Despite being on the platform for 18 years and successfully sending 140 books to other members, I'm now dealing with a new member claiming to not have received a book. The tracking from USPS clearly states it was delivered into her mailbox, but paperbackswap.com refuses to award the credit to me. Additionally, the member is claiming the package never showed in her Informed Delivery for any of the 14 scans it had throughout its travels. I'm being told if I purchased postage through paperbackswap.com I would've received the credit. There is a significant markup to buying postage through them; so because they didn't make any money from the transaction a long standing user is being punished for a newer member defrauding the system. read more

Since they have updated their website the site is more reliable. I have used it for decades and especially like to order books when the weather is too bad for this elderly lady to drive. read more

I've been a member of Paperbackswap since 2008 and am still an active member and receive and send many wishlisted books each month. I like that I can send a book to another member that I have already read and another member sends me a book I want to read. When I list a book, another member may already be wanting it and it will go to him or her or if nobody is wanting it then it becomes available to everyone and they can request it from my shelf. Yes, postage rates have increased since I joined but that has nothing to do with the website. I find the site a cheaper way to get books still though. Besides swapping book, the site also has a discussion forum, which is where members can have discussions or do card swaps or random acts of kindness exchanges. The holiday card exchange is always something I enjoy. The site is what you make of it. You won't get every book on your wishlist but will get some and you might find new authors or topics to read too. You will also find new homes for the books you no longer want. The site isn't perfect and there are glitches from time to time but it has been a great way for me to receive books. read more

I have been with this group for awhile. I keep asking for them to tell me who the person was that I sent a now lost book was supposed to go to. All they do is send me lists to find it. I go to PM and yet there is nothing there. It's a good group but this is totally crazy when I can't find who I sent the book too. I sent out 6 books at the same time. Everyone got their book but this one person that I don't remember who I sent it to. Customer service is terrible. read more

For background information, I have been a member of PaperBackSwap since 2008. I have mailed 332 books to other members and received 244 books from other members. And I cannot rave enough about it! I have had such great experiences with my swaps! I don't mind when I have to be waitlisted for a book... that's part of the fun (the anticipation)! I have received a handful of books that did not meet club standards for swapping (broken spine, stained pages, etc) and was able to get my credit back for the books without issue. Highly recommend PaperBackSwap to everyone! read more

I see that there are common complaints made against PBS on Yelp, but I have a different issue -- I have yet to receive even one book from PBS after requesting 4 and successfully delivering 5 books to other members. This isn't the biggest issue, though. The biggest issue is the "Librarians." Instead of helping me, PBS' "Librarians" (staff) have simply patronized me. I love the concept of PBS, and so far I have had really great experiences with the other members of the site. This makes the nasty nature of the staff all the worse, in my opinion. Be very cautious before you make the choice to become a member of PBS or trade your books on this site. TLDR is at the end if you don't want to read my rant, lol. My bad experiences with PBS started about a month ago when I wanted to change my address ahead of time, in between the time when I closed on my house and when I officially moved in. Immediately the staff were short and displayed poor customer service, but nothing happened that was extremely disappointing to me. However, after this happened, I realized that PBS' team made changes to my account without informing me and without clarifying with me that these changes were necessary or correct. Turns out what they did was wrong, as their actions in my account were based on nothing but assumptions. The changes they made aren't simple little mistakes -- they are preventing me from receiving books I've requested. I emailed them to kindly ask if there was anything I could do to be assisted with the first request I made, because I now have yet to receive the book after a month. The response I got is the image attached to my review. I'll try to explain it because it is the perfect example of how dangerously assumptive PBS is about business matters AND how patronizing they have been -- all of my interactions with them have been irritatingly very similar to this one. Right away in their response to me, it can be seen that the staff have an attitude, as if I am stupid and it irritates them to have to work with me. This demeanor can be felt throughout the entire email, but you can judge that for yourself. At the same time, however, their assumptions -- about business transactions...real, important details, NOT gossip, customer complaints, or other BS -- against their customers are evident. My question had nothing to do with the previous emails they sent me, but their entire response to my question about not receiving ANY of the books I've requested is them telling me how they think I'm not receiving their emails. It's as if they think the underlying problem is that I just don't understand Gmail...not that I am not getting the books I've requested. Trying to avoid the real problem at hand? Perhaps. Or perhaps they actually just think they're completely right and are blinded to the real problem by their ignorance? They briefly blame me for not receiving the books I've requested, telling me that I requested that they be sent to the "wrong address" because I changed my address two weeks after the book was sent. This is a multi-layered assumption on their behalf -- neither of the addresses attached to my account are wrong in any way, the first address was not "wrong" when the request was made or when the book was marked as mailed by the sender (30 days ago), and I made the address change EARLY (as opposed to late, as they are implying). AND if any of those are a problem, I can STILL receive mail at BOTH addresses because I have not yet officially moved out of the first address...so the problem I am having with not having received any of my books has nothing to do with my address change. PBS' staff aren't helping me, though, because they are stuck on telling me what they think I did wrong as opposed to what the real problem could possibly be or what real solutions exist. My question that the attached email is a response to was a simple, incredibly respectful request for help -- I just wanted to know what they could do to help with the fact that I hadn't received my books. They responded to me with nothing but assumptions and an accusatory attitude, patronizing me about my "late address change" and my lack of responses to their emails (that have not, until today, warranted a response), and correcting me (for THEIR ASSUMPTIONS) of my lack of knowledge about Gmail and my stupid decision to change my address in a poor time frame (neither of which are in any way true). And now they've locked me out of my account as a result of whatever matters they think we are discussing in the email attached to this review. So, TLDR -- if you request to trade books at PBS, what may happen is this: you'll send off 5 of your beloved books to kind people, but in return, you won't receive any books that you request... Instead you'll receive a slew of nasty-toned, unhelpful emails that leave you with NO books, NO help, a locked-out account, and a migraine. Good luck! read more

