Alibris’s earns a 2.5-star rating from 22 reviews and 33 complaints, showing that the majority of book buyers are somewhat satisfied with their purchases.
- All
- Reviews only
- Complaints only
- Resolved
- Unresolved
- Replied by the business
- Unreplied
- With attachments
I almost ALWAYS can find the quirky books I want at Alibis AND for reasonable prices
I almost ALWAYS can find the quirky books I want at Alibis AND for reasonable prices. Of course, there are some sellers that think they are selling GOLD so are ridiculously priced! I'll let the Oprah's and Gates have those. They are always fast too! So what's up with the 1.52 ratings? Are these the people that get on an airline and think they are going to get a 5 course 5 star meal?!?! More ridiculousness. Why? Words are Words. Some words are not better than other words. They all mean the same! Sigh! Prima donna's As my dad used to say (he had 4 of us girls) - you'd complain if you was hung with a new rope!
As a crotchety old fart, I have used Alibris for more than 10 years
As a crotchety old fart, I have used Alibris for more than 10 years. I can't think of a single order that I didn't get what I expected, in a timely manner! That being said, remember that you are getting your product from someone who has listed it with Alibris, not from Alibris themselves. I have read some very negative comments, from people who have done business through Alibris that are confused about the relationship between Alibris and the actual vendor. Again, the product is coming from a customer, Alibris is just the company that keeps you from having to call every bookseller in the country to find your obscure, obsolete, out-of-print, have-to-have book. //rant off//
Alibris Complaints 33
none delivery of book order
I ordered for a book, "Handbook of Tribology" online and fully paid with my credit card since mid-February. I received an email notification from Alibris CS that my book order was shipped February 27 and will be delivered March 17, 2011. Not receiving my order after March 17, I emailed Alibris but was asked to wait until 30 days after the shipment date (being March 29) afterwhich if not received they will fully refund me. I have email correspondences to this effect. I have emailed Alibris on March 29 and 30, notifying them I have not received my book order but so far their CS prefer not to respond. I earlier requested for their phone number, but none was given me. Now I am confused, sad and disappointed. If I know the appropriate Govt. Authority to complain to, I will hastily refer my complaint.
scam and fraud
We placed an order with Alibris for three books on 12/8/10. We never received the first two items; we received an incorrect book for the third. We immediately contacted Alibris, followed their instructions and returned the book to them. We received an email yesterday stating this seller has denied our refund for the book we returned.
We have tried repeatedly to work with Customer Service to resolve these issues, to no avail. We have filed claims with our credit card company, and now intend to go forward with any and all legal means at our disposal.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
fraud
My story: I wanted to order as many hardcover copies of Hermann Hesse's works as I could find, and Alibris offered many. I ordered about twenty or so. One, in particular, Narcissus and Goldmund, was listed as, "Hardcover: New, New, Great Conditon." I paid $37.00 for that one book, plus a shipping charge of $3.99. What I received was a yellowed, worn paperback copy from the sixties--something one might find at a garage sale. Alibris and I traded numerous emails because I discoverd that there was no way to contact them by phone, and they refused to call me, though I requested a call back, leaving my phone number with, at least, two people in my emails. I was shocked to find that they did not even have a record of the sale! They told me to go to Google and find it myself. When I could not find it, someone at Alibris, finally, sent me a copy, but all it said was Alibris and the name of the book. No details--just the title of the book along with Alibiris, Alibris, Alibris repeated over twenty times: no book seller's name, no price for the book, and no shipping charge. Please know that if you need to return a book, for whatever reason, you, the customer, pay for shipping--which I did. When I complained that I should not pay for returning a book to a bookseller that was, obviously, a scam, at first, they stated that was there policy. After a few more emails, I was told that they would pay for the return shipping. Needless to say, they never did. I returned the worn paperback copy of Narcissus and Goldmund to a bookseller in New York City that offered only a PO Box and no phone number or email address on its "receipt." I even offered to accept the hardcover edition that was described on the Alibris site from that same bookseller because one of the emails Alibiris sent to me stated that "even a bookseller makes a mistake" now and then. I discovered that this was no mistake. The so-called "bookseller" never contacted me, even though I sent a letter with the book when I returned it stating that this transaction might be a "mistake, " and they could send me that hardcover edition that it lists on Alibris. I wanted to return other books because they were in paperback or not in the condition described on Alibris, I even was sent a dust jacket with no book, but paid for the book. Only yesterday my credit card company finalized the the payback. Caveat Emptor!
