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3.4 10 Reviews

HotBookSale.com Complaints Summary

6 Resolved
4 Unresolved
Our verdict: With a good resolution rate, HotBookSale.com generally handles customer issues well. However, it’s important to be proactive. Familiarize yourself with their processes and services. Reading through various customer experiences will provide valuable insights into how they handle complex issues.
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HotBookSale.com reviews & complaints 10

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Newest HotBookSale.com reviews & complaints

ComplaintsBoard
R
4:55 pm EDT

HotBookSale.com Unethical credit card charges

I purchased a travel book from this company two years ago. I did not know they have been billing my credit card for $19.95 per month since that time. I thought my husband was buying books, but when I began to pay attention, I realized it is a constant charge.
I called today and was dis-enrolled. Customer service says I signed up for a club service which I could have cancelled at any time, and I was receiving emails monthly. I have never received emails, nor was I aware of any "club". The sign-up facts must be in very small print.
I am very angry, was ripped off and these people need to be shut down.
Shame on me for not paying closer attention to my bill.

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ComplaintsBoard
S
7:35 pm EDT
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The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

HotBookSale.com Scam Membership

Do not do business with hotbooksale.com OR bestbrandvalues.com OR hotmoviesale.com OR discountpostersale.com.

If you do be very careful and watch for a message in an email that will follow your order. Here is what it says at the bottom of a very long page of information.

OFFER AND BILLING CONFIRMATION - KEEP FOR YOUR RECORDS

Your satisfaction is always important to us. You can try the BestBrandValues service risk-free for the first 7 days for only $1. Unless you cancel your account during the trial period, your BestBrandValues membership will be billed in advance at the low $19.95 membership fee per month, billed to the credit card or debit card you provide today. Your membership will be automatically renewed monthly at the then-current monthly fee, billed to the credit or debit card you provide. If you choose to discontinue during the trial period, simply call toll-free [protected] to cancel and we'll refund your dollar, no questions asked. There is no obligation to continue. Only one membership per household.

This program is not available for Corporate Accounts or for customers who purchase products for business or institutional use or for the purpose of resale.

DO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE AS ME!

Read full review of HotBookSale.com and 12 comments
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Balucie
, US
Apr 29, 2012 9:00 pm EDT

Found the book I wanted. First time buyers get $5 off at checkout. Didn't tell you it was already added into the original price. Made me believe it was a good deal. Had to go to support to cancel the order. I can get it cheaper elsewhere.

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Doris Soenke
Cabot, US
Apr 27, 2012 1:45 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

a couple of months ago I cancelled this membership - this morning another charge of $9.95 showed up on my account... please take care of this immediately

thank you,
Doris Soenke

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Lumpodogge
Newville, US
Apr 16, 2012 2:26 am EDT

Company requires $19.95 monthly membership in order to receive "discount" on ordered books. Agreement is buried in user agreement checkoff. Did not discover this for months (definitely my bad...). Others should be aware of this company's modus operandi.

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ekuwata
Torrance, US
Dec 21, 2011 3:12 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Placed an order for two books; was not aware that I would be joining Best Brand Values with a charge for membership fee of $19.95 per month. Nowhere on their website was a membership fee mentioned.

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rsb306
Jamison, US
Jul 16, 2009 8:05 pm EDT

I have a similar complaint, I bought a book for my son which came to $4.50 and was charged $19.95 per month. I had no idea that I joined any membership. I am going to start a website about this company. Anyone who is interested please email me at landtrader@yahoo.com

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Nancy2
Twin Falls, US
Dec 29, 2010 9:26 pm EST

I ordered a book for $1.00 and paid shipping. After that month I was billed $19.95 per month. I did not subscribe to anything, this company is a big rip off. I called and they said I can only get two months refunded and they would contact me about the rest of the months.

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Liopper
, US
Dec 15, 2010 1:52 pm EST

I was able to buy books at a good price without being aware I was joining them - for $30 a month! since Visa etc only has sketchy names I thought it was late billing for a book I had miscounted...spend a hundred dollars extra that I didn't know I was spending. DONT DO IT.

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JanMader
Santa Rosa, US
Jul 15, 2010 11:36 pm EDT

Ordered a book in June and have been charged $9.95 for the last two months without my knowledge or consent, just happened to notice it on my credit card. Would like them to cancel this "membership" and refund $19.90 to my account.

