Alibris Delivery Delays (1 Viewer)

[PBBUK]

Has anyone else exprerienced very long delays when buying books through Alibris?

I am still waiting on a book ordered last year - and supposedly sent on 29 December.

Abe is never a problem and always arrives quickly. I actually ordered 2 books the day after on Abe and they both arrived in Australia from the US within a week - same postage as Alibris!

As the US only offers airmail now - I just don't understand why Alibris is so slow. Its happened before - but those were the days when "shipping" was an option.

 

[Rekrab]

I never order from Alibris. For reasons I now forget, I'm pissed at them. I think it had to do with them adding high fees when i was listing books on ABE and they bought ABE (did they?) Anyway, I just ordered 3 cheap used books from 3 dealers on ABE and all came fast or super fast. Same with everything I've ordered from Amazon itself or Amazon dealers.

 

[jordan]

isn't alibris the same as abe? (in that they just process orders for independent dealers and don't actually ship you anything themselves?) if so, email the dealer you bought the book from about the delay.

 

[PBBUK]

This was the response from customer service - so I guess dealers have to send books to Alibris to on send.

It doesn't make sense to me as air mail should not take longer than a week.

I just hope the book arrrives and I will never use Alibris again.

" ... it was shipped on December 29 via Standard International shipping. This shipping method usually takes about 3-4 weeks to most locations, but delays do occasionally occur.

We batch our international shipments to reduce their overall transit time, but unfortunately, this means that we can't track your order either.

I don't foresee any problems; that said, please let me know if you haven't received your order after 45 days have passed from the shipment date. Thanks for your patience and for shopping with Alibris!"

 

[bospress.net]

I thought that Alibris was owned by Amazon.com. Many of their titles are the same listing that are on abe, but with their prices just doubled or tripled. it seems that they have a program that pulls the listings and then puts money on them to make you pay for the honor of buying from them...

Bill

 

[Purple Stickpin]

Is "Standard International Shipping" AirMail?

I ordered something from the UK on Dec 23rd and then ordered something else from the same company on Jan 5th. The order I made on Jan 5th arrived last week a day before the order I made on Dec 23rd. [two spaces] The guy from shipping indicated that he'd noticed something akin to a package-moving hangover in the shipping industry in the week or so following that holiday on Dec 25th, so hopefully things will get through to you soon.

 

[Gin Soaked Boy]

Yes Standard International Shipping is Airmail.

I've never heard of shipping something as lightweight as a book via boat.

 

[PBBUK]

An update on Alibris - it apparently requires dealers to send books to it at -

BWW-Alibris 381830003-1
701C Ashland lane
FOLCROFT, PA 19032 USA

It then some how on sends them to the consumer.

I contacted customer service and they basically lied to me (in writing) - telling me the book had already been sent by international post - when the dealer told me he tracked the delivery to Alibris - and he confirmed the book had not even arrived at Alibris at the date it stated it had sent the book to me.

I have now had 2 very poor international delivery experinces with Alibris. I have not experienced any such issues with direct from dealers, ABE or even ebay!

So internationally (outside USA) - I would be careful about using Alibris.

 

[Bukfan]

Thanks, for the warning! I thought about ordering a book from Alibris because they seemed to be cheaper than Amazon. I guess I now know why.

 

[Tony]

I'm waiting for a book from Alibris. the tracking info took me to 701 Ashland Ave, Folcroft, Pa. Google found a logistics company called CEVA Logistics at this address. I guess this is the co. that Alibris use to handle their shipping. It took 10-days to get the book to Folcroft. I wonder how long it will take to get from Folcroft to the UK?

 

[Tony]

Feedback from Alibris regarding the delay. They say international orders are collected until they have a bulk shipment to save costs. So, it seems if you are unlucky enough to hit a period when there's not many orders going your way, you have to wait....and wait.....until they want to send it. They also confirm that 701 Ashland Ave, Folcroft, Pa is their shipping warehouse. Where it seems all orders are handled for onwards shipping.