Check out our latest communities fighting
AI scams on Reddit and Facebook

SmartCustomer Website Reviews and Complaints
business logo of Alibris

Alibris

4.7

On SmartCustomer, businesses may not offer incentives or pay to remove reviews. Learn more about our Review Guidelines.

From the business

We love browsing books, drinking coffee, and talking with people who love good stories.


alibris.com
Founded in 1998
Berkeley, CA, United States
How would you rate Alibris?
grey stargrey stargrey stargrey stargrey star

Alibris Reviews Summary

Alibris enjoys a generally positive reputation among customers, particularly for its wide selection of used books at competitive prices and reliable shipping. Many customers appreciate the timely delivery and the ability to track orders, contributing to overall satisfaction. However, concerns arise regarding the variability in book conditions, with some items not meeting expectations, and delays in shipping for urgent needs. Additionally, the separate shipping fees for each book can deter purchases. Despite these issues, the platform remains a favored choice for many due to its extensive inventory and user-friendly website.

This summary is generated by AI, based on text from customer reviews

service
1,014
value
12,420
shipping
12,410
quality
12,404
This company responds to reviews on average within 1 day

We monitor reviews for authenticity

Massachusetts
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Shawn M.
Unfollow Shawn M.
Share Review
Report Review

Twice the book I recently ordered has been cancelled, forcing me to order another copy at a higher price. I have only encountered this once before - I hope it's not a trend.

Date of experience: January 22, 2026
Illinois
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Daniel T.
Unfollow Daniel T.
Share Review
Report Review

Great book, great price
February 1, 2026

Found a book I have been eyeing for years at half the prices I saw before (rare Botanical monograph from Timber Press, back in their heyday in the 90's-early 2000's when production when so much better than today's cut-rate slop. Book arrived in about two weeks which is fantastic for our remote Alaskan town.

Date of experience: January 21, 2026
California
1 review
1 helpful vote
Follow Michael F.
Unfollow Michael F.
Share Review
Report Review

If it's a new book, of course I go to my nearest indie. But Alibris itself has tentacles out to indies around the country--so I can feel good about purchasing. And I have options around price and level of wear.

Date of experience: January 21, 2026
Idaho
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Scott M.
Unfollow Scott M.
Share Review
Report Review

I shouldn't have to review every purchase I make
February 1, 2026
Updated review

It was great! I don't want to have to leave a review every time I make a purchase from you, unless you want to pay me for it via discount or something else.
All of a sudden, every purchase I make everywhere requires a review.

Date of experience: January 21, 2026

Worth what I paid for it.
March 16, 2025
Previous review

I should have paid more for a hardcover, but I bailed at the last minute and purchased a less-expensive paperback. It's like thumbing through a bound selection of Bazooka Joe comics. A hardcover would have been a little larger and easier to handle.

Date of experience: March 6, 2025
Texas
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Peggy R.
Unfollow Peggy R.
Share Review
Report Review

My Favorite Online Source For Books
January 31, 2026
Updated review

I always am very pleased when ordering from Alibris. The prices are very competitive and my books are always delivered quickly and arrive in good condition

Date of experience: January 21, 2026

Always choose Alibris for my Book Club books
January 10, 2026
Previous review

Always choose Alibris for my Book Club books --- reasonably priced and delivery time short.
Ordering online makes it simple

Date of experience: December 31, 2025
Texas
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Craig N.
Unfollow Craig N.
Share Review
Report Review

Book rated very good, 5 stars, I even paid a little more. The Book was well used, several different people underlined, highlighted or marked differently. The condition was poor.

Date of experience: January 21, 2026
California
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Diana C.
Unfollow Diana C.
Share Review
Report Review

New and Used Books@
January 31, 2026

Was looking for books that were recommend new or use and came across this webiste when I googled. It was perfect. Affordable prices, will order again if looking for other books. Thank you!

Date of experience: January 21, 2026
Wyoming
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Katherine D.
Unfollow Katherine D.
Share Review
Report Review

I received two confirmations that my order was confirmed. Then seven minutes after the second confirmation, I receive notice that my order was cancelled and the book was no longer available. But no notice of my refund or credit to my Alibris account. Why the delay? I've already had two bad experiences with Alibris, here's hoping that the third time is the charm.