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I would be suspicious if it said 'great condition'. Doesn't that imply someone's already licked the icing? Anyway, 'new' is subjective. Get the specs on edition date. Those guys at alibris have been drinking. You have their address? Pay a visit. Booksellers are normally harmless drudges, and most of them only respond to physical force.
product never received
On 12/23/09, I placed an online order for a book and received confirmation of my order(#[protected]). I was charged for the full amount $62.24 but never received the book. I tried to contact the seller several times and, on 4/13/2010, received an email letting me know that another copy would be shipped. However, I have never received the package. Alibris is telling me that, because the issue is so "old", it's ok for them to keep $62 (I checked I was charged but not reimbursed)... Isn't that considered theft?
refund shortened
I ordered a book from a Canadian seller, Aldresbook to be delivered to a Canadian address, 60 miles from the seller. Alibrist first requested additional $3 for shipping costs on top of $11 already paid then the book never arrived. Alibris partially refunded yhe missing book for the cost of the book but decided to not refund the shipping cost of $14.
I advise buyers to avoid Alibris at any cost - this is a dishonest retailer.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
bad service
I going to said the same of the other.Please be careful when placing order with alibris. They are extremely slow in shipping and sometimes they claim that they have shipped, but the item will never arrive. The only offer a refund after 1 month of waiting and not receiving the item. Not to mention, they immediately charge your credit...
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Please be careful when placing order with alibris. They are extremely slow in shipping and sometimes they claim that they have shipped, but the item will never arrive. The only offer a refund after 1 month of waiting and not receiving the item. Not to mention, they immediately charge your credit card even before shipping it.
I strongly doubt their practices and I would recommend everyone to shop somewhere else.
pending status
I ordered a book from NOMADE BOOKSTORE through ALIBRIS on Dec 15th, 2008. Until today, my order status is still pending. The expected arrival date of the book is on January 16th, 2009. I doubt that they can deliver the book on time if the status is still pending until today. I am worried that they are not going to send the book at all. If they did not send the book, I will report them to the authority for doing a fraud. They have taken the full amount of the order total value from my credit card on Dec 15th, 2008. I am totally disappointed with them because of this.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Did you ever receive your book?
fraudulent book description
The book I received from Alibris.com was a disgrace.
The book’s condition was described as follows:
“Very good condition Good dust jacket.”
The book I received had:
*Mold on the inside cover and many of the pages
*Wavy pages from water damage (68 of the book’s 168 pages were wavy.)
*Several torn pages.
The book never should have been sold in the first place because it was in such poor condition.
Alibris' $3 coupon on my next order to help cover return shipping costs means nothing to me because I won’t be ordering anything from that company again. Instead, I will be filing a complaints with the Better Business Bureau and Colorado Attorney General.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
non receipt
Book ordered from alibris, allibris was paid only alibris forgot one thing... To deliver the book. Similar to last complaint alibris would not or could not respond to my complaint insisting I wait 30days before I contact them for further investigation.
Well I am not your average patient joe... I demand action so I have taken steps to contact the alibris ownership & management team...in other words I am stirring the pot.
This is a warning to others, alibris has a great business plan, sell a book, take the money to the bank & voila... Claim the book has been mailed, no proof of such being necessary "what you doubt our word?"
Stay away from them, their customer service is non existant as is their commitment to their customers.
scam and lies!
I used Alibris.com to get a DVD box set for the anime Yu Yu Hakusho. I had all of the sets but the very last one, and since they are out of print I took whatever I could find. I found what I was looking for on this site and ordered it. I get a notice that the box set was shipped Jan 1 and would arrive no later than Jan 11 as packages take no longer than one to two weeks. My order number was xx706.
