AbeBooks Reviews 

I’ve been in an endless loop trying to reset my password and there’s no way to get actual customer service (when I try it asks me to log in…um that’s the problem I need help with)! Looking at these other reviews, though, perhaps I’ve dodged a bullet by not being able to complete my order.

Book ordered and paid for. Postage rate very high. Estimated 2 months deliver time.
The book has never arrived and both AbeBooks and the seller, just books, will not reply to my emails. Very dissapointed. Looks like a SCAM.

I have to change my email address. Over 10 days I asked Abebooks for help because their website cannot make the change. Finally a tetchy email from Abebooks took me to the very webpage that fails. I sent them screenshots ; they say they can't read the screenshots.
In other words : Abebots prefers to exclude me from their website and customers rather than update my email. I did not experience a single shred, not a hint, of common human decency. Readers will make their own decision ; I want nothing to do with Abebots

I find ABE Books more and more problematic. I've known for several years that it was acquired by Amazon in 2008, but had relied on the fact that it was basically a storefront for independent sellers. However, there seems to be little accountability for those sellers, since, unlike on Amazon itself, there are no actual seller ratings. On ABE a seller's star rating only reflects its percentage of completed (delivered) sales, not the actual experience of buyers who receive the books. So buyer concerns about slow shipping or books of lesser quality than seller claimed are not reflected in the ratings. Right now, I'm waiting to see if I will get a refund for a book that was supposedly in "very good" condition but arrived with a heavily creased and bent cover and pages. It wasn't damaged in shipping because it was tightly sealed flat in a plastic envelope. But when removed from the packaging, it immediately deformed. Seller has not responded after two days.

Wrong book sent. Unable to navigate the website as it just sends you in circles. Sent email no reply. I will stick to Thrift Books - great service and actually get replies from them. wont buy again from this place.

I ordered a book and never received it - so contacted them. They reported that it had been delivered and they weren't going to either send another or refund me. Last time I order from them again, and will urge you to not either.

If i could do zero i would. This company sucks and thrift books. Abe books never helps you and steals your money. NEVER EVER BUY FROM THEM. I sent proof I returned a book with photos and a tracking numeber. They still wont give me my refund even though i can track the book

I just received my book for college. I ordered it used. It is in nearly perfect condition and it only took a few days to come in!

There is no way to contact Abe Books if you have an issue with a purchase. You get stuck in an endless loop of links that are of no help when a seller won't respond to you.

I have tried to contact Abebooks via telephone and their customer service website online. Absolutely the very worst I have ever experienced trying to actually get any kind of response from the company. Who do they think they are treating customers that irresponsibly!

I ordered a set of World Book Encyclopedias from 2019 as a present for a person who loves to read but has difficulty with the internet. The price was $300, and the seller was Greenworld of Arlington Texas. Instead of receiving a set, I received a SINGLE VOLUME. I was so angry! I had to return the single book at my expense before I received my refund. I complained to Abe Books that I felt that they did not value their customers by allowing scammers to sell books in their name, and that I should have at least received an apology and some indication that they were not okay with what Greenworld did. I finally did get an apology and an offer for a 10 percent discount on my next purchase. Obviously, I will not use Abe Books again.

Ordered a text book and it arrived late and was the wrong ISBN number. When I inquired about the ISBN number I was told they sent an international model and the content was basically the same and to review it myself to see. They said it arrived late because the vendor was late to ship it, so would credit shipping cost since I needed to return it. Upon return (never even opened book because due to the late arrival, I couldn't use it), they said they did not receive it. I inquired multiple times and they declared they did not have it. I presented proof of delivery with tracking number and note from USPS saying it was handed directly to employee. They said they would refund and they did not. Inquired again and still they have not refunded. Steer clear of this company.

Never received the book. When you “contact” them, the onus is on you to contact the seller. I did. No response. No number to call. Then, you try to get refund, you’re sent into the same loop. Abe got my for $13. Never again! Thrift Books much better. Do NOT buy from Abe.

Apparently my order couldn't be sent due to an error, even though it was resolved. I had to email the seller to ask about why my book didn't arrive.

With the refund, I am not even getting the full refund despite nothing being shipped out. I paid a little over $100. I am getting a little less than $50 as they're only covering the cost of the book. (Mind you. Nothing was shipped out so they seller is pocketing ~$60).

I have not ordered books from this company for quite some time, and I forgot the reason why. I recently did place an order for a group of books that I couldn't find available elsewhere. Because I live in Ecuador, I have to have these sent to a shipper that forwards my purchases to me. In this instance I put in my friend's delivery information because I was creating the order for him. When I look at the invoice, it looks like they put my shipping information in instead of his. Although this is not entirely clear by the invoice and no matter how I hunt on their website, I cannot find clarification for this. I tried using their customer support online, which is totally worthless. It just goes around in a loop. I tried calling the phone number that they list and that says, "Please use our website," and then disconnects you. I can guarantee I will never use this website again.

There is no easy way to contact AbeBooks or the seller.
Delivery time frame is too long

I ordered two books through AbeBooks. After the sale, the seller (G. & J. Chesters) requested significantly more money for shipping than what had been agreed at checkout. I declined and requested cancellation through AbeBooks directly and this was not actioned. The seller then refused to cancel the order himself and redirected me back to AbeBooks, despite later admitting in writing that he could have cancelled at any time but avoided doing so because it "counts against" his seller account.

My request only got actioned after I raised a formal dispute with my bank, not because AbeBooks or the seller resolved it directly. To make matters worse, AbeBooks' own records now contradict each other: a support agent confirmed in writing the cancellation was made "as per your request," while the automated system notice claims the items were "unavailable." Neither is being corrected.

If a seller changes the agreed price after you've paid, don't expect AbeBooks to intervene quickly or accurately record what happened. It took a bank dispute to get any real movement. Do not solely rely on the reviews of sellers like G. & J. Chesters, listed on abe books because they are not a true reflection of service. G & J Chesters emails responses were unprofessional and deceptive.

I join the long list of furious customers. I've bought from AbeBooks before & had a generally good experience. Not the last time. The book was said to be in very good condition. It arrived badly damaged -- the book but not the packaging, indicating that the book was heavily damaged before it was shipped.
I wrote them, sent the book back as instructed, paying more than twice the cost of the book to do so. The refund covered barely half my cost. I've written several times asking that the return cost be covered. No answer.
That's it for me. Never again. As others have complained, their "customer service" is non-existent. Customer disservice is all you get. They shouldn't be in business.

I purchased a rare book from Occulte Buchhandlung Inveha through AbeBooks. The book was marked as dispatched, but it never arrived. I contacted the bookseller several times and received no response. I only received a refund after opening a claim through AbeBooks, and then had to wait for the refund to be processed back to my account. The whole experience was frustrating and disappointing, and based on my experience I would not buy from this bookseller again.

Awful experience
The company refunded my order after one month of waiting with no further explanation and with no apology
Unprofessional flops