Best Book Shops
Booktopia
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Valid order with valid address and valid credit card delayed a week to be "verified". WHAT? – What sort of company takes an order with a VALID DEBIT CARD and a VALID ADDRESS and then delays sending the item for a WEEK because it then has to be… Read more
"verified"? Verified, HOW?!!!
In 30 years I have NEVER encountered such a company. I have never, EVER encountered a company that fails to fulfill an order for this reason.
What more do you need to know? I gave you a valid ADDRESS. I paid with a valid credit card. JUST SEND ME MY ORDER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Moreover I didn't even find out about this until I wondered what was happening, because their second email went to spam. So what have they been doing for Gmail to think that?
I am very suspicious that this is either a delaying tactic to wait for stock or a cover for falsely advertising stock they don't actually have.
If this order is not fulfilled I will be taking them to VCAT for breach of contract.
I am really not in the mood right now to be screwed around!
Magshop 🏆 2026
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Mary was professional and very helpful with my request and explained the process to me.
Angus & Robertson
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DON'T BUY FROM THEM - They're a disaster now. I don't know what's happened to them, but my last two orders have been a complete mess. And thinking… Read more
about it, previous orders weren't great either so service had been deteriorating for a while. My Christmas order didn't arrive in time for Christmas despite being ordered on 11 December and being mostly "in stock ships in 1-2 days". There was almost no communication about it, and when it did come the books came in separate packages days apart well into January. I should have learned my lesson then, but I thought benefit of the doubt, maybe it was a Christmas post or staffing issue. Sadly no, I ordered books on 25 February all "in stock ships in 1-2 days". I didn't get a confirmation email even though the money went through. It took them two days to reply to my message asking if the order had gone through (which it had) and TWO WEEKS LATER THEY HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN POSTED YET. They sent me a tracking number, but it's only been created, Australia Post hasn't received anything. No communication on reasons for the delay or updates. The website isn't accurate, they don't have stock, no one communicates.
Hi Sarah, Thank you for providing your… Read more (+2 replies)
isubscribe
I purchased a subscription to T: The New York Times Style Magazine in January. Unfortunately it has been removed from their offerings. After lodging a complaint, I received a full refund.
Campion Education
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Wonderful business that makes getting ready for school so much easier. It is so easy to navigate the ordering system and when returning a product, a friendly staff member took care of it swiftly with no issues.
Fontaine Publishing Group
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Publishing my book with Jason and his team at Fontaine was a genuinely positive experience. From the initial manuscript submission through to final… Read more
production, the team was professional, responsive, and supportive. My book is on a highly specialised topic relating to American Civil War history and Jason's advice was very helpful in navigating the American market. His communication throughout the process was clear and timely, and I always knew what stage we were at. The launch process was handled smoothly, and I felt well supported throughout. Thanks to Jason and his team for helping my book become a #1 best seller on Amazon! Leigh Goggin - Reckless in their Statements: Challenging History’s Harshest Criticisms of Albert Sidney Johnston in the Civil War.
World of Books (Wob)
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I ordered a book described by World of Books as very good condition. Received a book that must have been in a flood: pages, cover boards, dust cover were stained and warped. Boom was in poor condition.
Dymocks
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I have never had any problems ordering through Dymocks. The customer service is exemplary. Tracking items purchased is easy and if there ever is… Read more
any problems one can always email and expect to get a swift response. Unlike the dreary customer service we get these days from government and private sector alike you can guarantee that Dymocks Customer Service will look after you
Brotherhood Books
Just got my first order from Brothehood - 14 books, most said FAIR condition on the website, but honestly, they are all pretty good. Im very happy with the service and delivery. I'll definitely be an ongoing customer.
StoryGifter
Son loved it and it was great quality, Have purchased multiple different gifts from this store and all have been great/high Quality.
Bionic Book Subscription
Such a beautiful subscription service! Loved been able to come home to a new book and not spend hours in the store trying to pick a new one to try.
Connor Court Publishing
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I get all my law books from Connor Court. Great prices and great value. Can take up to two weeks for delivery, but books are carefully wrapped and safely package. Quality service.