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annie mcleod
Columbia, US
Oct 09, 2009 12:20 pm EDT

The charged my credit card for a membership that I didnot agree to after THEY cancelled my book order

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TomGrock
San Diego, US
Feb 28, 2013 6:44 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Agrre to complaint and response from Hotbooks is self serving! There are numerous complaints shown and no remedy except membership and how do I do that!

ComplaintsBoard
E
3:09 am EDT

HotBookSale.com unauthorized charges

Stay away from this site! In Sept. of this year, I bought a book from hotbooksale.com. They billed me for it, and I paid. 5 months later on my Discover Card bill, I noticed that I was being charged $19.95 each month by the company. I got in touch with them, and they cancelled my "account, " which I never had, and they kept my money. Discover Card helped me get back two months of charges, but they still charged me for three months, $59.85. The sent Discover a "copy" of a letter they supposedly sent me, notifying me that I'd signed up to be a member in a book club with a $19.95 monthly charge. I never got that letter. They also said that they emailed me every month to tell me my account status. This never happened. I feel that this is a company like many others, trying to confuse people into buying something which they never intended. They never showed anything to Discover that I ever signed up for it, but I lost the money. Please notice the other very similar complaints about this company on this site. Why are they allowed to exist?

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Is HotBookSale.com legit?

Our verdict: HotBookSale.com's legitimacy, as determined by Complaints Board, strikes a balance between trust and caution. This nuanced position suggests that while HotBookSale.com may operate with some level of legitimacy, users are strongly advised to undertake their own verification processes, reinforcing the call for a cautious but informed interaction.

HotBookSale.com earns 53% level of Trustworthiness

Average Trust Update: HotBookSale.com assessed by Complaints board with 53% credibility. Caution advised for personal and financial details.

Hotbooksale.com has a valid SSL certificate, which indicates that the website is secure and trustworthy. Look for the padlock icon in the browser and the "https" prefix in the URL to confirm that the website is using SSL.

Hotbooksale.com has been deemed safe to visit, as it is protected by a cloud-based cybersecurity solution that uses the Domain Name System (DNS) to help protect networks from online threats.

However ComplaintsBoard has detected that:

  • Hotbooksale.com to appear inactive or unused, such as technical issues or a temporary shutdown. In any case, if you are having trouble getting a response from the company or recovering your money, it may be wise to take further steps to protect yourself, such as seeking a chargeback from your bank or contacting a relevant consumer protection agency.
  • HotBookSale.com protects their ownership data, a common and legal practice. However, from our perspective, this lack of transparency can impede trust and accountability, which are essential for establishing a credible and respected business entity.
  • The website belonging to HotBookSale.com has a low number of visitors, which could be a red flag for users. However, it's important to conduct additional research to fully evaluate the website's legitimacy and trustworthiness.
  • We conducted a search on social media and found several negative reviews related to HotBookSale.com. These reviews may indicate issues with the company's products, services, or customer support. It is important to thoroughly research the company and its offerings before making any purchases to avoid any potential risks.
ComplaintsBoard
J
11:19 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

HotBookSale.com Illegally repeatedly charged me for months

I ordered
08/02/10 08/02/10 BBV*HOTBOOKSALE.COM [protected] FL
$39.01 Merchandise

Have progressing MS and haven't been able to figure out why I couldn't pay our bills... that I have overpaid $220.45!
I have been too sick to figure it out. I want a FULL REFUND of $220.45.
PLUS INTEREST
They will only refund me $39 and cancel whatever club they are charging me for and think that is enough.
PLEASE HELP. THANKS.

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TomGrock
San Diego, US
Feb 26, 2013 5:59 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I agree totally! It appears I have been charged repeatedly for something I did not receive. I don't expect a refund it would be to difficult and time consuming to finalize but I DO WANT THE CHARGES TO CEASE! The company should be banned by all credit card companies from any further business.

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Sharon L. Taylor
Lewistown, US
Dec 26, 2012 7:04 pm EST
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I have been billed each month after buying one book. Charged 10/01/12 for the book 7.56, but charged 9.95 on 10/09/12 and 9.95 on 11/06/12.

