than Barnes and Noble or Borders in most cases. And finally, the library has this neat little thing called a database, which is networked to every library in their territory. So if you cannot find a book, the librarian can search for it and order it from another library. Even one out of state… Nifty hmm?
Samantha is entirely correct about the difficulty in donating books. Selling them at garage sales is also difficult because most people turn to fast access, such as t.v., internet, or movies.
Gerrry, what a fantastically negative opening statement. Now, could you please back it with facts, points, or examples? Thanks!
To John Jorge and Nick, fantastic points gentlemen! Thank you for the examples and the links. And thank you to everyone else for their experiences as customers. You helped me to make the decision to patronize their store and I believe that I will be a long time customer!
Ross, “Because BWB and the other mega-listers probably put another used bookstore out of business every day.” …Uhm… I hate to tell you, but according to the two local book stores that have closed down here, it’s the lack of local support for the bookstores. Most people aren’t literate anymore. Many people here would rather live on welfare and spend their money on drugs and liquor than work and pursue less damaging hobbies. Also, assuming that large companies like BWB are directly responsible for closing smaller stores without any proof is like saying the decline in religious converts and the closure of churches nationwide to a lack of donations is solely due to the interference of the devil.
I love BWB, have used them for years. I too have a for profit business which enables me to do charitable work in my community, they are honest in how they present themselves, they have wonderful customer service, prices beat anywhere else. Keep doing what you are doing guys
Michele Monk
Health Integration
Whole Foods & Natural Healing Center
225 East Jefferson St
Yazoo City
MS 39194
I Love BWB. I am an avid book reader and have tried to donate my used books to the local library and I am told that we have too many donations at this time. I have purchased books for my grandkids, myself and have sent them to friends just as a “thinking of you gesture”. I think the program is great and truly if bookstores are going out of business it is not because of BWB but the decline in people realizing how much reading expands your mind. We would rather get our fix from our electronics instead of using our minds. And what has happened to reading the classics in school?
BWB ABSOLUTELY ROCKS!!!!
ARE YOU KIDDING ME???
SO IT’S REALLY TRUE – THAT PEOPLE WILL COMPLAIN ABOUT ANYTHING.
fast shipping (superfast), reasonable shipping, cheap books, FABULOUS selection — what the hell is anybody complaining about? Are you NUTS?
This company is the best one on the planet. Hands down. I simply CANNOT BELIEVE that the word “scam” comes up in Google choices when one types in BWB. What a travesty!!!!!
I started with Amazon tonight and refused to buy because BWB wasn’t coming up immediately and so I went out to Google to get them directly. Sheesh!
They are so NOT A SCAM it’s not even funny! I don’t even have anything to compare them to – they are so out of this world fabulous!
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? COMPLAINING about BWB? The other posters are quite right — you are just cheap, miserly bastards who can’t stand that someone does something well and does some good at the same time. Can’t stand it, can ya? LOSERS!!!! Go to hell! You infuriate me – insulting a great company! Go after Comcast or Waste Management or Bank of America if you have so much time on your hands and so much hate!!!!
I cannot believe the VITRIOL coming from the critics of this business! I really don’t know what you expect. BWB’s business model helps the environment, supports literacy and helps education around the world, and makes some money too. What is wrong with that? You’d think this was ENRON or something. I have found some used books on the BWB site that I have been looking for for years! And now shipping to Canada is free. For goodness sake, people, get a life!
I am a college professor and have been ordering used texts for my professional use from Better World Books via Amazon for many years. They always have good prices, the texts are usually former library books in excellent shape, and they get here quickly. I agree with the previous comment: They do something well and they do good.
Jaymme Jan19,2011
Better World has been good to me. Great prices, wide selection of books,and great customer service.
Everything I have ordered has arrived in a timely fashion and the condition of the books was either as described or better. This is not a chain store these people cannot expect to find EVERY book they want to be in stock all the time–and all for $10.00
THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED TO COMPLAIN!!