PaperBackSwap - Unfortunately very poor customer service :( - Bookstores Near Me - Suwanee, Georgia

Their customer service is awful. I mailed a book. Tracking shows delivered. Recipient claims they didn't get it, so that's that. I don't get the credit. First off, we're not dealing with money, just book credits, but they refused to give the credit when it clearly had a delivery scan! I lost out on a book I sent to someone else, paid to ship this one, and have nothing. So anyone can just say they didn't get their book, even when tracking shows it was delivered, and you lose the postage you paid and the credit for the book you sent in. read more

I'm puzzled at some of the poor reviews here. I've been a member of PBS for 5 years, and I've never had a bad experience. The only costs you incur are the mailing costs to other members (it averages to about $2.50 per book). You pay nothing when you request a book. It's very worth it to me, to pay $2.50 to mail out a book I don't want, and to receive one I do want. The rules are simple-- send only unmarked books in good condition, and let the site know when you've mailed them. When received by another member, you receive a credit that allows you to request another book. read more

I love PBS! It's a fantastic, free way to swap books with other internet users. It only costs you the price of mailing a book to get a new one. I'm totally addicted. It's so easy to use too. How it works: Search through your bookshelves for books you don't mind giving up that are in good condition. You type in the ISBN numbers to list books. After listing 10 books, you get 2 bonus credits to use right away for listing them. Each book is worth 1 credit, audio books are worth 2 credits. The neat thing is that on PBS you can prints the labels and wrappers. Yep - you can mail a normal paperback in the two sheets of paper! You mail off the book, when the other member receives it, you get a credit. Most books cost under $2.30 to mail too. My favorite feature is the wishlist. You can add books that are not currently available to your wishlist. When someone posts a copy of the book, if you're at the top of the queue for it, you get a message telling you that the book is available if you want it. I have also met a lot of really nice people on PBS through the forums. I'd highly recommend it, if you love to read. It's almost as addictive as yelp! read more

PaperBackSwap - Bookstores Near Me - Suwanee, Georgia

I've been a member for four years. Love the club and have shipped close to 300 books all over the US. There is something satisfying about giving a book (or a load of books) to people that really want/need them. It is nice to hear stories about the generous people across the country that donate the books they order to libraries, schools, or their churches. My personal libraries are always overflowing so this club is a great solution to keep my shelves in check. I always have deals like buy one book get one free to add something extra to the transaction. Many other people are willing to do the same. I haven't encountered a single member that has been rude or unhappy with the process. I have received over 200 books as well, many of which are in excellent/very good condition! The one major complaint (of many, not me) with the club started last year. It went from being free to having an annual membership...which left a lot of people unhappy. I still think it is worth 20 bucks a year to be a part of this community. I hope their app comes out soon! I also have about 300 books on my wish list, so periodically those books get posted and mailed straight to you. It's like xmas! Typically, a book costs about 3 bucks to mail by media mail. Print up the wrappers and send em off. Way cheaper than a bookstore or amazon. I'm anti e-reader so I forsee myself a nemeber for many years to come. read more

