Powell's Books

Whether in-store or on-line, we buy books we can resell. Our bids are based on the expected retail value of the books we buy. That retail value is derived from the books' desirability, current and historic market values, in-print prices, conditions, and our current stock levels. We offer 20% more in Powell's credit (to be redeemed in our stores or online) than we do in cash at our stores or through PayPal online.

We are very particular about the condition of the books we will buy. Please take a look at our condition guidelines before sending your books to us.

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http://www.powells.com/

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Rating	Date	Comments
	Feb 2012	I've been selling books to Powell's for almost three years now, with about 30 transactions total. Now, I'm just an occasional seller--one here, one there, etc. My overall experience with Powell's has been stellar and I'm puzzled why their rating isn't higher. My comments: 1. They might not pay the highest price, but it's always competitive and they've bought a number of books that none of the others wanted. 2. They've always been professional and kind in their communications with me. 3. Every transaction has been within a reasonable amount of time. 4. To those complaining about Powell's rejecting their books once received, it could be the POST OFFICE mishandling them. Media mail is always subject to inspection and the post office seems to do so a lot in recent years due to customers using media mail for non-media items. I spoke to mine once about the issue and it hasn't happened since. Thank you, Powell's for being great to work with!
	Jan 2012	I have sold about 600 books to Powell's. After I learned what a broken spine meant I've had almost no problems. Over time they rejected about 30 of my books but I only had arguments about a couple of them. I've had no missing items. Do not send items without dust jackets, with underlining, wrinkly paper or books that open too far. A former owner's name seems okay but that's about it. I'm just glad they buy such a wide variety. Shipping is slow from the East Coast.
	Dec 2011	Yes, I know they will "buy" more books than any other online company here you can find on bookscouter. The big problem with them is that even if you ship them books in excellent condition (and I really mean that) they often take at least 1 or 2 from every shipment and just pocket them. I shop in their store when in Portland and I see tons of books in lesser condition than excellent for sale. They probably still sell them, but they won't pay the person who ships them book with any 'defect' (and believe me these are 'defects' that only Powell's can see somehow. They will claim books with prices printed on the endflap are book club or not pay on books that are unread but have yellowed pages from age.)
	Dec 2011	I've used Powell's four times now and I've only had problems with one order. They rejected one book for water damage (there wasn't any) and one for a broken spine (the book had been read, but the spine wasn't broken). I only use them now on titles that nobody else is buying. They want books that are like new. If they're not, they may be rejected. They don't give any partial credit or return your rejected books even if you offer to pay shipping. The rejected books are "recycled".
	Nov 2011	While Powell's is very particular when it comes to condition it states their requirements on their website. They are quick to pay and easy to work with if a problem arises.
	Nov 2011	Very dependable to deal with.
	Nov 2011	I have dealt with Powell's more than any other book-buyer. They are tough, but fair, with books that they ultimately accept. They only have disqualified one book ( a paperback) that I had an issue with and I was unable to get it back. All other experiences have been positive. Payment is a bit slow in coming due, probably in part, to their use of the USPS.
	Oct 2011	Powell's is a little more particular about the condition of the books - but they are very clear about what they will and will not accept in their description of acceptable books. I have had very positive experiences with them.
	Oct 2011	This is the only company so far that has rejected any of my books. I sent them 3 orders. First one was great...shipped 9/26, received payment 10/7. Second order was okay...shipped 9/27, got paid 10/14, but they rejected a book because of damage (spine cracking), and another they paid me less because of water damage (it was a little stiff--my fault). So this was fine my fault on both books I guess. Third order shipped 10/3 payment received 10/18. This time they rejected one of my books because it was a "book club" edition. This one I was a bit upset about because they refuse to send it back, even if I offer to pay for shipping and packing materials. I could have sold that book back for $7 elsewhere, and they gave me nothing. So overall, not the worst experience, but not the best. I'm scared now to send them books because I won't even get them back if I misjudge condition or something. So I will probably use powells.com only when I know for sure they won't get rejected.
	Oct 2011	they are really picky cut your quote by half that's what you will get only send crisp books to them
	Oct 2011	I tried them once and that was enough. I don't even consider them anymore.