What is going on? Please stop charging me I only wanted the one book. I won't buy from you again if you keep charging me for nothing.
I should be refunded both of the 9.95 charges.

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Sharon L. Taylor
Lewistown, US
Dec 26, 2012 6:54 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I to have been charged on my card for for a purchase 0n 10/09/12 and on 11/06/12 I didn't purchase that I didn't authorize please give me an explanation. Sharon Taylor [protected] These charges need t o stop.

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ALMA N LUNA
Lone Pine, US
Jul 20, 2012 4:19 pm EDT
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I have a charge on my credit card for a purchase that i did not authorize i did not do any purchase on July 14th and i would like an explanation .

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Victoria Harkness
Riverside, US
May 24, 2012 5:13 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

They have done the same thing to me. I now have been charged 3 times.

ComplaintsBoard
M
6:15 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

HotBookSale.com withdrawal from my checking account

I ordered a book through bbvhotbooksale.com on or around late 2009 or early 2010 for 9.95. The first payment was deducted from my checking account, since then until october 2010 9.95 has been deducted from my account every month. From September 2010 to January 2011 the deduction has increased to 19.95 per month. All charges have the same code BBV*HOTBOOKSALE.COM [protected]-6461662 Fl.
Iwant all these charges to be put back into my account now and i do not want anymore withdrawal taken from my accounts

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D. Kimbrough
Tucson, US
Feb 16, 2014 10:35 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Have been charged for a membership per month of $19.95. I did not sign up for this. Only ordered two books from them. They will give me a courtesy refund and I need to write them to pursue more. This site has many dispute letters for this problem! They need to be sited for this practice on customers. Thank you, D.Kimbrough

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Terry Kennedy54
Parkersburg, US
Jan 26, 2011 3:22 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Since DEcember of 2009 these guys (BBV*HOTBOOKSALE.COM) have been charging my account $9.95 each month. I have two kids in college and two in High School and a wife who is a teacher, so, I thought they were buying school books, BUt NO-ONE in my family was buying anything from them, they were just charging us each month.

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Linda L Moore
Roanoke, US
Sep 03, 2013 8:18 pm EDT

I bought books months ago from online company. They continue to charge my checking acct $9.95 monthly for nothing! They have my info and are making unauthorized charges monthly. I want to be reimbursed immediately!

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Edgardo m
Pacoima, US
Dec 04, 2010 7:01 pm EST

I bought a books and was pay but they continued to charge over and over every months to my credit card. I need some how to take action on this BBV*HOTBOOKSALE.COM 888- 11/25BBV*HOTBO for they charges on all victimeze costomer.

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Laura L. Fry
Enola, US
Nov 10, 2010 5:16 pm EST

There was an unauthorized charge of $9.95 to my credit card from BBV*HOTBOOKSALE.com on 11/08/2010. I did not purchase anything from them.

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Mtcones7
, US
Oct 19, 2010 4:13 pm EDT

I dont even know what the heck the transaction was for, because I never authorized it. It was 9.95 and unauthorized. Contact paypal on my acct information as I am filing a complaint and having investigators brought in to track this transaction.

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Marielena
Jacksonville, US
Feb 28, 2011 10:50 pm EST

I had the same thing happen to me. I bought a book and then they charged my CC account $9.95 per month. I think they are a scam and now they have my CC number and all my info.

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sgiii
Nantucket, US
Jan 18, 2011 1:32 pm EST

Same thing happened to me. For 6 Months! Turns out I bought a book over the summer at a wholesale price and they have been billing me 9.95 ever since. They will not refund more than two months and said at checkout I agreed to terms & conditions. I recall nothing of the sort when conducting a book checkout?

ComplaintsBoard
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4:16 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

HotBookSale.com unsolicited charges

I purchase books online for a one-time fee of 33.18 USD.I thought i was buying from I was subsequently billed 9.95/1.oo usd and 9.95 usd. i called BBVand talked to a customer rep. i explained that i had not been apprised of their "membership" charges and wanted to cancel any affiliation with them as well as receive a credit on my charge card. i threatened to contact my card company and the rep agreed to credit my card account w/in 2 billing cycles (yea right).these people are crooks. some action should be taken to put them out of business. contact your banking institution that you do business with and pressure them to investigate these birds! we shall be cruel to bbv!