Had a great experience buying used textbooks for my students at BWB. We have our students buy used editions, but we need to make sure we have enough on hand at the beginning of each term. BWB had the selection, shipped promptly, and were a real pleasure to work with. This is a great service to students. The textbook we purchased was only $5, and my students will pay $5 instead of $160 for the book for this course. Worth dropping a “no-buyback” book in a bin. Hope other faculty will help this market.
I always check BWB for uni textbooks.. Always cheaper, love that 2ndhand is an option, great selection. Love BWB and keep it up! Kathryn
Just a note:
University libraries are different from public libraries with regard to retention policies. Whether or not a book is “in demand” is usually very low on the list of criteria. Typically subject specialists review an item under consideration for removal for the permanence of its information, importance to the mission of their particular institution, and availability in consortial institutions.
Take an example — a deep, scholarly history of the Cuban revolution, published in an edition of 500 in 1976 and never reprinted. It’s possible that it won’t be used for ten, twenty years or more — but the information in it will be “current” forever, and its rarity would demand retention.
Scholars in many disciplines travel thousands of miles to consult books and manuscripts a thousand years old and more. This is why libraries demand books on paper meeting ANSI standards for permanence (won’t ever turn brittle).
Finally of course there is the digitization issue. That’s very tricky and again it depends in large part on the importance, rarity, or whatever that lends the print copy special value as a physical artifact — if the information in it is not unique, or was only of ephemeral value to begin with, very often they will sell/give away/toss items as soon as they are safely online. Safely, as in at the Library of Congress, British Library, Internet Archive, etc. — not just on Bob’s hard drive.
Many students believe that “everything is online” already and there is no longer any need to consult dusty old tomes. We are nowhere near that yet — but that historic transition is underway. With the Internet (etc.) now we are socially in a position very similar to people in the decades following the invention of the printing press. When the dust settles, most information-related activities will happen in a very different way from 1989 and even from today.
Thank you so much, I sincerely appreciate that I can purchase low cost educational and leisure reading material while simultaneously contributing to the worlds illiteracy and low-literacy solution. You guys totally make my day.
Once books are sold by a retail store and go into circulation they end up being thrown away or dumped in charity shops who get overwhelmed. A book may go out of print or become obsolete yet its contents remain completely relevant especially with technical text books.
What is wrong with re-selling a second-hand book especially when it is one you have been searching for for a long time and usually given up on? It’s a brilliant idea, and the original retailer still got his percentage.
Ahhh..!! What’s the point? Even if they are a scam and they give a measly 6 percent to charity organizations. What’s the point, when the blog is an open forum that is filled with either BWB employees or BWB interns who comment against every actual sincere comment? BWB kudos, on having a really smart idea and running with it.. Collecting books from rich naive kids who don’t sell it on their own and selling it for almost an incredible profit…! That too on the pretense of helping poor kids out.. I mean how much can you advertise poor African kids to sell books you’ve got for free.. Anyways.. Congratulations!
I have ordered almost 2 dozen books from BWB since I came across this site two weeks ago! I love the fact that BWB is doing something for others, and for giving me the chance to participate in their efforts to provide funds for literacy projects or to keep books out of landfills. And, I certainly can’t complain about the low prices, free shipping, quick delivery. My husband asked for biographies for his birthday – at BWB I found used hardcover ones for $3.98, so I was able to purchase several for the price of a single new one ($25 up). By the way, his favorites are by David McCullough and Vincent Cronin. Keep up the good work, BWB.
I have been buying books from BWB for quite some time now and have never had the slightest problem with them. In fact, i am surprised at how efficient their service is and they always do a follow up to make sure you recieved your books in a timely manner. They also let people know if there are problems with deliveries in certain areas so you can’t fault them here. I think their service benifits everyone and helps poorer countries where such commodities would not become possible for so many. Thumbs up to you BWB and keep up the great work you are doing.