	Sep 2011	Send your books to Powell's if the only other option is throwing them away. Powell's will throw away about half of them for you anyway, in my experience after two sales, and decline to pay you for them. They don't appear to accept good condition books and only pay for books that are darned near perfect. And they have an uncanny ability to sniff out book club editions, even though there was nothing about the books that said book club edition to me. I won't be sending any more to Powell's.
	Aug 2011	I only send books that are in good condition or better. They require books to be in excellent condition. If their policy is used prices for near prefect books, I think I will avoid them in the future.
	Jul 2011	My books were processed and I received payments within 2 weeks.
	Jul 2011	I usually end up sending multiple boxes to Powell's every week, and am very satisfied with their service. Yes, they are pickier than most of the other companies, but they also want many titles no one else does. They are good about letting you know where your order stands and pay promptly.
	Jul 2011	They were lovely! My books were processed and I received payments within 2 weeks.
	Jun 2011	The beauty of Powells is they buy a ton of different books that nobody else wants. Yes, they're picky--they state it right on their website, but once you deal with them a couple times, you have a better feel for their expectations.
	Jun 2011	Based on previous reviews, I was somewhat concerned about using this company. I decided to give it a shot because I really wanted the books out of my house. I ended up sending in the book after their quote deadline. They accepted the books with quick payment and no problems.
	Jun 2011	As long as you are very careful and follow their book condition guidelines EXACTLY, they are great. Just be warned that they are very picky. They usually accept about 95% of what I send to them. I use them because they offer good bids on books others may not be interested in, their customer service is good and they pay promptly.
	May 2011	Be careful. They don't accept highlighted books!
	May 2011	Once you get used to the level of quality that they demand, it's pretty smooth. They buy a lot of things that others won't.
	Apr 2011	Buyback turn around time is fairly quick. They have higher standards than some buyback sites, but if you read & follow the rules, you will have a fine experience with Powell's. It's also nice to not have to contact the company several times just to get paid.
	Apr 2011	Bad experience! I would not sell to them again! I sent three books to Powell's. The books were in good condition and had nothing wrong with them. Two of the books were rejected; the reason stated being "Broken Spine/Hinge". This, to me, is blatant lying on their part. I was only paid for one book, thus receiving less than half of the quoted price I was originally given for the three.
	Apr 2011	I am fully aware of Powell's guidelines regarding book conditions. I am also quite particular about book condition, and would send nothing I personally would not purchase (one finds many books on their shelves in substandard condition). Their selection/rejection process seems altogether capricious. Some consideration should be shown when one is simply wishing to do business with them through store credit. I will avoid sending books to Powell's.
	Apr 2011	It was fine for me. I had no problem with them. Relatively slow, but fine anyway.
	Apr 2011	I am suprised to see low reviews for Powell's. We had a very good experience with them. We sent in 3 different shipment of used books in very good condition and only 2 books were rejected. One didn't have a DJ and I was honestly testing the waters so to speak, the other was because of writing in a book that we missed while processing a large batch of books. Their policy clearly states they won't return rejected books folks, I think people need to read the acceptance policy more carefully.
	Apr 2011	would not use again!!!...
	Mar 2011	I've had good experiences with Powell's. There is a quick turnaround on paying after the books are received. I've been paid the quoted price with all transactions as my books met the guidelines. I wasn't charged paypal fees either.
	Mar 2011	I've had very good results with powells up until my last payment. I sent them a large shipment and received the "missing" status on 3 of my books. I know for a fact they were in the box because 2 of them were larger books, and I had to find a specific box just to ship them. I double checked the ISBN numbers on their site....and sure enough they are not buying those specific books anymore! This order was sitting for almost a month before they marked it as "received" (had newer orders that I received payment ahead of this one!) I can understand if the box gets damaged during shipping and a few books are lost, I'm understanding of that aspect..... but don't label them as "missing" if thats the issue. I've never had this issue before, but as I read other reviews, its evident that if your order is taking a long time to be processed, you will undoubtedly receive the "missing" status on some book. Or its a possibility that there is one individual in their warehouse who is scamming the customers.....its all a mystery when it comes to powells
	Mar 2011	I prefer other book vendors to Powell's. I've made two separate shipments of books to them. The first shipment, they rejected two books (very good condition) and the second shipment rejected a book that was like new. No customer service available to get your books back either. I'll take less dough from other vendors next time instead of using Powell's (too picky). Good luck to you all. Hope this helps.