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ComplaintsBoard
K
11:59 am EDT
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The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

HotBookSale.com Book order

I recently placed an order through HotBookSale.com to purchase a Math textbook for my son. I then get an e-mail from BestBrandValues.com that I had become a member and that my credit card on file will be charged $19.95 monthly. There was no indication on HotBookSale.com's site that there was a membership and that by placing an order I was to become a member; nor did they even ask whether I wanted to become a member!

I am utterly disgusted by the unscrupulous way that I was drawn into a membership that I was not even aware of!

Be wary of both HotBookSale.com and BestBrandValues.com

KPP

Read full review of HotBookSale.com and 3 comments
Update by Kalanethee
Jul 06, 2009 1:00 pm EDT

Is there anyway we can get this company out of business? Is there a consumer board that we can complain?

Thanks,

Kala

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Grandpuba_2000
san diego , US
Sep 01, 2009 10:05 am EDT
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LOL it says right there on the checkout page you think you get such a great deal for nothing there is always some gimmick for something so cheap wither it be a membership or a refund that you have to send in after you have used the phone for 90 days but must be sent in the 4th month. If you are new to using a site that you are not comfortable with then make your purchase with a credit card gift card that way you are covered for what is on the card then you can always add to the card for next time after you finish the transaction or just get a new card.

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m. littlejohn
Middletown, US
Aug 01, 2009 6:53 am EDT

I thought I was ordering one book, getting a good price. Then I saw I was debited for another $19.95. I called and they said my 3 day free trial membership was up and I couldn't get my money back. I told her I didn't know I had a trial membership.
They are crooks!
M. Littlejohn

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Angela99
Pasadena, US
Jul 06, 2009 12:08 pm EDT

I agree they did the same to me, never mind that I tried to reason with them and explain that it doesnot make sense to pay 11.00 dollards for a book and 19.995 for a monthly membership that would make that particular book more expensive than the cover price. They should not be allowed to operate. Angela

ComplaintsBoard
C
12:23 am EDT
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HotBookSale.com unauthorized membership fee

I have recently canceled my membership in hotbooksale.com (smartsaving).
I was wondering if I could get refund as this website took my money away for $29.95 every month from my debit card for about 4-5 months.
I did not know how to cancel the membership until I found out couple days ago.
Would you please help me to get my money back?
I bought a book from this website in late november or beginning of december last year, and I got subtracted for $29.95 since that time.
Thank you so much.
I will be more than happy to hear the feedback.
You can give me any feedback to this email [protected]@hotmail.com

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Aby57
, US
Sep 07, 2009 2:03 pm EDT

Ordered Corel X4 book. Refused all offers to their 30 day free trial. When I reviewed my gift card account used to make the purchase, they had deducted two months of fees for a club for which I have no use. Each fee was $19.95. When I called them they cancelled future charges but would not give me credit for those they took without permission. They have a line on their order page for rejecting the offer, which I selected but was told when I called that I could not make the order without accepting the offer. Not what the web page said. Do not order from this bad practices company.

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kathy ticha
twin lakes, US
Jun 08, 2011 6:55 pm EDT

i ordered a book for 34cents. Stupid me did not read the fine print on membership.
so I got taken for a month. That I can live with.
Book will not be delivered unless I pay $171.00 in duty fees.
What a joke. 34 cent book with a duty fee of $171.00
were you printing the book in gold.
I can not believe that you can stay in business.
I guess this old lady learned not to ever buy anything online again.
Thought it was too good to be true but stupid me believed it.
I guess if you can make 9.95 from each stupid person plus the first week $1.00 and my .34 you come out pretty well each month.
Good luck to your system of screwing the public

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abhiii
, US
Jul 27, 2016 7:48 am EDT

I am disputing my authorization of a subscription charge of $19.95. I did not agree to the terms and expect all conditions to be included in order confirmations.” On June 23, 2009 I placed an order for an item with the full charge of $15.49. The order was shipped, and payment made by my credit card company. On June 26 I was charged an additional $19.95. I did not receive notice of this charge by email, mail nor does it appear on my payment history within my online account information. I spoke to a rep at SmartSavings and at HotBookSale.com and offered no assistance in resolving this matter.

