Waterstones Reviews 

After not receiving two stamps for my £19.98 purchase, Jo at Waterstones Customer Support heard my concerns and rounded up the £0.02 to ensure I got the stamps. They were so kind and helpful and responded quickly. Thank you!

Hayley in customer services dealt with my query in an efficient and friendly way

Lisa from customer support was very helpful and prompt in helping me with a query. Was also very friendly.

my daughter was in your store yesterday at Trafford Centre (she’s 18 but looks slightly younger) browsing through books, looking for one to buy. She was told off by a staff member, accused of “bending books”. She wasn’t. She had been leafing through the first few pages, as so many people do, quite carefully, just to be sure that it was the kind of story she would like. She was so embarrassed and upset by the interaction, due to the staff member being so rude and so unfair, that she immediately left the store without buying anything. That’s not ok. Shame on you. That’s not the kind of service I had come to expect at your stores.

I was attending a release of pokemon cards in Norwich waterstones. And having not been apart of the hobby for so long, a member of staff named Joel was highly helpful. Particularly in which door into the store was the best for me to wait outside was. It was an amazing experience in comparison to other places! Joel's customer service and conversation was what made a large part of experience brilliant.

I always love shopping with Waterstones & have had fantastic experiences in store even down to book recommendations. All staff in store go above and beyond and are very friendly & professional.

Today I’m able to write a review on the amazing customer service team. I was having issues with one of my orders, and the customer service representative I spoke with on the phone was warm & engaging as well as very helpful, I was advised that my query was already being dealt with by another representative, but that all would be dealt with accordingly.

I then received an email not more than half hour later and my issue was resolved and also had a lovely exchange with a warm and personable customer service agent via email (which isn’t the easiest thing to do!)

Highly recommend Waterstones both in store and online.

I emailed late Tuesday afternoon regarding a problem with accessing my loyalty plus card. By Wednesday morning I had, had a response and Cecilia had very quickly rectified my issue. Superb service

Chatted with Adam today who helped me very quickly in identifying and resolving an issue that had offcured when I cancelled a selection of books I had on preorder and not all of the funds got correctly allocated back to my gift card balance straight away.

This was mostly I believe down to my confusing the system by cancelling 3 books in 2 separate requests in a short space of time which probably resulted in the last request getting lost in sending the funds back.

Adam quickly identified and agreed with me about the missing funds and about an hour later emailed me back after speaking to a supervisor and resolved the issue without question. Great service 💖

Love ordering from Waterstones and their wide selection of books they have, especially the special edition books pretty sprayed edges. Never had any issues and the few times I have required it their customer service is always great!

Waterstones sells premium special edition books that are signed or include exclusive features unavailable in any other edition. Many of these editions sell out quickly, making replacements impossible. Despite this, Waterstones continues to ship these collectible books around the world in thin cardboard mailers that provide inadequate protection during transit.

It is therefore unsurprising that many customers receive books with dents, crushed corners, torn dust jackets, or other damage. What is surprising is Waterstones' response. Rather than offering an appropriate remedy for a damaged collectible, they often offer a partial refund of around 25%, even when the book has been significantly damaged. For international customers, replacements are frequently unavailable because the edition has sold out. Waterstones states that a full refund is available only if the customer returns the book at their own expense, despite the fact that the item arrived damaged and was not in the condition advertised.

What is most frustrating is that this problem is entirely preventable. Proper packaging would dramatically reduce the number of damaged books. Instead, Waterstones appears willing to risk disappointing customers and damaging its reputation over the relatively small cost of better packaging or providing an appropriate refund when things go wrong.

For a retailer that markets certain of their books as special collector's editions, the level of care taken in shipping them falls well below what customers should reasonably expect.

Brilliant, easy online ordering service. 3rd time to order books online with 'click and collect' at the friendly Trowbridge branch. It's remarkable Waterstones don't ask pre payment, can pay when you get the book. Efficient and convenient.

In the last three months I’ve pre-ordered two special edition books from here. As they use Royal Mail BOTH books arrived damaged. I’ve taken pictures and sent them to Waterstones with a complaint and asking for a refund. BOTH times they have refused saying I can still read them! Well yes, but that’s not the point it is it?! I didn’t order “damaged” books, YOU didn’t advertise the books would be sent damaged! If that’s your attitude on your site offer customers the option of a book that’s been thrown around or a book that’s been cared for and I’ll choose the cared for one everytime! Your excuse is a pathetic one, your partial refund offer of 25% ridiculous the book is damaged at the spine anything can happen to the spine now where the book can fall apart if I attempt to read it! Your customer service is non existent your staff member Georgia is rude/sarcastic and belligerent to say the least. I don’t order a damaged book it’s a full refund process and nothing more! I won’t be using you again due to your attitude, your lack of care with the gods your selling and for using Royal Mail when you know they’re the worst delivery company around. My last order with you I’m done.

My parcel was damaged in the post and two books were undelivered. Within a few hours Waterstones resolved the issue and organised replacements with no arguments. Georgina, from their customer support department, was extremely helpful.

After a very long day! I made contact with ‘Jade’ in customer services. Jade was so professional, attentive in all I had to say, re my order and payment! I immediately, received a ticket support, explaining what is happening. Jade dealt with my problem, immediately, and had it solved and sorted , very quickly. My payment is now sorted, and books are in process of being delivered. Jade has made my weekend at launching of book, (author my niece Cynthia Murphy)a much more relaxing time to look forward to. So professional, again ‘thank you’ Jade!
Martha Delahunty Ireland

I spoke to Lisa today, I was following up with a book order, Lisa was extremely helpful, she explained clearly what she was going to do regarding the situation with my order and explained what she would email once she had an outcome, true to her word I received an email from her today.

Lisa from Help was super kind and helpful! Thank you so much.

i bought a book and it was a good read. staff were very friendly and the ormskirk branchg has a wide selection of books

Thanks to Lorraine for chasing up my order to make sure it gets here before my partners birthday, what a star!

Happy to say that at Waterstones, on the very rare occasions something goes wrong with an online order, the customer service to right the issue remains of a very high standard, and the problem efciciently resolved by an actual human being!

I might also add that in store (and mine is most specifically the Guildford branch) Waterstone's staff are also consistently excellent.

They carry great products especially some of my top favorite authors AND get stock of signed books from them, which is difficult to find anywhere else. Their customer service is also excellent as I had a little issue with my order and it was addressed quickly with clarity and kindness. Thank you Cecilia and team! Have been and will continue to be a customer of Waterstones.