	Mar 2011	Sold 15 books at once, none of which netted me a ton of money, but most of which no other buyer wanted at all. So they're handy for when you just want to get some stuff off your hands. Payment on the slow side. Website isn't very informative as to your order status.
	Mar 2011	I've had consistently good results with Powell's. They pay the quoted prices (added to my paypal account). They're strict about condition, but the only book I've had rejected is when I slipped up and sent the incorrect edition (ISBN). The few times I've contacted customer service by email, I've had a quick, friendly response. I have absolutely no qualms about using Powell's.
	Mar 2011	Okay. I would read over the book condition guidelines before submission - they want VERY NEW books with absolutely NO underlining, or name anywhere on the book, so you may not be able to sell as many? I would recommend, although they did not take all my books and recycled several (count those as lost
	Feb 2011	Powells seems to have an issue with large quanity of books sent at one time. When I have sent 25 books there is no problem. But when I send over 25 books It takes them a very long time to process such as over a month and no communication. They always say that there were books missing and waiting for another box. They also state the box doesn't look like it was damaged duering shipping. It is rather odd as I scan the book and put it directly into the box that books are missing. So I would recommend ship in small quanitities.
	Feb 2011	Paid about a week later than some others, but paid full price--no complaints here!
	Feb 2011	I've used Powell's a few times before, and found them to be reliable, fair in their pricing, and easy to deal with.
	Feb 2011	I 've been sending my books for more that a year with out any single problem to get PAID . FAIR , expedited ,accurate, friendly system. I LOVE powells !
	Feb 2011	This transaction was TERRIBLE!!! All of the books I sent were in good condition and 2 out of four were rejected. Seriously take the lower offer from a different vendor, because you will actually see the money, unlike with Powell's.
	Feb 2011	I have been dealing with Powell's for about a year now.Every transaction has been great. I highly recommend them to any bookseller!
	Feb 2011	100% true: I'm grateful for Powell's and the very fact that they exist. They buy otherwise useless books and pay well and fast. I've sent them probably about 300 books by now and they only reject broken spines and paid quickly. I was shocked when I didnt see their rating higher and felt I had to leave feedback re: my absolutely consistent good experience with them.
	Jan 2011	I've sent roughly 60 books to Powell's over the past month (4 separate orders), only 2 books rejected! I was skeptical of using Powell's based upon all the other feedback, but I sometimes question the condition of the books that people are sending. I will only send Powell's books that are in mint condition. I know they are picky! Their website provides a pretty extensive guideline for the book conditions they expect, if you follow the rules you shouldn't have any issues. I still question the 2 books that were rejected, but it comes with the territory. If you are looking to sell textbooks, use a different vender....Powell's wants nothing buy mint condition books.
	Jan 2011	Beware! I sent three books to Powell's, two in excellent condition and one that had been used for two semesters. It hd all of its pages and spine intact with very few markings and several dogeared pages. It was in perfectly serviceable condition. They chose not to pay me for the third book and didn't even offer to return it, at my expense or theirs. Basically, they think they have the right to STEAL a book from you if it isn't in perfect, never used condition.
	Dec 2010	I was reluctant to use Powells after reading the feedback below. But, I had a lot of books that they were paying the best price for so decided to give it a shot. Did my first quote on 12/21.. sent books via Media Mail on 12/22.. and was paid today into my PayPal account. The books I sent were in good condition per their stated guidelines. One book even had a crease from a fold on the cover so I was curious what they would say. There was nothing in their condition guidelines that referred to this. They paid 100% of the quote. I could not have asked for better. They actually exceeded my expectations. My recommendation is to feel comfortable using them, if you havea concern email them. I emailed a question and they responded quickly and it was an actual person that responded, not a form. I am picky about these types of things and they get 5 stars from me. good luck
	Dec 2010	I sent 41 books in good condition. They rejected 16. Some they said were library books although I explained that I had put "card Sleeves" in the books so my high school students could check them out from me. I got less than half of what I was offered. I've asked to have the books sent back to me, so we will see how that goes. I sent 8 other boxes to different companies with fewer rejections combined. You notice all the 5 star reviews. They have to be working for the company. You don't get 5 star or 1 star ratings only. I will never do business with them again.