This deliberately deceptive practive may be effective for revenue streams by volume but I am certain no customer returns for a second purchase. While I am unsure about the legal obligations to offer written terms of such a transaction I am sure that it amounts to consumer deceit at the least. I can only hope that the company's failure is around the corner.

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Brena
, US
Jan 26, 2012 2:34 pm EST

I bought 2 books from Amazon and they charged my credit card, but next month I found out that they charged me one more time. What a scam!

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Rene Goldman
Kansas C, US
Dec 21, 2010 4:02 pm EST

I purchased a set of mini books of Peter Rabbit on October 4th. The shipping was free and the cost was $5.63. I just noticed on my last credit card bill that a charge of $19.95 to bbv Hotbooksale.com was added to my account. When I looked up the website I found that this company continually engages in fraud.

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Tammy Adair
, US
Sep 29, 2010 8:19 am EDT

I ordered a book that was on sale for 4.95, with free shipping. My account was debited for that amnt. plus 1.00. A few days later, I was billed again for 9.95. I only ordered the one book!

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Garysbutton1
New Castle, US
Feb 05, 2014 7:08 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I called about the charges for my so-called membership that I NEVER signed up for. BEWARE-----------That same company signed me up for a membership with a rebate company scam also. Make sure you get them to cancel that one also. Demand your money back and make sure you get a confirmation number for both scams. The rep was very nice to me though I did tell her her company sucks and are scam artists. She never flinched. Hmmmmmmm, she must be getting paid well. GOOD LUCK!

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Lazypages
Houma, US
Jan 26, 2012 2:35 pm EST

Was the charge for one book or the both of them? Or it might be the delivery charge

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sfmedic
Mather, US
Dec 16, 2011 9:32 am EST
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I ordered books from this hotbooksale.com on Dec. 5th 2011. I came across this website from a google search for books. There were some good pricings on books so I thought I would order the books from them. After ordering I received an email confirmation of the order and then a email from BESTBRANDVALUES.COM with login information.

I have ordered from many online websites such as amazon, tigerdirect, newegg, etc….all of these create a login and a password for you when you order with them.

It was a week later when I signed into the account to see the shipping progress of my order, that a noticed that I had been charged a 1.00 dollar trial membership fee, and then a 19.95 a month membership fee.

I received the order the same day and to my astonishment 2 of my items were in different formats from what I had thought that I had ordered.

I wrote to them on both accounts, one the membership and second the mishap in the order.

This is the reply that I received from them:

* * * Please, DO NOT REPLY to this email, it is an unmonitored alias! * * *

Thank you for contacting BestBrandValues,

SUPPORT ANSWER(12/13/2011 12:31:15 pm):
Dear Valued Member,

thank you for contacting BestBrandValues.com.

Please note that on each item s page, format is always clearly mentioned.

We have checked the pages of the 2 items you received in CD format and we found that it is clearly listed on both items pages that the format is Compact Disc (CD).

If you want to return these 2 items then please contact us again to get the RMA #.

Once we receive the items back, refund will be issued to you for these 2 items though please be informed that as per our Return policy you will have to pay the return shipping cost.

About your $19.95 charges concern, this is to notify that you are charged for your monthly BestBrandValues.com membership and $1.00 was charged for your BestBrandValues.com trial membership.

You became a member of BestBrandValues.com when you purchased your item online with us. When you placed your order online you agreed to the terms of offer of membership which were displayed on the billing and shipping page during checkout in the left panel “Your purchase today includes:”

At the end of the trial period you chose not to cancel the membership therefore you were charged the membership fee.

The terms of offer are very clear and it is impossible to place an order on our website without disclosing that you have read and agree to the terms of offer that were being offered to you. As soon as you place the order we immediately send you two e-mails to the address you provide at the time of checkout, one email is confirming your order and the second email is confirming your membership with the trial period provided to you and again with detailed offer and billing information.

The Terms of Offer are provided below to which you agreed to when you joined us.

>>>
OFFER AND BILLING CONFIRMATION - KEEP FOR YOUR RECORDS

Your satisfaction is always important to us. You can try the BestBrandValues service risk-free for the first 7 days for only $1. Unless you cancel your account during the trial period, your BestBrandValues membership will be billed in advance at the low $19.95 membership fee per month, billed to the credit card or debit card you provide today. Your membership will be automatically renewed monthly at the then-current monthly fee, billed to the credit or debit card you provide. If you choose to discontinue during the trial period, simply call toll-free [protected] to cancel and we’ll refund your dollar, no questions asked. There is no obligation to continue. Only one membership per household.