I waited until the 11 and got nothing. A week later I still have nothing and ask customer service what the problem is. They said they cannot do anything until at least thirty days have passed. So, I emailed the seller and asked what was going on. They did nothing but notify me that they were refunding my order.
So it seems Alibris.com did not have the DVD box set that they had in their search result but they still sold it to me. I got a receipt that told me that my money would show up in my credit card (I have a debit card) again in one to two weeks. But seeing as how reliable they are to get things done in this time span, I doubt that I will ever see my money again.
Now, I had to buy the entire series of this show through a website that does direct trade in Japan. It cost me 150 dollars for the whole series just so I could get one season because Alibris.com failed to due proper business and lied about their stock. I will never use this website again for anything. This is also the very last company I will ever buy from without searching for it here first.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Scam! They sent me a book that was not in the condition they stated and kept my money and the book when I returned it.
This is not a legit business. They provide a bogus phone number that doesn't work and never reply to emails. I bought a sticker book for my daughter and it arrived with no stickers in it. Yes, a sticker book arrived and all the stickers were gone. Stay away!
Bought an $80 book, no book & the website/customer service is just giving me the run around. I got scammed.
Here is a letter i sent this company, it says it all:
Ok, I have used your site TWICE and TWICE since I have used it... someone from YOUR COMPANY (I noticed you are in the UK) Some looser in your company who thinks that they are entitled to other people's money stole my information and booked a hotel in the UK once for 750 dollars, then again for 693 dollars, then again for 284 dollars... Do not tell me it was not your company because TWICE I used your service and TWICE this has happen... someone from your company is stealing... I am going to call the better business bureau if this is not resolved IMMEDIATELY! My number is [protected], my name is David. My money was returned to me by the bank, but I am getting sick of that looser employee of yours stealing... maybe you all are liberals and think that we should spread the wealth... I FOR ONE DON'T... Tell your looser employee to get a dam life and pay for his own hotel... I want this resolved and I want the employee FIRED. And I want his name so I can press charges WHICH I WILL DO. Again, this is the only site that is affiliated with the UK which I have used twice and twice got taken advantage of. I am willing to bet that others have been victims of whatever scam your employee is running so I bet it is worth an investigation, maybe I will speak to some of my friends who work for the news and make a stink about this, it will all depend on how serious you take this complaint so I guess we will see. I will be expecting your call.
How'd you say it in your liberal country?
Cheers?
Well freaking cheers then...
Hi Nattaliecee, Please know that Alibris provides a great, reliable supply of discount books, music and movies to millions of happy customers. And, we do accept payment by PayPal. When problems arise, you can count on our eager, friendly assistance. Feel free to contact me directly with any additional concerns. Send your email to info@alibris.com with "Attn: Amy" in the subject line.
I almost ordered a book from Alibris but decided to check out the company first because a) I'd never heard of it and b) I thought it was dodgy that it didn't offer payment via Paypal. I'm glad I did now. I would be annoyed not getting a book I've ordered, obviously, and even more pissed off about the 30 days. I definately won't be ordering from this site, thank you all for the heads up. And @DMR555 that is called deciet you should be ashamed of yourself, but I thank you also lol.
i'm a seller on Alibris and I think it is a great for selling used books. If you advertise that you have a hard cover book but then send the seller the paperback, then you can get a big profit. Usually the seller won't mind. If the seller gives you a bad review, you can get that review removed, unlike on amazon.
I've gotten huge profits using this kind of system. I sell cheap "international edition" books for more money than they are worth by listing them as the normal editions.
On alibris, sellers used to be able to give themselves a rating, instead of customers rating the sellers. I rated myself as "excellent."
I've been using this website/company casually for 2 years now and have never encountered a problem, even with a missing order and refund. I followed thier rules to wait 30 days, applied for the refund and it was posted promptly 2 weeks later. While it is disappointing not to receive and order after paying for same, glitches do occur and the company did issue the refund with no dispute or delay.