The Book Grocer
Two stars are for the delivery. Book had a broken spine a torned out page and was grubby . A waste of $18
Abbey's Bookshop
Disgraceful service I ordered a book after confirming with them it was available in Australia only to be told 2 weeks later they had not ordered it… Read more
and will now have to come from the supplier overseas , then after chasing 4 weeks later given a different excuse that the supplier shipped it but they cannot find where it is ? Obviously honesty is not part of their business buyer beware I will never buy off them again no wonder Amazon do so well Abby’s is joke really disappointing
Made Clarissa Fedeil's prawn skewers and pineapple and cucumber salad for Australia Day. Is was fabulous, so tasty we will definitely make this again. It was easy and quick, it's a WINNER.
Koorong
I have bought items on back order. It takes months and months for them to fill the order. Meanwhile they have had use of my money for all that time.… Read more
Don't buy anything on back order from Koorong - its not worth all the waiting you have to do. Worse service I have ever encountered as far as filling back orders.
Readings.com.au
Bought a book today at Brunswick St bookstore Very happy experience Didn’t have second book I was after Went on to Readings Carlton Very different… Read more
experience Store not busy Woman behind counter told me quite rudely to get in a line There wasn’t one Belatedly said she could then serve me I didn’t purchase the book Many good experiences Dymocks and other outlets Very unsatisfactory Readings not the first time I’ve seen arrogance and rudeness
QBD
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The loyalty program really sucks. They don’t tell you when you sign up and pay to be a part of it that there is a minimum spend of $50 to use a $10… Read more
voucher. We buy books frequently but that’s a stretch in one purchase. Super misleading. Prices are akin to our local independent store and their loyalty program is much better. So is Harry Hartog’s. Both without an upfront fee. Will be shopping there in future.
Kinokuniya
I asked if they would open preorders for a limited edition boxset (Scum Villain's Self-Saving System, go read it) and they emailed twice to say yes,… Read more
soon, and then another email to notify me on the day it actually appeared on their site. They answered all of my emails within 24 hours with accurate information and dates. The boxset was published in America but it arrived at Kino after a mere week. It took only two days for them to sort through inventory and ready it for dispatch, and a day and a bit for AusPost to deliver it interstate. Efficient!
The packaging was very good: a sturdy box, and my bubble-wrapped boxset nestled in packing paper. There was another layer of bubble wrap on the top + a piece of cardboard. Not a scratch or dent on my precious.
Their prices are higher than competition. When I factored in shipping though, it turned out about the same. Kino has free shipping for orders over $50, so I recommend bulk-buying to take advantage of it. If you regularly buy books, their membership gives a discount and they have sales for members on top of that as well.
Boomerang Books
Ordered books, they never came – I have waited 3 weeks for books that were “in stock” and were supposed to arrive within 7-10 days. When I looked up my order on the website, it… Read more
showed that my order was “awaiting stock”… However when I checked whether the books were still on sale in their store, the sales page shows the books as being “in stock” and that they would take 7-10 days to get to my location.
I have had no communication from Boomerang books regarding this, so I have asked for my money back…
Biblio.com
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Will never use this company again, after I placed the order they asked for another 50$ US for extra shipping charges, I cancelled the order.
Bad customer service – I am shocked by the lack of customer service skills and care by the owner of Collins Book Store in Bunbury, very negative, cold sarcastic and rude… Read more
style of communicating took me by surprise. Clearly not looking to make any money. Suspecting he is on the spectrum I guess I am looking for a possibility his brain is wired differently therefore his behavior can be understood.
Harry Hartog
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Received a Harry Hartog Subscription for Christmas and absolutely loved it. The books were incredible, so well chosen, and so thoughtful, interesting… Read more
and meaningful. The books were beautifully wrapped with lovely cards and they gave us an extra book for free! Would definitely recommend, great gift and a lovely store.
Berkelouw Books
Best place to find a new or second hand book – We love going to the Paddington or Hornsby store. We love finding new books and we often find ourselves coming home with a new file of books. They have such a great range and the staff are always friendly.
Audible
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SCAM - they take money out of my account every month, I never get credits to listen to books and I cannot cancel payment.
