For a good portion of the 1990's, our family was interested in the idea of entering the used book business. We are all avid readers, book lovers, and book collectors who cannot pass a bookstore without popping in. Family trips to the library and our local used bookstore were a regularity while growing up. With each of us having interests in different genres (with a little overlapping here and there), we cover a lot of bases. The thought of having a store of our own was appealing, and the hunt was on - both for stock and a location.
We thought to combine under one roof many different things that would appeal to readers and book lovers. Not only used books, but some new items as well. Bookmarks (to ward off dog-eared pages), bookends (to keep those out-of-control collections under control), bookplates (to label books on the "Can I borrow that?" circuit to ensure that they always found their way home), book repair tape (to lend a helping hand to collectors with tattered favourites in their collections), and so on. With an interest in book-themed knick knacks as well, we had two sides to our would-be business: books and knick-knacks. Hence the business was born.
In the early part of 1998 we bought a commercial property, and in the summer we first opened our doors in a storefront in Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada. With start-up stock consisting of a garage full of books hand-picked for just such a venture that we purchased from someone who changed their plans, we were in business.
For several years we operated in this storefront, growing our business and learning about the industry and the backbone of it - the customers. It was very satisfying to be present at the end of someone's book quest, as we were quite often. Many a time we heard shouts of joy from somewhere in the shop as customers happened upon just what they'd been looking for (oftentimes for quite a while). At other times, people would approach us with bits and pieces of information that they remembered from long ago favourites in hopes that we could at least help them come up with an author or title to help in their search, which we often times did, with the book in hand. And when we couldn't come up with anything on our own, we would pick the brains of other customers in conversation, or turn to the internet for help for them. For us, quality and selection of stock go hand-in-hand with customer service. One isn't much good without the other.
But times, people, places, and lives change and after several years in our storefront we made a change of our own - in 2004 we relocated to the internet. Now a home-based business in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, we are gradually bringing our inventory online here.
We carry used paperbacks, hardbacks, and magazines for both adults and children. We have thousands upon thousands of books that are not yet listed for sale on the internet, but are gradually making their way there.
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ON, Canada
Terms of Sale:
We guarantee the condition of every book as it's described on the Abebooks web sites. If you're dissatisfied with your purchase (Incorrect Book/Not as Described/Damaged) or if the order hasn't arrived, you're eligible for a refund within 30 days of the estimated delivery date. If you've changed your mind about a book that you've ordered, please use the Ask bookseller a question link to contact us and we'll respond as soon as is possible within 2 business days. Contact Information: usedbookgirl@g...
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Shipping Terms:
We realize that the packaging and shipping of your purchase is an important aspect of your order. You have spent time carefully selecting which copy of a book to purchase (Thank you for choosing ours!), often based on its described condition. Bearing this in mind, we carefully package your purchase using:
- cardboard boxes or cardboard shipping wraps
- cardboard wrap in a Poly Mailer
- bubble wrap
- foam wrap
- air bags
- paper fill
While we often re-use shipping materials, we only do so with clean materials that are worthy of the job. We believe in the second "R" in "Reduce, Re-use, Recycle" when it comes to shipping, but only if it does not compromise your purchase.
Choosing the most appropriate materials suited to your purchase, we package up your parcel, taking the time to do everything we can to ensure its safe and secure delivery to you. Attention is paid to protecting corners and boards of hardcover books and ensuring that paperback books cannot be curled or folded while in transit. To ensure that no moisture damage occurs while in transit, we make sure that a plastic, protective barrier is a part of your package, either by using a Poly Mailer or by plastic bagging/wrapping your book(s) if a cardboard box is to be used for shipping. No loose edges or flaps are left on the outside of packages to ensure smooth flow and safe journey through postal system sorting and scanning equipment. An Invoice and Packing Slip are always safely enclosed with your book(s), so that should an unfortunate incident occur to exterior labelling and/or packaging, postal employees can identify the rightful owner of the contents and complete delivery. We try to think of everything!
We then choose one of the various shipping services offered by Canada Post to meet your chosen shipping timeframe. While not all services include a Tracking Number, if the one that we choose to use does, we enter this number into the Order Details and/or email our customers this information, so that its delivery progress can be monitored, if customers choose to do so. Packages that are shipped including a Tracking Number also include Insurance. If we choose to ship a package using a service that does not include a Tracking Number and Insurance, it is only when it is not economically feasible to do otherwise.
If you have any special requests regarding packaging and shipping, please just let us know. We want to work with you to ensure complete purchase satisfaction.
When initiating a RETURN: (1) Please notify us of your intent to return a purchase and the reason why via email. (2) Please initiate the Return through abebooks, using the correct procedures (see abebooks Help for reference). (3) Please return the item (in the condition you received it) to us packed as you received it in the packing material you received it in, using the same or similar postal service.