	Dec 2010	Nine shippments out of ten these guys are GREAT. Then I get the "broken hinges" report, on books I KNOW were in good condition. When I feel like gambling I send to them. It could be worse....
	Nov 2010	A wonderful company. I'm in Florida, so it does take a little time to get the books to them with USPS Media Mail (usually about 4-7 days) across the country, but it's not a big issue considering the prices they pay. I've submitted nearly 200 books with only 2 being rejected - and they were low paying ($0.75 and $1.50) books. I will continue to use Powell's as my first choice for books.
	Nov 2010	What happened to these guys? I am thinking twice before I let go of anything to them, now. Before It was fine, but they keep saying my books have broken hinges. Look I am a book dealer and I know the conditions of my books. Maybe they no longer need them and don't want to send them back to me?
	Nov 2010	I've sold to Powells twice. I have had the same problem with them being picky but thats not really what bothers me. Both times they have received my books and state that a PayPal payment has been issued yet it hasn't. Then I have to go through the hassle of contacting them for them to say they have no idea where the payment went. It takes entirely too long to finally get the payment. The first time it happened, I just thought it was a glitch but the second time made it seem really shady.
	Nov 2010	Powell is amazing. They resolved this issue we had with payment. They called me and are sending all the money quoted through paypal. I highly recommend them and I will definately use them again.
	Nov 2010	I have been wanting to try this vendor for awhile but have been deterred because of all the negative feedback. I carefully chose two books which were in pristine condition to send to them. I was TOTALLY ripped off by this company. They offered $5.25 for the books and gave me $3.75. I only sent two books to try them out. The negative feedback is correct. Please do not send any books to this company. I sell books on EBAY and to all the other major vendors and always get a perfect score and all the money promised.
	Nov 2010	The people leaving good feedback are either lucky or working for the store. It took over three weeks from mailing a box of brand new books to finally getting paid a FRACTION of the quoted price. First the box was missing, then when USPS got involved (ALWAYS purchase tracking!), the box appeared and 1/3 of the BRAND NEW books were in "poor" condition and rejected. I wonder what they're going to do with those books? I've used four other book selling sites without issue. I will never "sell to"/gamble on Powell's again.
	Nov 2010	These fellahs pay fast...i mean fast.I like 'em alot and alot!
	Nov 2010	I like Powells..they do buy more variety of books. When I'm ready to sell to Powells I feel confident that I will not have any issues. If a book drops they let you know ahead of time. I have sold many books and have not had a problem..Good Ol Powells!
	Oct 2010	I sold 2 boxes of books and received almost the total amount quoted. The payment through paypal was in full without fees. I am very satisfied and happy with their service. I will definately use them again. They buy books that many other places don't. I would highly recommend them.
	Oct 2010	They are good because they buy books that are hard to sell elsewhere, but every other shipment I seem to get these mystery rejections on 2-4 books. I know they have extremely strict standards and strive to send them basically new books. Very frustrating because I like the diversity of books they accept.
	Oct 2010	Powell's was the first company I used, now I don't want to use them EVER again. I use anybody else, even if they pay me less. They are WAY too picky. Don't they know they buying USED books??? How can you not pay me 75 cents for a paperback book with a LITTLE spine cracking??? How am I supposed to read the book? By without opening them? POWELL'S IS SOOOO ANNOYING!!!!
	Oct 2010	Sellers BEWARE! I only received half of what was quoted and it took an email to them to get that. I won't sell any more books to them.
	Oct 2010	I sent in 3 books and received my full payment without any hassle.... It did take a long while to receive the payment though, I would say about a month.
	Oct 2010	This is a great company. I sand them books every week. No problems... I believe that they deserve highest rating.
	Oct 2010	I have used Powell's on 3 seperate occasions, and have come away less then impressed each time. Quite frankly, I don't believe they are being honest with their customers. As others have stated on here, ONLY use them if there aren't any other alternatives - even if you have to take less from another buyer.
	Oct 2010	I have sold books to Powell's about ten times and have only had one book (worth $1) rejected. Their price offers are typically quite good. I really like this company.