AbeBooks.com
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Sick and tired of ordering books through Abe only to be hit with extra shipping costs on top of ship costs already quoted. IF QUOTED A PRICE,IT… Read more
SHOULD BE BINDING. ABE SHOULD PAY THE DIFFERENCE IF WRONG. Also, there STILL is no option to pay via PayPal. Finally, you can't do reviews on bookseller performance like with ebay. Some are 10/10 but others are not so good.
BookLoop
I think this is a scam site. I ordered a book on the 20th March and no reponse. NO tracking. I put up an message on there message section twice, no response. I wrote them an email and no response.
Country Style
I really like this magazine and decided to get a subscription because of the offer of a bonus pudding from Pudding Lane to take an up front… Read more
subscription. The transaction online was easy enough but was not specific about special codes to enter for the free pudding and I therefore missed out on this free pudding. Not that the pudding was that important, I was looking forward to it. It is about the lack of key information and perhaps a bit of ‘smoke and mirrors type fine print’. Be careful!
Alibris
Amazing but book took longer than expected – As Annie has said below - Alibris is quite slow so be patient. My book took just over 5 weeks to be delivered to my doorstep after shipping. Well worth it though for the price paid!
Xlibris
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Harassment from the start scary amount of phone calls and lots of pressure. Be aware. I’m blocking number and getting continued phone calls becoming aggressive.
Online vs physical book shops
Visiting a book shop
Benefits of physical book shops
There are plenty of benefits of buying in-store if you value a positive customer experience, interacting with knowledgeable bibliophiles in the form of well-read staff, and being able to read the blurb and flick through the pages before placing your new book over the counter.
As a point of note, not all book retailers operate either solely online or in-store. For example, Dymocks and Collins bookshops allow you to buy online, if you prefer.
Buying books online
Benefits of online book stores
There are a growing number of online book retailers, both within the country and operating overseas and shipping to Australia. A few popular online bookshops include Booktopia, rated the number one bookshop on ProductReview.com.au, and Book Depository, based in the UK.
In a nutshell, online bookstores are usually cheaper than physical book shops. They can afford to be more competitive because they don’t have to factor in added costs like rent, utilities and staff wages.
If finding cheap books is what you prioritise, then buying online is probably the way to go. Just keep in mind that there's often a standard shipping rate. To ensure that the amount of money you save on cheaper books isn't cancelled out by paying delivery fees, it can help to order several books at a time.
Is it bad to buy books online?
Some background
A number of physical book stores have closed in recent years, because they simply cannot compete with online bookshops. In Sydney this includes the kids bookstore the Children’s Bookshop in Beecroft, Pages & Pages in Mosman and Lindfield Bookshop & Children’s Bookshop. Unfortunately, from a business perspective it’s cheaper to run an online store compared to a physical one.
The emergence and ongoing success of online bookstores can be a tricky subject for book lovers - especially the owners and staff of physical book shops.
Increasingly tough retail conditions and the fact that physical stores are continually losing customers to online book stores is a sore point. Sometimes readers step into a physical bookshop to browse the titles, then go back home to order their selections online. This behaviour is sometimes known as 'showrooming.'
The outcome
For some readers, the phenomenon in recent years of book store closures makes them loyal to only buying from brick and mortar book stores. For others, the book retailer that can offer the lowest price will always get their book money. Ultimately, this depends on you and your personal preference, as buying from a physical book store or online book shop is neither inherently good nor bad - it depends on a number of variables.
In one instance, you may need to buy a last minute birthday gift for a friend. You have the perfect book in mind - but need to buy it and wrap it before their birthday party at the end of the day. In this case, a physical book store is going to be the only type of store that can help you.
Or perhaps you'd rather shop in-store, but your local bookstore doesn't have particularly helpful or friendly customer service (it can happen!) In this case, you may feel absolutely no ethical obligation to support that book store instead of buying your books online. It really depends on the situation.
Interestingly, some book stores have adapted to changing consumer trends by switching to becoming solely online due to the increased financial viability. An example is Angus & Robertson, which became an online book shop in 2011 after 125 years of physical bookselling.
Chain bookstores vs Independent bookstores
Chain bookstores
Chain bookstores are usually large companies. They have a recognisable brand name that shows up in several locations throughout Australia. They are usually Australian bookshops, but some have their base overseas, such as Kinokuniya, based in Japan.