I don’t work for BWB or live near them to check up on them and know if they give to other countries the way they say – that is up to them to live up to their claims. But I can “ditto” so much of the positive experiences others have written about here. I home school my son and check the site regularly for specific books I need and keep checking until I find the book at a price I am willing to pay. I know I have saved so much over other companies. I have never had a problem or issue with them and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the free shipping. Companies have to make a profit or they go out of business and people don’t have jobs. Americans need to “wake up” and get real about how an economy works. Non-profits have their place, but for-profit companies are a necessity if we are going to survive as a country. The spotlight is on BWB right now and there will be complainers. BWB is in business to make money and that is the way it should be. Doing business with them is a good deal for me and I will keep using them. If it is not a good deal for you then don’t use them! (But, at least from my experience, I doubt that will be the case.)
What’s wrong with all you Socialists posting on this site? I would much rather see a sustainable business model that is socially responsible and making a profit than a non-profit that must rely on donations or it will go out of “business”. Many “non-profit” organizations actually give less to charity (on a percentage basis) than BWB does. Keep up the good work BWB. I hope you make enough money to stay in business for a very long time.
I AGREE BWB ROCKS!! I’ve been buying from BWB for over 5 years and I will support you for many years to come. I think the work you do is honorable and there is always someone who has something negative to say regardless of the validity. (I purchase from you and feel I’ve helped a little bit myself.) Keep up the good work!
charles vesper-December 9,2011
I just received 6 books on digital photography for $21.00. Books are in excellent shape, they sell new for $10-20. I have already called and passed the word onto two other book nuts of my aquaintance.
You guys are the best!!! We have used your site for many years and have never been dissatisfied with price, delivery speed, quality. Those who complain are usually complainers in many facets of their lives and most usually never are involved with helping others.They are often narcissistic and want everyone to do everything for them.
We will be returning to Africa in another 4 weeks to donate 3 weeks of time to helping others. We;ve buit a K-12 school and have been equipping its library with books for several years. You are the best!!!
Please keep up the good work and let those who complain go somewhere else.
Jean and Garrett M
As a school teacher in California, I am thrilled to find BWB!
Even though our state keeps on slashing education funding, school districts do acquire new textbooks all the time. The 5-10 year old books are usually returned to the district warehouse where they might be used at another school… or get sold online (if there is an employee with the time to do so)… or gather dust for several years before being (sadly) tossed in the dumpster.
Our school has been reluctantly storing a large number of perfectly good “outdated” texts and elementary readers. We had to get rid of them to make space, and no one wants them. We have tried putting them out in “free boxes” for any local resident to use, but hardly anyone takes them. I’ve personally spent hours searching online for a site that will buy these used texts, to earn a bit of money for the school, to no avail. I could donate them to the local Goodwill, they’ll maybe find some shelf space for them, no one would buy them, and eventually they’d get tossed in the dumpster.
BWB has a large market exposure and a vast distribution network. That will hopefully enable someone who wants my old books to find them.
Books filling up landfills is an awful thought for a teacher! Anything would be better than that! So to donate these books to BWB, with free printable shipping labels, is a fantastic option!
OF COURSE I wish I had the time, money, and expertise to directly ship boxes of random books, at my own expense, to the precise schools in rural Africa or Asia that needed those titles. Most of us could never pull that off ourselves, and so BWB seems like the next best thing. They make a profit, donate some texts directly overseas, and give substantial financial support to worthy organizations.
Why are a few people freaking out that they make a profit on our old books? …that is MUCH better than filling up dumpsters! Would they rather see tons and tons of books in the landfill? I hope they do make money on our books, and continue to be a huge profitable business with a very high rating for corporate giving.
I am grateful that BWB exists, and will continue to ship our unwanted texts to them.
Books need not go into dumpsters. Libraries CAN make the space for free books.
A close examination of BWB, (I abbreviate because writing their name nauseates me), is worth doing.
There are people who would purchase from the most heinous criminal if only the price is right. Some of the comments here indicate that the sole determiner is price.
BWB exudes a cult-like appearance. All happy, all good, nothing wrong. all for good. It is unnerving.
BWB is not above placing a book on sale abroad, taking the currency exchange rate, but the book is housed, and is shipped, from within the U.S. Maybe that’s legal.
