I've never used abebooks before, but have recently considered doing so. Is the service any good? Any good/bad stories...

I've never used abebooks before, but have recently considered doing so. Is the service any good? Any good/bad stories? Are there better alternatives?

Oh gosh, I haven't used them since maybe 2004. They were fine then. These days I just use Amazon though (also, I think Amazon bought AbeBooks anyways).

>alternatives
Alibris.com
>service any good
No. They used to be legit but now they are just a front with the abebooks name. They don't process the transactions; they host the listings. This means each seller is essentially an individual so you have no guarantee that the transaction will go well.

As an example, I ordered a book from one of the listings. After I realized the Paypal transaction was direct to the seller and not through Abebooks, I googled the seller and found out they were running a scam where they either never deliver the book or resell a legit listing from another site (there's a word for this practice that I'm forgetting).

I've bought probably a dozen books off sellers from this site in the last year and never had an issue. Books were in the condition the seller said they were in, and the price was right. My only complaint is that sometimes it take a long ass time to arrive, but they always did for me.

I use abebooks all the time. You're being overly dramatic. I've received all of the purchases that I've made through them. No particularly shady shenanigans from my experience with them.

thriftbooks is my favorite

>You're being overly dramatic.
Nope. My description is exactly what happened. You rolled the dice n times and were fortunate. I mean, grats or whatever but these guys are just listing books from sellers they don't take responsibility for.

If you got burned that sucks and it's a shame to hear, but that's a problem with some lone seller, not the entire site. You're trying to pass the whole site off as some scam venture when that simply isn't the case. It's just been some insanely bad luck. You could potentially get burned on any site. The same could happen over at Amazon and they could find come convoluted reason to refuse reimbursement as well. Sometimes shit just be like it be.

Amazon would do the opposite, as almost every internet denizen is aware, because they process the payments and guarantee the delivery. You're describing a hypothetical; I described a real transaction.

Abebooks is directly analogous to Craigslist: maybe the seller will be legit, maybe they'll just be a flake. Either way, Craigslist claims no responsibility. If a hypothetical you went to meet sellers 17 times and didn't get knifed doesn't mean Craigslist is a reputable business. If OP wants to buy books off abebooks, then he should beware just as if it were Craigslist.

AbeBooks is definitely worth using, even if it's only to buy BookDepository books for slightly cheaper.
The real answer though is to just use BookFinder and go with whatever's the best deal for you. Keep in mind though that it doesn't include Thriftbooks or Better World Books (but sometimes BWB posts things on Abe).
As far as service/stories go, your mileage will vary based on the seller, but check their ratings and google them if you're suspicious, and you'll be alright. I've been using Abe regularly for a couple years, and I haven't had a probably so far.

Thriftbooks is dope if you live in the US. It's still pretty good internationally, but I always feel like I'm getting fucked by shipping prices, even if it's altogether cheaper than the alternatives.

If you don't want to use abebooks no one is forcing you to, just know that your experience doesn't measure up with many people who've used the site in the past and continue to.

>he uses mailorder Craigslist
Alright friend, I appreciate your well-reasoned input and I am awed by your magnificent decision making.

>devolving into faggoty passive aggression over some book site because he has felt some bad fee fees

Wew.

>shilling for mailorder Craigslist when every other option in the thread is from a post-2000 internet business model
Good luck! I'm sure bookroulette will never turn out badly for you.

I'm not shilling when I say that I've only ever had good experiences. I'm talking from direct experience. And I've bought a shitload of books through them. Zero problems.

Enough of this passive aggression you hysterical shambles man.

>Paypal

That should have been your first clue. I use my credit card and I've never been screwed over. I've even received a few free books after demanding a refund for late delivery.

>buy from some rinky-dink bookjacker without doing any research
>there was nothing I could have done this is the marketplace's fault
are you that guy who buys $20 PS4s from China on eBay

The payment method depends upon the individual seller. This particular one used PayPal exclusively. It did give me the clue: that's why I googled the seller and discovered they were dropshipping (found the term) or just plain scamming when dropshipping didn't work out. I charged back the transaction on my card and all was well, except for some shill in this thread taking exception to my posting my experience.
>implying (((abe)))books is making it clear that they take absolutely no responsibility for their listings when they previously operated like every other reputable retailer on the internet

>it's not my responsibility to not buy from obvious scammers the website should warn me first

>except for some shill in this thread taking exception to my posting my experience.

I said it was a shame at first and then you spazzed out and became a passive aggressive queef when I refused to immediately join you in saying that they are trash.

I'm glad you lost that book now. Fuck that book.

Stop replying to a tripfag shitposter. He just wants attention.

From what I've seen you can find pretty much any book you could want at a good price. It's owned by Amazon though so I don't use it and instead go to the library like a pleb.