Menu
Write a review
File a complaint
Better World Books Customer Service Phone, Email, Contacts

Better World Books
Reviews and Complaints

www.betterworldbooks.com

Learn how the rating is calculated

2.4 7 Reviews 22 Complaints
Claim Your Business
Take control of your profile: address complaints and engage with reviews
Write a review File a complaint

Better World Books Complaints 22

ComplaintsBoard
P
1:38 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Better World Books Sales Practices

Don't buy from Better World Books! I bought a much needed text book. They sent the wrong edition. When I contacted them, they didn't have the edition they advertised and told me to send back the book BEFORE they would refund my money! They are schamers! They advertise a popular text book, send you an outdated text, refuse to refund your money until YOU, at your own expense, return the unordered book. WHAT assurance do I have that they will EVER return my money?
Pua

Read full review of Better World Books
Update by Pualani
Apr 06, 2010 4:35 pm EDT

Your English grammar needs help - so don't throw stones!

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
W
12:48 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Better World Books Dishonesty

Better World books, only gives like 5-10% of revenue to to non profits that supposedly help fund literacy programs, sounds good right? Now go to your local friends of library and find that all the good books for sale, are gone or have been priced up. It's because betterworldbooks takes the used books fron the friends of the libraries bookstores (for free) and makes a killing of of them. They also take books that people donate to the friends of library and have the ones they can't sell destroyed.

This practice might actually hurt literacy for the poor in this country.

Read full review of Better World Books and 10 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
10 comments
Add a comment
L
L
Leia0101
newyork city, US
Send a message
Aug 03, 2011 10:13 pm EDT

Placing order on betterworld website is a shame and wasting of time. When i place an order and it took them more than two weeks for them to send me a follow up on my order and still they didn't ship so when i contact them via email and phone they failed to respond until i contacted my bank to charge back the money. Betterworld your suck!

P
P
Pualani
Honolulu, US
Send a message
Jun 09, 2011 9:36 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Pmintz, you are a real piece of work! You don't give a good gosh darn if someone gets ripped off, as long as you get yours! I hope you get the same Better World Books treatment that others have received - and then you might understand how those who have been scammed feel about Better World Books!

P
P
Pmintz
St Regis, US
Send a message
May 19, 2011 3:44 pm EDT

Every one is out to make a living. I have purchased through Better Books several times. The service is great and I've always received complete orders - and the items are very reasonably priced. If you don't agree with their practice make you're purchases from another organization.

F
F
Figuero
US
Send a message
Apr 13, 2011 3:01 pm EDT

I've been purchasing from Better World Books for years. They have never let me down. Books for $3 and $4? Come on...how much is shipping? These guys are not making a killing. And to donate even 5% is a large sum for any organization still trying to stay afloat in this economy. I am a retired teacher and have a limited budget. I also shop the three local and sometimes two other distant used bookstores in my area. When they have what I am looking for, the prices are comparable...and I have never found them to be less for the same item. No. I DO NOT work for nor do I have any relation to Better World Books. I just appreciate their service.

As for college texts...having taught AP courses at high school, I know how many editions and how difficult it is to find current texts at reasonable prices. After retiring I taught adult ed computer courses and used to pick up texts at Better World Books when they had them for students who could not afford to buy the text. Shop for the bin number. You'll find the right text and know when it isn't correct.

Thanks,
Bev Cox

B
B
burtonbassman
Salem, US
Send a message
Apr 19, 2010 12:37 pm EDT

I'M VERY ARGY WITH THIS COMPANY AS WELL! I really need this book for a very difficult math course and I still haven't received it. Yet they have indeed billed my account already. Even if I get the book next week it will be half way through the term already... I think I'll be getting my money back from pay pal soon, these guys are idiots.

C
C
callistra montoute
Send a message
Apr 14, 2010 11:54 am EDT

I bought a text from better world books, they took the money form my credit card and i am still wating on my book i wrote them several letters and they did not respond to them, the following is just one of the letters sent to them.

Dear Sir/Madam

My name is Callistra I placed an order for one (1) book Social Psychology work book by Robert S. Feldman, Pamela C. Regan on the 12/02/2010 and got a respond from you saying that it was shipped on the 15/02/2010 by Eco Shipping company, Today is the 12/03/2010 and I have no receive my book, and it was not sent to the address given, I sent a letter to you before and you did not respond to my letter this is my second letter to you request you assistance in this matter, I attend the University an needed my book for classes and to date I have no received it.

I purchased books from you before and never had this problem; I am very disappointed in the service given to me at this time. I will like to have my book, before the end of MARCH or PLEASE REFUND ME MY MONEY. Or I will be forced to take action.