I ordered book from alibris and on the following day, credit card company fraud department called me. They found my card had been used to 5 online transactions right after my alibris order that looks very suspicious. None of them was initiated from me. The only transaction that was rarely used by me and the only one should be there is alibris.
I told them to cancelled the 5 trasactions. Then couple of days later, Alibris emailed me that the worldwide book drive does not have the book and they cancelled the order.
non-delivery / refund shorted!
Alibris has just given me the absolute worst customer service experience. First they failed to ever ship my order and second, the refund they promised was less than the amount paid. Emails are answered by what seems like people on Prozak - actually they are probably employed by a third party service in Asia. The language is too flowery to be North American and the manner in which detail is ignored seems un-American.
I recommend shopping with a company that actually can deliver on promises and one that cares about it's reputation. Avoid Alibris at all costs.
do not order from this company!
I ordered a textbook through Alibris from a seller named "Payless" and I paid extra for express shipping. I received a message telling me that my order was shipped on September 25th. It is now October 16 and I have not received the textbook. I inquired with Alibris into the status of my order, and in return I received a "form letter" telling me that their policy allows 30 days for orders to be received. I had a number of other questions about the status of my order and the questions were not addressed.
FURTHER... Alibris doesn't have customer service reps that you can actually talk to over the phone. For all I know, the entire company is a big fraud syndicate much like the Alibris seller named "Payless."
I'm not going to bother dealing further with this company. I'm going to simply dispute the charges on my credit card and order my book from another vendor. I did a google search on Alibris and the complaints are numerous.
Mike,
Cincinnati, Ohio
Alibris is a FRAUD! They are just out to make a quick buck. I ordered a book for one of my university classes just before the class started and more than a month later (and after many emails to the seller in which he insisted the book had been shipped out the day it was ordered) the book finally arrived, only to be the WRONG book! In Canada you have 60 days from the date the book was shipped to have it returned to them for a refund. It turns out from the shipping label on the packaging that the seller LIED when he said it was shipped out the day I ordered it. The shipping date signed on the label was more than a WEEK after I ordered it which is probably one reason it took so long to get here. Anyhow he is sticking to his story about it being shipped out on the 12th of the month (when it was actually shipped on the 19th) but this affected my 60 day return limit. It's been over a month since I shipped it back to him (Paying extra shipping to have it priority shipped too) and he is insisting he hasn't received it yet! I DO NOT believe that. I know it was received and they are not going to refund me. I am out about $75 in total now for a $30 book (because of shipping costs both ways and customs) and they are out absolutely nothing. I CANNOT reach alibris customer service either, all I get are AUTOMATED response emails. They will not send an actual email to you. I WILL NEVER ORDER FROM ALIBRIS AGAIN.
BEWARE, DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY
This company is worse than A FRAUD, they advertised 2-day shipping on Books . We ordered books for my daughters college (and on pushing the confirmation button, it only then tells you how long the books will take...!), they arrived almost 3-weeks after requesting . This was too late for the classes she was enrolled into. We are now trying to get a refund on the books, but i am less than optimistic to the returns department responding or refunding us.
I have ordered three items: How to Draw Manga Compiling Application and Practice, Vol. 3, How to Draw Manga Volume 4: Casual Wear (How to Draw Manga) and How to Draw Manga: Bodies & Anatomy to bring a grand total of US$54.57. This order was placed on 9/30/06.
According to their help files, Canadian orders can take 2 months to ship. That time has already elapsed and nothing has come to me. All attempts to contact the business have not resulted in any response. I tried to contact them on the 9th of November 2006 and the 29th of January 2007. So far, it has proven impossible.
too good to be true
Do not order from this website. Do not order from an individual seller by the name of "payless." If you must order from this website, use a credit card which will allow you to dispute the charges. Quick rundown of my experience. *i ordered a textbook from alibris.com. *i was notified that my book was shipped on sep 25th 2006 and i paid extra for expre...