This program is not available for Corporate Accounts or for customers who purchase products for business or institutional use or for the purpose of resale.
>>>

With BestBrandValues.com you can shop and get wholesale prices on DVDs, books and merchandise and the great benefits BestBrandValues has to offer.

We will once again resend you the Welcome to BestBrandValues email. There you can find the registration information including offer and billing details. Please check BestBrandValues.com to see what great deals you can get with your membership.

Please note that your membership is currently active.

Let us know if you need our assistance again.

* * * Please, DO NOT REPLY to this email, it is an unmonitored alias! * * *

Should you need further assistance, view and post new comment to your ticket, please login to your BestBrandValues Account, go to My Tickets.

There you can see the complete history of your support requests.
Use the “New Support Ticket” button to send a new question to our support team. If you have already submitted a ticket, and want to make up your submission or reply to our support team, click on the “Post Comment” button.
https://www.bestbrandvalues.com/user/user_support.aspx?ID=zbNqDeVELxDVkcosPpxvy5Xtd&f=1

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Your original ticket question

Subject: Member Fees and recent order
Question Description:
When I ordered books from Hot Book
Sale, there were no mention of
membership fees. when i look at
my outstanding orders it shows
that there is either a 1.00 fee or
a 19.95 fee due.

In addition, the last order that I
placed, I thought were all
hardback books. But apparently I
ordered the wrong things because
the Throne of Fire, and The Red
Pyramid are CD’s. I didn’t know
that and thought, like I alrady
stated that those were “BOOKS” not
books on CD.

Please help me understand the fees
and if so I would prefer to just
cancel my subscription. I am not
sure that there is anything you
can do about me ordering the wrong
format.

Thanks

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sincerely,

Customer Support
www.BestBrandValues.com

* * * Please, DO NOT REPLY to this email, it is an unmonitored alias! * * *

I called them on Tuesday morning Dec. 13th after we received the email from their support team.

They claim that it is CLEARLY stated that their is a 19.95 per month membership fee, yes it is there on the side bar, which is not in the main contract section of the order page. Yes it does say that if you order you will be become a member of the BESTBRANDVALUES group. Once again it is on the side bar and not in the main contract section of the order page. Even when you click on the Terms and Conditions agreement, there is no mention of a “19.95 per month membership fee”.

I feel ripped off and a bit scammed because of the way they present it on the order page. Amazon for instance, has a premium membership, but you are not automatically enrolled into it and it is not in small print on a side note on a order page.

In addition, while they were willing to work with me in correcting the order mishap, they are making me pay for return shipping, which in and of itself is a standard practice but not what I would expect from a premium membership service that they claim to be.

Since I did cancel my membership, I did not return the order error yet, and they are still charging me the 19.95 because I did miss the their deadline for the TRIAL membership.

Also, in a little note clear at the bottom of their sidebar it tells you you can order without becoming a member by clicking on a link.

I don’t know if you can assist me, but I hope you can warn others about the subterfuge I feel is intentionally worked into this company.

Now when I go to the BESTBRANDVALUES.COM website, there is a big window clearly stating if you want to join their membership it is 19.95 a month. But not on hotbooksale.com. It is just sneakily worked in there on a side note outside of what appears to be a contractual binding area.

Thanks for hearing my complaint

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TNTbefree
Jacksonville, US
May 30, 2011 2:35 am EDT

I am sorry to hear that so many of you got taken to the cleaners by this HotBookSale.com scam. Thank you for the warning, alert, scam alert, fraud, rip-off, and fee scam. I was just about to order from them, but thanks to you, I did not. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Again, I am sorry for your loss and hassle, but you did me a great favor with this warning.

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8:05 am EDT
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HotBookSale.com Horrible company

This company is HORRIBLE! They secretly trick you into a $29.95 membership to some 'SmartSavingsCenter' club. They some how maneuver their wording so you have to call TWICE to cancel it or you'll be charged more.