Some chain bookstores are franchise-operated, such as Dymocks, while others are company owned, such as QBD The Bookshop.
Independent bookshops
Independent bookstores are standalone bookstores. They’re one-of-a-kind bookshops that aren’t controlled by a larger corporate structure, and are usually locally owned.
They’re often full of quirk and character. When you think of an independent bookshop, you might picture a bookseller with a calm smile and hipster glasses who reads Kafka, and casually impresses with their encyclopaedic knowledge of relatively unknown books.
The books you find in an independent bookstore often embrace diversity - culturally, linguistically, and historically. Catering to more than just mainstream likes, they're good for sourcing niche books for readers with specific interests.
Comparing the two - The similarities
While it’s likely that you’ve heard bibliophiles speaking passionately about the value of independent bookstores, both chain bookstores and independent bookshops have their merit.
It’s important and only fair to note that many chain bookstores are franchises, and so locally owned and often family-owned, too. Provided they're well managed, these chain bookstores are just as likely to be the favourite literary watering hole of locals as an independent bookshop is.
Both independent bookshops and chain bookstore are places where you can engage in the fun activity of browsing books. Whether it’s the calm, quiet atmosphere or the ability to flick through the pages at your leisure, for book lovers there's something undeniably magical about holding a potential new book in your hands and getting to know it.
Comparing the two - The differences
| Criteria | Independent bookstores | Chain bookstores |
| Range of books | Unique and extensive range of books beyond the bestsellers and new releases list . Can often have books on niche topics. | Mainly have titles from major publishers, but can special order books into the store at customer’s request |
| Authors stocked | Often buy from ‘indie’ or self-published authors, and smaller publishing houses | Sometimes buy from indie authors, at the store’s discretion |
| Feel-good factor | Help local economy as they’re often locally-owned small businesses | Also help the local economy when individual stores are franchises. Many are also family-owned businesses. |
| Community events | Often have plenty of community events, including: book signings, book clubs, poetry readings, reading groups, and storytime events for kids | Also have community events, but may not be as extensive as independent bookstores. Author talks and book signings can be common. |
| Store appearance | One-of-a-kind in terms of shop set-up, display, and stock selection | More consistent experience across stores, including consistent branding and storefront appearance. |
Is it better to buy new or used books?
Range of books
Buying second hand books can be a thrilling experience. When you walk into a second-hand book store, the element of surprise is high. It’s hard to predict what little gems you may find.
A used book store will have a higher number of older books than new book shops, which is more likely to stock older books if their popularity is ongoing. Second-hand book stores also have a wider selection of books that are no longer in print.
On the flipside, the cataloguing system in used book shops is not always as accurate as you’d find in a shop selling new books. Their shelving system may also be a little more chaotic than the orderly rows you'd encounter in a chain book store. As a result, if you’re looking for a specific title, it may be trickier to track down inside a second-hand bookshop.
Price
While used books are often cheaper than new books, this isn’t always the case.
There are certain independent bookshops that are entirely second-hand, but the sticker price on many of the books might surprise you. Perhaps it’s because the book is rarer, but high prices can be the norm, even on popular titles from major publishing houses.
Condition of books
It goes without saying that used books are pre-loved, so they won’t come in the pristine condition that new books are sold in. Sometimes a bit of age adds character to a book, and at the end of the day the contents inside are the same as if the book was brand new.
Environmentally friendliness
When you buy second-hand books, you’re essentially recycling a book. This doesn’t generate demand for new products, which saves paper as well as the energy associated with printing new books.
Do bookstores only sell books?
Some bookstores don’t just sell books, and their range expands into other merchandise. Most commonly, this includes audiobook CDs, novelty gifts, stationery and even sheet music. Kinokuniya is also known for being a manga and comic book store.
Wrapping up
Overall, where you choose to buy your books boils down to personal preference. Whether you buy new books or used books either in-store or online turns on what you prioritise most on your book buying journey.
These priorities can include: a low price, personable customer service, convenience, having a wide range of books to choose from, having your books available to read instantly, and having a sense of community with fellow book lovers.
Hi, Thank you for your patience while we look into… Read more