ThriftBooks’s use of supply chain automation (2020) | Hacker News Reader

ThriftBooks’s use of supply chain automation (2020)

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42 pointsindigodaddy17 comments

I promise I am not a shill nor affiliated in any way, just a happy customer.

For the last year or two, I only buy physical books from ThriftBooks now.

I used to use addall.com and do the whole comparison thing with Amazon reseller/used, Abe, and all the rest, but then I discovered ThriftBooks which is always cheaper and free shipping on over $10 orders. And I believe ThriftBooks often didn’t even show up on addall.com results for many searches.

So now I skip all that business and just go directly to TB. It’s rare that they don’t have any title I want, at startlingly cheap prices usually. The site is pleasing and easy to navigate. For me there’s no reason to look for a used book anywhere else.

Used of course, but like others are saying, even the “acceptable” grade (which I now pretty much only choose to save 30 cents to a dollar or more) books seem brand new or so lightly used as to think the previous owner either never read it or only skimmed through it.

They also have a great rewards program where you will get a free book fairly often.. forgot how many books you have to buy but it’s pretty generous.. simply put, TB is awesome and I love being a customer!

I was in jail where you can only have physical books. ThriftBooks was one of my main suppliers for the years I was inside. I needed a huge number of books and new was just not affordable. The whole time I was locked up I wondered what their operation looked like and how they had cornered the market so well.

Wow very interesting. Didn’t realize you could order stuff from jail/prison etc. In any case glad you are out and wish you the best!

Can't order it directly, sadly! Had to phone my family and friends and get them to do it.

Some jails and prisons do have a few magazines, books and newspapers that they sell on their commissary for highly inflated prices though.

I've heard similar about thriftbooks from others but I just don't see it. Seems to be very much on par with amazon: I can search for some old paperback you'd find super cheap (~$2 or $3) copies of in any real-life used book store, yet (typically) on thriftbooks or amazon the only way you're paying under $10 is if it's falling apart, water-damaged, etc.

I just searched for a copy of The Brothers Karamazov to double check: cheapest on thriftbooks is $6.89 in condition "acceptable". Amazon has one in "good" condition for $6.71.

I see $6.59 on thriftbooks for Good.

comparing pennies on books with a dozen different editions/formats isn't super interesting.

Anyway, usually the cheapest book on Amazon is usually thriftbooks, but as parent notes, thriftbooks adds $1.30 for shipping if the book is under $10, which makes it a better deal if you can get free shipping on thriftbloks site

Shipping is what pushes TB over the top of it’s competitors. Over $10 and shipping is free for the entire order. The other retailers build in a per book shipping cost.

Free Shipping is now (new in 2022) for >=$15 orders.

Dear ThriftBooks,

Can y'all stop putting stickers on books that are impossible to remove? Surely there is an adhesive formulation that will come off cleanly.

Thank you.

Oh man, this times 1000. I often buy 40-50+ year old books with non-glossy paper dust jackets. Those stickers rip those dust jackets every time, meaning I have to leave those blasted stickers on or ruin the jacket.

I love them. I can pick a book, and have a low cost version that has been gentley loved by another reader in my hands in 4-6 days. For about 20% of the list price. It's a deal.

Used to love Thriftbooks. I bought several books that I couldn't find localy for a reasonable price. But then they raised their international shipping charges to a ridiculous level. A $6 book with $36 shipping is absurd. Now I could live with that if it was one charge per order, but this is per book. It's probably not their fault, but it's sad I can't use them anymore.

This seems like a really bad deal though unless I'm trying to launder money:

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/xbox-15-gift-card/1000362015/?...

Hah! Wonder if they got any bites..

They are my go to store for physicals books.TB is where my book wishlist is and they notify if book is not in stock and comes back to stock.

The best part is, I have received 3-4 books signed by authors… they were the gift copies to someone but knowing that the specific physical book was signed by author makes it more special

I really love thrift books! So cheap compared to buying new and usually they look nearly unused! When I ordered a book and it arrived damaged (Missing the first 20 pages!) they gave a refund right away.

ThriftBooks as a seller on Amazon India was a nice way to pick up used books. International shipping makes non-Amazon purchases not very worthwhile.

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