	Oct 2010	I sent in several shipments in June and July and was promptly paid what I was quoted. However, the last two boxes of books I sent each took over a month to get credit for less than half the books I sent in each shipment. Powells said that the rest of the books were "missing" from the box. I could see that happening once, which is why I sent another shipment. But twice is too much. I won't be using them again.
	Sep 2010	Here lately, they give me way less than their bids were. I will probable sell to others for less money*
	Sep 2010	I sell to them very often.I've had no trouble with this company. They paid the amount they said they would.
	Sep 2010	Powell's gets a low rating from me because they have consistently NOT paid me the full quoted amount. I know the books I send are undamaged, and much better than the minimum requirement of "good" condition. It seems pretty low of a company to skim off every order. I'd rather get a lower quote up front and decide whether to accept it or not. Much more above board. I agree with other users...only sell them the books you are unable to go elsewhere to sell, and are willing to risk 'rejection' once processed by Powell's.
	Sep 2010	I was a little leery about sending books here but the reviews seemed to get better as time went on. I sent my first order (4 books) and they said one book was not in good condition so they deducted the amount from that book. The next order I sent 6 books and they said that book was missing from the order, it happened to be the one that was for the most money. I videotaped my packing the order because of my first experience with them. It will be the last order that they recieve from me. I have emailed them with my concerns, but have not heard back from them yet.
	Sep 2010	I sent books to powells on 8/17/10 that were in excellent condition. was quoted a price. as of 9/06/10 I never received any money. I had to e-mail them only to receive an e-mail back saying that books were in good condition and had water damage.does not make sense.Will never use them again.
	Aug 2010	I've used their mailing service for the past three months, with no concern until now. What usually took eight days to check in, in the month of June and July is now taking twenty plus (and still counting).
	Aug 2010	Pros: they buy a lot of books that other sites don't. Cons: they are really picky about condition, and since they use USPS Priority mail, really slow. It is also extremely annoying that they only give you a price for the whole order and not per-item.
	Aug 2010	Paid what they said they would, and fast!
	Aug 2010	Uniformly good selling experience, although I need to get better at seperating out book-club editions.
	Jul 2010	Smooth transaction. No complaints. Would deal with them again!
	Jul 2010	My package was delivered via usps and i still have not received payment for my books yet. I called them regarding the problem and they said " we still have not received the books"
	Jul 2010	Ya, they will try to tell you that you sent them damaged goods and not pay full bid just like everyone else on here says they will. Avoid selling them anything that anyone else will buy.
	Jul 2010	I send a small box of books every time I have $10-$20 worth. I've been doing this for just 2 months, have sent 6 boxes, and have encountered no problems. All goes very smoothly. I don't send anything I wouldn't be happy to receive in the mail myself.
	Jul 2010	At this point, the only books we send to Powell's are those no other vendor is buying, and none over a certain dollar amount. Have tried to resolve the inconsistencies with their receiving process to no avail. Have had new, sealed books marked as missing or broken spine. Sometimes the transactions are very smooth, sometimes not. If you only sell a few books once in awhile it should be OK.
	Jun 2010	Not a vendor to use unless you don't mind losing 1-2 books per order. Never had a problem with them until this past year. You can count on the highest priced book/s, usually those $4 and up, in the order to be rejected for "broken spine." Reading comments here, we're not the only ones. We've sold to them for years, know their standards, never had a book rejected until now...obviously they don't think their customers know what a broken spine is. Thankfully lots of other vendors more reputable available now.
	Jun 2010	I sold one book and was paid through PayPal about a week later. Smooth transaction.
	Jun 2010	My first transaction went smoothly and payment was quick.
	Jun 2010	I sent in about 20 books and got paid nearly the full amount, minus one mid-priced book that was rejected due to a "broken spine." Overall, I'm pretty satisfied. Like other people said they take a bit longer and shouldn't be expected to pay the full amount. I wouldn't send a book here unless their quote is at least 20% more than a comparable site.