I've been a member of PBS for five years now and have traded 90+ books on the site. You post your books and other members can request them. Each time you mail out a book and pay the postage, you earn a credit to request any other book available on the site. The majority of the books I've gotten have been in excellent condition - some even brand new. The PBS users I've swapped with have all been nice and helpful. Two years ago, they introduced swapping fees, so now in addition to the postage fees for mailing out books, you either need to pay $0.50 for each book you request, or get a yearly membership for $12 or $20. Unfortunately, this new policy applied to existing credits so users had to pay to use the credits they had already earned on the site. This made a lot of people unhappy and they left PBS in droves. At its height, the website had over 5 million books available. Now, it has 1.8 million. I've had more trouble finding certain books and some books have been on my wishlist for years. There are also a lot of inactive accounts so not all the books on the site are truly available. Because of the decrease in inventory and the swapping fees, I use this website less frequently. Occasionally I do find books I'm looking for and I get books on my wishlist, but it's no longer my go-to place for books. read more

Very disappointed in PaperbackSwap. I had enjoyed using it for about a year, and recommended many friends. You mail a book, get a credit, and request one from another member. I had saved up credits from over this summer to use next fall when I go to grad school. Now, however, they are switching their system over to a paid membership only plan. Even worse, they are not grandfathering any of us old members in and are giving members only two weeks to use up their credits (which is very difficult, it can often take up to a week to get a book requested and mailed). After mid February, I have to pay *extra* just to use the credits I already have! What kind of cheating nonsense is this? Now all my credits are basically useless - I could easily purchase used books on other sites for the same price I'd be paying here, plus all the money I spent on shipping books for other members is down the drain. I'm very disappointed in their customer service as well - I emailed the mods asking what I could do with my credits and basically got a vague response in return. read more

Used to be a good place to swap books with other readers.. Used to be a club. Now it's a money-grubbing, fascist corporation that is illegally holding member credits hostage for fees to use them. I have been a member for just about 5 years, have traded many books and had a 10-credit balance when they decided to change the rules. WARNING: They still call themselves a book club and the still claim, falsely, that swapping is free. Do not get suckered in to a confusing fee format. There are better deals to be had elsewhere. Boo PBS! Fail! read more

In the few years I've been with Paperback Swap I've mailed 168 books and received 135 books or audiobooks. My transactions have covered over 525,000 miles. No cost to join. You list books you want to swap. The number of books you have to swap equals the number of credits in your kitty. When someone wants one of your books you pay for the postage. When you see a book you want, you request it and the other member pays for the postage to you. Books include hard bound and paperbacks, audiobooks, kids, teens and adult books; also LARGE PRINT. Best sellers are hard to get so you may be put on a waiting list. They do have a new feature where you can buy new books for credits plus money or just money. Most of the books I've received have been in very good to excellent condition. It's BIG fun to get packages with books in the mail instead of the constabt barrage of bills and junk mail. I'm still hooked! read more

I have loved PaperbackSwap (I've received some great books!) and hated PBS (the forum "police" are rude and childish and refuse to give even a tiny bit of courtesy and sign their messages with their name, instead hiding behind "librarian"). however, what I really wanted to note here is that despite everything on the main page, etc. stating that you swap books for FREE, this is no longer true. They have not updated their site, but every swap now has the cost of mailing from the sender's side, and a fee to spend a credit on the requester's side (either on a per transaction basis or as part of an annual membership). Additionally, unless one purchases an annual membership some aspects of the site are no longer available (forums). This may still be a deal depending on your access to used book stores, libraries, etc. but be aware of the fees before you sign up! ETA: As of 2/15/15 we have learned that members who have chosen the pay-as-you-go option have also been denied access to the club's member communication system unless they already have an ongoing transaction, meaning that no longer can these "members" discuss multiple-book deals or buy/sell credits. Effectively the pay as you go option is useless and it is clear they do not want people to use this option. (reduced from 2 stars to 1 based on this new information which was not provided, nor is it actually provided currently on the site, prior to this change). read more