Thank you

Callistra

Please tell me what can be done about this situation, because i am still waiting on my book. My e-mail address is callisgm2@hotmail.com

P
P
Pualani
Honolulu, US
Send a message
Apr 06, 2010 1:10 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

My tip is don't buy from Better World Books! I bought a much needed text book. They sent the wrong edition. When I contacted them, they didn't have the edition they advertised and told me to send back the book BEFORE they would refund my money! They are schamers! They advertise a popular text book, send you an outdated text, refuse to refund your money until YOU, at your own expense, return the unordered book. WHAT assurance do I have that they will EVER return my money?
Pua

J
J
john12345
Canberra, AU
Send a message
Mar 20, 2010 7:04 pm EDT

making money has become more important for them; they sell books that are worth $1 or less for $4 to $5. Books that they get for free or come from the dump (sorry saved from the tip). If people actually left the computer for a while and left their home they would find the same books at local reputable charity organisations, which in turn these organisations help the local community. And if you live overseas you are paying $5 for the book plus $4 shipping = $9 then you convert it to local currency (let’s say AUD, this amounts to about $10 to $11). You are paying up to 2 or 3 times the amount that you would if you went to a second hand book store, at least in the book store you can actually see the book you are buying and what condition this book is in. What if you are buying more than one book from a Betterworld and you live overseas, then the prices become ridicules. You are charged for shipping on each book.. do the sums (lets say 5 books, $5 for each book = $25 + $4 shipping for each book = $20 that amounts to $45 then convert to AUD that’s about $50), the same used books locally would cost around $20 to $25. They are doing pretty good at making money from nothing and at the same time helping to shut down struggling small businesses, with Betterworlds less then admirable books. How many people out there have bought what they thought was a good used book from a Betterworld only to receive a worn or dirty old book or even a ex-library book that is worth nothing...you would be surprised (more than you think) Betterworld books is a corporation, they are opening other branches around the world it is all about the dollar

R
R
RoseRed8
Detroit, US
Send a message
Jan 03, 2010 11:38 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Very good comment. They have bins all over college campuses with words like "Donate" and "Give" in big letters, giving the false impression that they are a charity organization. Only in tiny letters at the bottom of these four foot signs do they reveal the fact that they are a for-profit company. They are utterly reprehensible.

W
W
WRD
US
Send a message
Nov 13, 2009 4:56 am EST

Absolutely. Not to mention the fact that they don't honor sales agreements and take up to a week to ship purchases. Plainly put, they are fill of it! Never again will I use this company!

Anothe ruse in the guise of helping the world at large.

WRD.

Overview of Better World Books complaint handling

Better World Books reviews first appeared on Complaints Board on Jul 2, 2009. The latest review Great source of inexpensive used books was posted on Mar 26, 2024. The latest complaint Horrible was resolved on May 16, 2012. Better World Books has an average consumer rating of 2 stars from 29 reviews. Better World Books has resolved 3 complaints.
Trust badge
Collect Your Trust Badge
Be recognized for outstanding customer service
  1. Better World Books Contacts

  2. Better World Books phone numbers
    +1 (800) 894-0242
    +1 (800) 894-0242
    Click up if you have successfully reached Better World Books by calling +1 (800) 894-0242 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Better World Books by calling +1 (800) 894-0242 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Better World Books by calling +1 (800) 894-0242 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Better World Books by calling +1 (800) 894-0242 phone number
    +1 (574) 252-5303
    +1 (574) 252-5303
    Click up if you have successfully reached Better World Books by calling +1 (574) 252-5303 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Better World Books by calling +1 (574) 252-5303 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Better World Books by calling +1 (574) 252-5303 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Better World Books by calling +1 (574) 252-5303 phone number
  3. Better World Books emails
  4. Better World Books address
    55740 Currant Road, Mishawaka, Indiana, 46545, United States
  5. Better World Books social media
  6. Jenny
    Checked and verified by Jenny This contact information is personally checked and verified by the ComplaintsBoard representative. Learn more
    Jun 30, 2025
  7. View all Better World Books contacts
Better World Books Category
Better World Books is ranked 29 among 173 companies in the Books and Magazines category

Our Commitment

We stand for unbiased reviews

We make sure all complaints and reviews are from real people sharing genuine experiences.

We help resolving issues

We offer easy tools for businesses and reviewers to solve issues together. Learn how it works.

We advocate freedom of speech

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 ;)

We ensure transparent and fair ratings

Our rating system is open and honest, ensuring unbiased evaluations for all businesses on the platform. Learn more.

We care about your privacy

Personal details of reviewers are strictly confidential and hidden from everyone.

We are easy, free and open to everyone

Our website is designed to be user-friendly, accessible, and absolutely free for everyone to use.