	Jun 2010	Have sent in 4 rounds of books so far with good success. I have always accepted Powells virtual credit, not cash. They are very picky about the condition of the books, so make sure you read their guidelines before sending any in. Good e-mail communication. For those who are not familiar with media mail, make sure you pack your boxes with LOTS of padding. The postal service is generally abusive towards media mail boxes, and your books can get easily damaged while in transit. This will cause Powells to maybe reject your books, like some other feedback has indicated. Pack carefully, and it should turn out fine.
	Jun 2010	Send 3-5 orders per month, and only new or as-new books. No consistency with what's accepted or rejcted, EXCEPT lately the book with the highest quote on every order is rejected for "broken spine". Last month began taking photos of books sent, as proof of condition; sent in email to company but no response to date. Wonder who might be pilfering these books. Big disappointment.
	Jun 2010	Smooth sailing. They accepted my books, the quote matched the amount paid, and the communication was timely.
	Jun 2010	This company says it gives you the highest dollar for your books, but that is if they acknowledge that they receive your books and if your book is in "NEW" condition. Don't send your books here is you expect to get paid full price and DO NOT send your books to them with INSURING your package. They will say they never received your books and you are out the books and money.
	May 2010	An honest company to deal with. They had a period where payment was slow earlier in 2010 as they were inundated with books following a Washington Post article. Since then, very prompt processing and payment. Make sure you follow their condition guidelines, etc. I am are pretty careful (I've been a bookseller for 15+ years so understand conditions, editions, etc.) but they do reject about 1 - 2% of the books we send in; fair enough considering we are sending in quite a few boxes every month of books we do not wish to sell online ourselves.
	May 2010	I heard that Powells was most picky about the quality of their books. I sent 5 books--4 were accepted at full used price. One was marked down for highlighting, which I understood. Paypal payment was prompt, about 10 days after I mailed my box from CA. I tried both paypal and store credit (tempting at +20% of cash). Both worked fine.
	May 2010	I have sent books to Powell's several times with no problems, as they state in their terms books must be in good condition (no water damage, writing, bent spines, etc.)
	May 2010	I sent Powell's 5 books that few or no other vendors were buying. I knew some of my books weren't in the best shape and that I might not receive any money for them (I read Powell's terms and conditions). Nevertheless, for the books I did receive money for, the PayPal payment was sent quickly. There were only about 8-9 days between when I dropped my package off at the post office to when my PayPal account was credited. I only wish I could have found out which books I actually received money for (and the only reason I'm rating them 4/5). As for the books I didn't get paid for, I hope they're able to recycle the books because I had no use for them anyway.
	Apr 2010	This month I have shipped 3 orders and i recieved 3 payments in full with in 3-4 days after they recived them. Great company to work with.
	Mar 2010	At first, after reading the comments, I was reluctant to use this site. After using it for the first time, I would say that I wouldn't use this site often to sell my books. I've much rather sell them to those who will accept both new and used. They weren't as critical as I thought they would be, but they book does have to be in good condition, as if you just bought if from the bookstore. Powells took FOREVER to send me my money, about 4 weeks. I was about to call them because I thought I was getting ripped off. I received my payments for the other companies within a week of sending them. I'm still waiting for another box (25.95) to arrive, or for them to send some notice of it.
	Feb 2010	I found Powell's to be a little slow, but they did have the best prices of the sites I checked and bought books other sites didn't want. I also like their low minimums of 3 books or $5. The reason I gave only 4 stars is because they don't take book club books and those can be hard to identify. Though I checked my books carefully, I still got a cookbook rejected for being a book club book because I couldn't tell it was one.
	Feb 2010	I love Powells...I send them my books and I get paid for them. They have such a large collection of books to choose from as well.
	Feb 2010	I mailed my books 4 weeks ago today, and to date, their site still shows my shipment as "not yet received." I sent shipments to 3 other companies besides this one, on the same day and received payment from all three within a two weeks. I'm wondering if I will be taking a loss on the books I sent them....it's not looking good. Will post again with an update.
	Feb 2010	The only good thing about this company is that they pay very quickly via PayPal. I sent them 12 books(a total quoted price of $38.50), they only paid me $20.00! I called the company to inquire about the remaining amount. They informed me that 8 of my books were below their standard. All of my books were practically brand new! I will not sell my books to them again! My advice: unless your book is wrapped in shrinkwrap, do not sell to them because they will not give you the full amount quote!