PaperBackSwap is one of those amazing websites I actually found through Yelp! I had no idea about it previously but now I tell everyone I can about this great site. You post books you don't want and other people can purchase them from you. All books cost 1 credit, which goes to the member who sold it. In essence, you're buying and selling books for the cost of postage, you get things in the mail other than bills and every day can be like Christmas. The only issue with PaperBackSwap is their selection. It might be difficult to find specific books you want, but you can always wishlist and item and be notified when it becomes available. It may take months, but you will get to it eventually. And if you don't have credits in your account by the time the item becomes available, you can purchase credits from the website (3 for $10). In the next week I'm expecting "Spook" by Mary Roach and my next book will be "American Dreams" by Studs Terkel, also procured from this website. It is by far the best way to find and bookmark gently used books. And if you find it before that point at your favorite used bookstore, you can always remove it from your wishlist later. PaperBackSwap will be one of my favorite websites for years to come. read more

***NOTICE: PAPERBACK SWAP STOLE $30.80 FROM ME. I HAD 8 CREDITS IN MY ACCOUNT, VALUED AT $3.95 EACH. PBS CLOSED MY ACCOUNT DUE TO MY FEE COMPLAINT AND KEPT MY 8 X $3.95 CREDITS. ***NOTICE: I HAD $2.55 CASH IN MY SWAPADVD ACCOUNT, AND THEY CLOSED MY ACCOUNT, THEY BLOCKED MY ACCESS TO MY ACCOUNT AND STOLE MY MONEY. I HAVE NOT GOTTEN IT BACK TO DATE. IN ADDITION, MY 2 CREDITS X $3.95 HAS NOT BEEN RETURNED TO DATE. Don't open an account or give away your books through them: I was a member on PBS for years. THIS IS NOT A FREE PROGRAM. IT IS A "FEE" PROGRAM. Fees increased: Mailing labels they provide from the site cost .55 ON TOP of your postage fee. If you don't use their labels, you don't get credit for your book (that you just spent $3-$5 mailing) UNLESS the receiver (weeks later) remembers to log in and record it. In order to "buy member money" you had to put money in your account: another .50 transaction fee. Your costs to trade a book: .55 label fee + the cost of postage (averages almost $4.00 .50 transaction fee to "buy member money" don't forget the COST OF YOUR BOOK! You may or may not get credit. Members often trade dirty, damaged books. Their sister/affiliate companies (same owner) SWAPACD and SWAPADVD make you pay .49 for each movie/cd you request. Cost of "credits" are more than the cost of DVDs/CDs on eBay, Amazon, or at your local Walmart. When the new .49 fee PER DVD was rolled out (without much warning) I commented on their member forum, and listed my eBay page. Instead of resolving the issue, or giving me a "warning," not to post my website address, they closed all my accounts: PAPERBACKSWAP (I had 451 books listed and had 8 books shipped, they owed me 8 credits) STOLEN: $30.80 SWAPADVD (I had $2.55 in cash and 2 credits, worth $3.95 each, and I had dozens of requests to receive) STOLEN: $10.45 and SWAPACD (I had a few CDs posted.) read more

This started out as a great idea, back when postage was cheaper. Now I spend over $2.50 just to mail a lot of the books. And I really wanted to reduce the books on my shelf - this keeps me even! Don't find enough books I want. Their online postage set up has a fee, and I tried it once back when you had to pay money for CD's - too small of a selection offered so now I have some change left in that account; not enough for postage and I don't want to pay a fee to get more in. Donate the books you want to get rid of - libraries sell them for $1 hardcover and 50 cents paperback. Gives you an idea of the market for real books. And now there are tooooo many junk books listed and it is so hard to browse for anything worthwhile. read more

Oh, and one more thing.... Apparently if you DECLINE to send a book to someone that requests it, but has conditions that it can't come from a home with fish, because they are allergic to fish (even though you have no fish in your home) so you decline to send, you know, just in case??... You will be banned from the site. Does that make sense? I didn't think so. Support local/buy local. read more