Take a good look at BWB. Take a good look about what you value and who and what you are willing to support. Take a look at profits.
I purchased hardcover books for my school library from BWB. Most came already covered with mylar and were in new or good condition. I was able to purchase 118 books for $400. That comes to about $3 a book with no shipping. With no library budget to expand our school library I am able to still expand my collection significantly with little money.
From the other side of it, most public libraries have an enormous volume of donated and surplussed books. BWB allows to manage the immense number of donations. I was at my public library yesterday and they have had to rent mobile storage for the overflow of donations and surplus. It is great that our community is so generous, but still poses challenges to manage the abundance.
If kids in Africa are also able to benefit, all the better. I am not really getting where the rub is with this company. They don’t give all their profits to charity so it is bad? They are providing a service to those that donate, a service to those who purchase, a service to their employees, and a service to people who have needs greater than those of us who are fortunate enough to live where people who have too many books to manage can even imagine…Oh the horror! They must be stopped!
To JR…
What libraries are these, in particular, that CAN, make space for free books? All of the libraries that I have been to here in Australia, (major and minor libraries over three states), are so overwhelmed, that they are spending library funds – which could be used to much better purpose – on the management of overflow.
Are you gonna hire a fleet of trucks and take them away, and have them shipped to wherever they’ll do the most good? I’d be glad to see it.
I purchase in American dollars, and am aware of what the exchange rate is… BWB does not make money from this. Any extra charges are from your bank or other financial institution, or even your payment gateway. What exactly do you think that BWB are pocketing? I think you have a limited understanding of the way currency exchange works. Please Explain.
As it all pans out, none of this discussion is necessary… If you don’t like what you see then don’t buy it. You have a choice.
As for the people who don’t like to read small print… what kind of person are you? If you don’t read small print, you will get stung every time. It is there for a reason, read it. If it’s too small then buy reading glasses, as you will need these for other things like looking at dates on catalogues, etc etc. Are you the kind of F**L who starts putting the electrics together without having read the instructions thoroughly?
If so, you will be shocked. Simple.
I was never under any Illusions about what BWB are, or what they do. I went to the website and I did this useful thing called reading. If you are under a false impression, it may be because you failed to do this.
My advice?
Don’t sign anything.
I don’t get the criticism. I am an avid reader and was about going broke ordering from Amazon et al, where, even buying used books the shipping was eating me alive! I love BWB, have been ordering from them for about 2 years, never had a problem andthey support literacy and keep books from the dumpsters. By the way, my local library has book sales about twice a year and I go to those, too. Whatever % they donate is more than would done if they went out of business. You go, BWB
It’s all Greek to me!
Reading is a joy! Without BetterWorld I would be
without books to read. english is my native language and I live in Greece where books in English are hard to find and very expensive to order, sometimes the shipping is more than the cost of the book. I know there are others living in foreign lands that depend on BetterWorld for their books. After reading what I could find for 15 years I now read what I want to read since finding BetterWorld! THANKS FOR KEEPING ME SANE!!!
I do not care who makes a profit. With my extremely limited means, BWB is a god-send.
They sell so many hard to find books at very low prices, with free shipping, no tax, and when my mother passed away in 2010 and I could not sell her 400 dvds for a dime, they happily took them all off my hands and paid for the shipping.
Just saying ………….
BBW is the best. I’ve been ordering from them for years. I have always had the best customer service une could ask for. I once ordered a book that was advertised as in good condition. When it arrived, it was more like “fair” condition. I called and they immediately credited my card and told me to keep the book. sometimes S & H can cost as much as the book these days. At BWB, shipping is always FREE. Keep the great work. I’m getting up a big domation of books now.
I wish when we purchased our books, we could state where we would like the donation to go to. Everyone, and so many charities go out to other countries, when we need it here so desperately. We need to support the US, and help make it stronger again.
I love BWB, I live in Israel and get the books shipped for free and quickly. I’ve bought used books and they’ve always been in as good or better condition than advertised. And due to the recycling of books, I find books I can’t get elsewhere, some of which I’d been searching for for a long time before I found BWB.