Date of experience: January 21, 2026
Canada
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Mitchell F.
Unfollow Mitchell F.
Share Review
Report Review

Shipping from the U. S
January 31, 2026

Shipping from the U.S. to Canada can sometimes be confusing. Packages are often marked as "delivered" when they've only reached the carrier's U.S. hub, and you don't receive a new tracking number until it moves forward. I've also had two orders that never arrived, but they refunded me both times, which I appreciated. Overall, the items that did arrive were great quality. My only hesitation is spending a larger amount on a single item and not being sure it will actually show up. That said, I'm still really glad I found this site — it's one of the few places where I've been able to get DVDs I've been missing at reasonable prices.

Date of experience: January 20, 2026
Illinois
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Arianna V.
Unfollow Arianna V.
Share Review
Report Review

My order got cancelled right after I placed it, but I found an okay replacement right away. I did have to pay $10 in shipping so it would arrive in time.

Date of experience: January 20, 2026
Indiana
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Kyle S.
Unfollow Kyle S.
Share Review
Report Review

Quick delivery and great price
January 30, 2026

I had a good experience with Alibris. My book was delivered very quickly in the condition I was expecting. The price was cheap, and I appreciated the different choices of bookstores to purchase from.

Date of experience: January 5, 2026
Utah
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Michael H.
Unfollow Michael H.
Share Review
Report Review

Book are available and descriptions seem to be very...
January 30, 2026
Updated review

Book are available and descriptions seem to be very accurate. Shipping at times seems to be a bit high, yet not unreasonable.

Date of experience: January 20, 2026

Great website
October 24, 2025
Previous review

Great website. Easy to find what I am looking for. Good options. Thank you.

Date of experience: October 14, 2025
New York
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Rochelle W.
Unfollow Rochelle W.
Share Review
Report Review

Alibris is pretty much my go to for finding books,...
January 30, 2026
Updated review

Alibris is pretty much my go to for finding books, music, and movies. Items are mostly received quickly, and always as described.

Date of experience: January 20, 2026

I'm mostly quite satisfied with my purchases, sometimes, but not often things take a bit longer that I was expecting, but over all alibris is a great source of new and used books. Thanks a bunch.

Date of experience: August 3, 2025
Washington
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Tom R.
Unfollow Tom R.
Share Review
Report Review

I farted around with Amazon and eBay there Alibris appeared so I tapped on that and WOW! I found what I wanted and got done in a couple minutes - AT ONE QUARTER THE PRICE (actually less)
Thank you!'

Date of experience: January 19, 2026
Pennsylvania
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Lisselot H.
Unfollow Lisselot H.
Share Review
Report Review

I was looking for a required book for my leadership class in my MPA program, and while searching online I found this website. I saved a lot of money because renting the book through the university's preferred vendor would have cost over a hundred dollars, while I bought it here for about $37.

Date of experience: January 19, 2026
New Jersey
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Timothy M.
Unfollow Timothy M.
Share Review
Report Review

.
January 29, 2026

...

Date of experience: January 19, 2026
Idaho
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Beverly C.
Unfollow Beverly C.
Share Review
Report Review

CD played well; happy with purchase
January 29, 2026

I ordered a music CD to replace one we enjoyed several years ago. Alibris sold us one in good condition, exactly as described

Date of experience: December 29, 2025
Wisconsin
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Rovera S.
Unfollow Rovera S.
Share Review
Report Review

Price range was very reasonable compared to other selling sites! I was concerned since PayPal had been declining my form of payment. Not sure why, but my order went through extremely easy here. Great feeling and so easy!

Date of experience: January 19, 2026
Michigan
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Mary S.
Unfollow Mary S.
Share Review
Report Review

Alibris is a valuable resource for my research
January 29, 2026
Updated review

I can almost always find what I'm looking for and at a reasonable price at Alibris. It's an easy way to find long out-of-print books. Not everything is on the internet, at least not yet! In this case I found an exhibit catalog I needed, still in its shrink wrap.

Date of experience: January 19, 2026

Alibris makes it easy to find an compare books, conditions, details, and prices. I've used it for years for hard-to-find titles!

Date of experience: January 30, 2025
Arizona
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Nancy G.
Unfollow Nancy G.
Share Review
Report Review

I think it was a good experience
January 29, 2026

I ordered 3 books from different vendors in the last couple weeks. Alibris is now asking for a review but did not note the book title. It's hard for me to rate exactly how my experience was without knowing what the order was.

Date of experience: January 19, 2026