Complaint Review: Powell's Books Inc. online book trader

If you are looking to clean out your closets overcrowded with books, think long and hard before you turn to Powell's Books, Inc. online because you might be better off donating them and trying to get a tax write off.  The website address is www.powells.com. 

The drill is that you key in your ISBN book numbers and the website accepts or rejects the book ISBNs that you have entered.  The bid prices for generally circulated books are usually low because this book company appeared more concerned with making a profit rather than giving the customer a fair deal and promoting customer loyalty.  In spite of that, I thought, 'What the heck, I'll sell'.  Well, let me tell you, that my choice to sell to Powell's Books, Inc. was a big "MISTAKE". 

It was a whole new ballgame once Powells logged my books as received. Powell's dropped their already rock-bottom price to below ground level (an approximate 80% decrease) and cited all kinds of mysterious defects and rejection reasons with my books that were in good condition when I packaged and shipped them.  Powell's also informed me that my initially accepted books that suddenly turned up on the newly rejected emailed list were being recycled. 

I live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and for God's sake, I am not going to buy a plane or train ticket to Portland, Oregon to find out what really happened.  So guess what?   I had to eat the loss, and Powell's gets to keep my books.  All they risk is USPS parcel postage.  There is a great deal of potential profit for Powell's in this scam especially if a lot of people get sucked in like I did for even one or two items.

Now, I did not lose a bunch of money on the reneged offer, and the bite could have been a lot worse, but I still would not recommend this experience to anyone.  All I can tell you from my experience is, Watch Out for Powells Books, Inc., and if it smells fishy, walk away!