And what's worse their merchandise NEVER CAME! There was some error with the zip code, the post office said they returned it to the sender, and who wouldn't believe the post office over this horribly unethical company. The company will not resend the books or give me a refund!

What's ALMOST amusing is their site claims 'hassle-free service'. I guess that may be true if any of their customer service reps spoke English, but untrue to us who can't understand other languages.

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redsundance
Kirbyville, US
Jun 29, 2009 9:11 pm EDT

Now their new name is DiscountBookSale.com...they changed their name! still partners with SmartSavingsCenter.com ...BEWARE!

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redsundance
Kirbyville, US
Jun 29, 2009 8:47 pm EDT

SCAM! DO NOT BUY ANYTHING from this "book" store...it's nothing but a scam to charge your credit card for some membership fee, that's not stated until you receive your credit card bill...if they can charge your card for something that's fraudulent, what else will they do with your credit card information! AVOID AT ALL COSTS! POOR customer service...no one answered my calls or replied my emails...

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customerfeedback
Tamarac, US
Mar 25, 2009 1:07 pm EDT

I am enraged about this company's customer service, trickery, and manipulation. After purchasing a book that totaled $12.05, I was charged this bogus monthly fee. I first noticed this on my credit card statement, wondering as to who the heck this smartsavingscenter site was. I called them that day to cancel my newly found out about membership and to receive a refund for the unauthorized charges applied to my account. My membership was cancelled, and less than half of the charges were refunded back. I was told by their representative that I would receive an email confirmation about the remainder of my discount. I did not receive that email, or my refund. Soon after I called the company again, but I was told that the refund was declined, and that their manager wasn't available at the moment to speak to me. Today I called again, and was able to speak to someone in charge. Unfortunately, I was unable to retrieve my owed money. The lady referred me to her site (HotBookSale.com) and in attempt to justify their actions, told me to look at the banner on the home/main page. Ok, a banner that says nothing about an obligatory membership joining in order to use their site and to make an order. She told me "this is a membership only website"...then this should be clearly stated in large lettering. I wonder if they are getting tired or receiving the same type of phone calls on a daily basis. It is obvious that if their claims and terms were clear, than such large numbers of people wouldn't be manipulated into this oh so simple purchase that is accompanied by these types of hidden and unethical charges. I told the manager I spoke to that I have been ordering college text books online for many years now, and from different companies, but I have never had any such issues as I do with them. I am highly unsatisfied with this website, and I will never purchase from them again, and I will advise everyone I know NOT to purchase from them. Once they have your credit or debit card info, they will use that to their advantage and offer smartsavingscenter your info for this membership, charging you $29.95 and quite a few $1 charges as well. DO NOT PURCHASE FROM HOTBOOKSALE.COM OR THEIR AFFILIATED PARTNER SMARTSAVINGSCENTER.COM. Find a trusted website with positive feedback, good customer service, and honest practices.

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3:23 pm EST
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HotBookSale.com charged my credit card

On 12/14/08 I bought books from hotbooksale.com. Later that evening I got an email that said I was signed up for a savings program through smartsavingscenter.com. I think they are the same company. They had my credit card number, address and full name. The email stated that I had a free 7 day trial, that would then turn into 29.95 per month if I didn't call and cancel during the trial period.

The phone numbers on their email go nowhere. So, you can't call and cancel. I called my bank and cancelled my Debit card. There was already a $1 charge, sure to be followed by more. When I went to the website for more informaton they ask you to sign in with the login and password they gave me in the email. I was scared to give any more information, so I didn't pursue that any further. Also, I called hotbooksale.com. Same problem; the number goes nowhere. I doubt I'll even get the books I ordered.

As soon as the charge officially goes through, I will dispute it with my bank. I really hopes someone does something about this. So many people have fallen victim to this scam. If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know.

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nivek1969
Dallas, US
Jul 19, 2009 7:09 pm EDT

I ordered a book recently from hotbooksale.com which was listed as "ships in 24 hours." This did not turn out to be the case. They do not even have the book in stock and they have written that they will try to get it within 28 days and if they cannot the order will be cancelled. I ordered this book because I am farily certain it is OOP and was surprised someone had it so I ordered immediately. To make things worse, when you order a book from them you are automatically signed up for a membership with smartsavingcenter.com, which is the same company actually, for $19.95 a month. This is not made very clear at all when you are ordering a book. So, I have canceled the membership and called them about the membership fee. They have refused to refund that fee and had the gall to tell me that I would not be charged for the book if they cannot find it for me! (which they will not because it is very difficult to find, and is going for hundreds of dollars on Ebay). Now I am concerned about future charges because these idiots have my debit card number, so I'll probably have to cancel my card and get another which is more grief. Avoid at all costs!