Read full review of Alibris and 18 commentsYes, Alibris is a legitimate online bookstore that specializes in offering new and used books.
No, Alibris is not a scam. The company is a legitimate online bookstore that has been in business since 1998.
Yes, you can trust Alibris. The company has a good reputation and has received positive reviews from customers.
Alibris allows customers to search for and purchase books online from a variety of independent booksellers. The company also offers a mobile app for easy book browsing and purchasing on-the-go.
Alibris provides customer support through a toll-free phone number, email, and live chat. The company's customer service is generally considered to be good.
No, there are no hidden fees when purchasing from Alibris. The company is upfront about its pricing and fees.
Alibris guarantees the authenticity of all books purchased through its website. The company also provides a refund policy for any issues with purchases.
Like any company, Alibris has received some complaints from customers. However, the company has a good track record and has resolved most complaints satisfactorily.
Alibris is an independent bookstore and is not affiliated with any other companies.
You can determine if Alibris is the right bookstore for you by researching the company, reading customer reviews, and comparing its prices and selection to those of other bookstores.
Yes, Alibris offers competitive prices on books by sourcing its inventory from multiple independent booksellers.
Alibris allows customers to return books within 60 days of purchase for a refund or exchange. Customers should review the company's return policy carefully before making a purchase.
Yes, Alibris offers international shipping to many countries around the world.
Yes, independent booksellers can sell their books on Alibris by signing up for a seller account.
Yes, Alibris offers a book rental service and a textbook buyback program for college students.
Alibris provides customer support through a toll-free phone number, email, and live chat.
No, Alibris does not have a physical bookstore location. The company operates entirely online.
Yes, Alibris allows customers to review and rate books on its website, which can be helpful for other customers in making informed purchasing decisions.
Yes, Alibris offers a loyalty program called the Alibris Rewards Program that allows customers to earn points for purchases that can be redeemed for discounts on future purchases.
Yes, Alibris has a mobile app that allows customers to easily browse and purchase books on-the-go.
Overview of Alibris complaint handling
-
Alibris Contacts
-
Alibris phone numbers+1 (510) 594-4500+1 (510) 594-4500Click up if you have successfully reached Alibris by calling +1 (510) 594-4500 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Alibris by calling +1 (510) 594-4500 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Alibris by calling +1 (510) 594-4500 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Alibris by calling +1 (510) 594-4500 phone number+1 (800) 952-5210+1 (800) 952-5210Click up if you have successfully reached Alibris by calling +1 (800) 952-5210 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Alibris by calling +1 (800) 952-5210 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Alibris by calling +1 (800) 952-5210 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Alibris by calling +1 (800) 952-5210 phone number+1 (510) 594-4586+1 (510) 594-4586Click up if you have successfully reached Alibris by calling +1 (510) 594-4586 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Alibris by calling +1 (510) 594-4586 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Alibris by calling +1 (510) 594-4586 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Alibris by calling +1 (510) 594-4586 phone number
-
Alibris emailssellers@alibris.com100%Confidence score: 100%Supportfeedback@alibris.com100%Confidence score: 100%libraries@alibris.com98%Confidence score: 98%
-
Alibris address1250 45th Street, Suite 100, Emeryville, California, 94608, United States
-
Alibris social media
-
Checked and verified by Stan This contact information is personally checked and verified by the ComplaintsBoard representative. Learn moreJun 17, 2025
- View all Alibris contacts
Recent comments about Alibris company
dvd not as advertised




Our Commitment
We make sure all complaints and reviews are from real people sharing genuine experiences.
We offer easy tools for businesses and reviewers to solve issues together. Learn how it works.
We support and promote the right for reviewers to express their opinions and ideas freely without censorship or restrictions, as long as it's respectful and within our Terms and Conditions, of course ;)
Our rating system is open and honest, ensuring unbiased evaluations for all businesses on the platform. Learn more.
Personal details of reviewers are strictly confidential and hidden from everyone.
Our website is designed to be user-friendly, accessible, and absolutely free for everyone to use.