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Rev Don S
Littleton, US
Nov 30, 2010 9:02 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

SAME AS ABOVE: rip off company signed me up without me knowing. I seldom read all the way to the bottom of those long small print emails about your order! They have taken a hundred or more dollars over the last few months until I finally hunted down what the charges were. Turns out the book deal wasn't such a deal after all!

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scottboren
Nashua, US
Feb 07, 2009 1:30 pm EST

I ordered books in mid january 2009. I did not knowingly sign up for this smartsavings thing. My book order did not ship, and the company said it was an internal error in shipping and the order got sent back to the warehouse, so I would have to reorder, but they would honor the original $5 off deal. When I went to reorder, I couldn't get the discount, so I called and the person on the phone said a manager would have to call me back, which they never did. I never go the books, but in February, my statement showed the $1 followed by the $29.95 charge for the smartsaver (which I didn't order). I have cancelled that service and have an email confirming that, but they refuse to refund my money, citing that I agreed to the conditions of the order... which by the way were way down in the email telling me my membership password... so far down that if you don't scroll through the entire email you don't even realize you've been committed to this thing. Now I will dispute it with the credit card, but I fear I'm out $30 and got nothing for it. I'm a pastor and this is a church credit card, so these people have taken from God, not me. ... they have to answer to a much bigger authority than I or even the law. You don't steal from God!

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mee161
, US
Jan 24, 2009 12:32 pm EST

hi it mee again, an yes i was scammed by them also, they s__k. my card was stolen buy them online, since i made no other charges during xmas time except to them... so i cancelled it. i also cancelled this so called subscription for membership from them. an they emailed me the other day requesting new credit card info or my membership would be cancelled are they CRAZY...! I HAVE THE EMAIL FROM THEM CANCELLING MY SUBSCRIBTION & INTEND TO SEND IT TO THE ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE AN MY CREDIT CARD CO. SCAM SCAM SCAM. I WANT TO GO TO CALIFORNIA TO SEE THE ### AN SLAP'EM.. WARN OTHERS, YOU HAVE TO CANCEL YOUR CREDIT CARD OR THEY WILL BILL YOU EVEN IF YOU WERE LUCKY TO GET THRU TO THESE IDIOTS... CANCEL IT AN TELL THE CREDIT CARD CO.

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mee
, US
Jan 05, 2009 9:02 pm EST

hotbooksale.com DONT BUY ANYTHING FROM THAT SITE. RIP OFF ARTISTS. THEY DID THE SAME THING TO ME. SIGNED ME UP FOR THIS MEMBERSHIP FOR 29.95. HAVEN'T BEEN BILLED FOR IT YET. BUT I WAS BILLED 1.00 AN I DISPUTED IT AN HAD IT REMOVED. THEY STINK. I CALLED AN CANCELLED MY BOOK AN MEMBERSHIP WITH MINUTES OF THE ORDER I FELT LIKE I WAS BEING SCREWED. SO THEY EMAILED ME A CANCELLATION WHICH I HAVE. THEN LATER THAT NITE I RECEIVED A 2ND EMAIL WELCOMING ME INTO THE MEMBERSHIP.

RIP OFF. WHEN I DID CANCEL THE BOOK WITHIN MINUTES OF THE ORDER THEY SAID IT HAD ALREADY BEEN SHIPPED. SO I KEPT THE BOOK. NO OTHER CHARGES AS OF YET . BUT I AM WAITING FOR CREDITS FROM OTHER COMPANIES SO I AM GOING TO CANCEL MY CREDIT CARDS AS SOON AS I RECEIVE THEM. I HOPE NOBODY ORDERS FROM THEM. TRUST ME GO TO BORDERS OR BARNES & NOBLE. MORE $ BUT NO AGGRAVATION. GOOD LUCK,

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