This is not a free site. Membership prices are $12 or $20 per year or $.49 per transaction (actually, it will be $.99, because you'll have to pay a fee to add money to the account). PBS works by members sending books to other members. You pay for postage to ship the book to a recipient and in return, you get a credit. I've waited years on the waiting list without having received some books that were "wish listed". The market is flooded with cozy mysteries and mass market paperbacks. The new pricing scheme is confusing. It's better for you to read their help doc. http://www.paperbackswap.com/help/help_item.php?id=693#difference The customer service skills are lacking. If you have a dispute, you will never speak with a person. Rather, you will exchange emails with a faceless, nameless entity who signs everything as the "team". At one time, I would have suggested PBS. It used to be a great community. I've learned about some really fantastic authors and have gotten to know some fantastic people through the swaps. But now, I would not recommend them. They have really gone downhill. Their website still advertises "free" swapping. It was never really free since you paid for shipping. Now it is even less so. Stick with your local bookstore, friends of the library, or Amazon. read more

Yeah right - "free" ! Make me lol. I guess if $3.50 to $4.00 a book is "free" than this is one great place to get books. If you don't think $3.50 to $4.00 per book is"free" please read on. Fist off, the only books that are really available on PBSwap are mass market stuff you get in the airport, and old, tired stuff people finally pulled of their bookshelves that they bought in the 70s. If you want a recent Grisham or a thriller from WEB Griffen, you're in luck. Anything not sold by the millons that was published in the last 10 years? No way. Stuff published in the 80s on the latest computer gear? Travel guides from the 1990s? Other trash not worth the cost of mailing? Whoo-hoo - they've got plenty of that! OK next - the cost. Anybody remember the thrift store? The church resale shop? The gently used stuff store? First off, that church and the thrift store are in YOUR neighborhood and could use your business. Second, their costs are 25 -50 all the way to a dollar a book. Next - what does it really cost to use PBSwap? Have you added in the cost of mailing, the large fees they add when you use their service to print postage, the large fee they add when you buy "money" from them? It ends up being about 3.50 to 5.00 per book (depending on weight). Next - what is the actual selling price of that used Grisham thriller or that used Danielle Steel paperback right now on Amazon? I'll tell you what it is: 1 penny. That's right - 1 cent. Plus 3.99 for shipping. A total of 4 bucks. AND, Amazon has every gol-darn book that PBS has plus about 500 billion more, for sale, used. No waiting lists. Next - Stupid member limits. Unreal. "Don't send me any books that have been in a home with tropical fish" Silly, hypochondriac, fantasy-allergy, multiple chemical sensitivity BS member limits. No cats, no pets, no cologne, no smoking, no writing on books (kids books), no perfume, no fish. No fish? I swear these people are practically allergic to reality - how do they even leave their trailers? You have got to be kidding. Hold on you say - I want to get rid of my old books! Do you really think someone needs that 1986 classic on Lotus 1-2-3? Or that nifty 1992 guide to Amsterdam? Do us a favor and recycle that trash. So why do I belong to PBSwap? Because I get my mass market thrillers there before I go on a trip. And because to get my credits, I post and mail out the tiny 30-page kids books-- I pay only 1.50 postage. Go ahead, mail me that 350 page coffee table book that weighs 12 pounds - I'll take it. When I want 10 good kids books for a buck, i go to the thrift shop. Hey - Thanks for sharing. read more

Closed? Don't believe it! It's just a ruse by some jokester to keep you from getting what you rightly deserve. Cheap books my friends. If you are a voracious reader, but don't have the funds to support your habit, then this is the place for you. Now if you're like my friend Ms. T, who doesn't let go of the books even after she's read them several times, this isn't the place for you. If you're housebound, this is really a wonderful service. You start of by signing up and adding several books. Then you will get credits. You will earn additional credits for each of your books that are selected and you ship out. You pay for the shipping and can print your postage paid (via paypal) label from the comfort of home. Then you can just hand them to your mail carrier. BOB = If you are really a voracious reader, for $8.00 annually, you can trade boxes of books with other members. I just traded 10 books with another BOB and only paid $5.00 for shipping. So basically I will receive 10 books for $.50 each. Sweet! Just go to the website to get started: Swap Your Used Books - PaperBackSwap.com PS - I was able to get a textbook for my son and they shipped it directly to him! That saved me a bundle. read more

I've been using PBSwap for many years and have a really nice selection of books. Great for recycling the books sitting on your shelf. A rule of thumb I use is if I post on PBS and no one claims the book in a 2-month period, I take it off the "shelf" and donate the book to the VA clinics/hospitals waiting rooms. The veterans and families appreciate a good book to read if a loved one is in surgery or has an extended hospital stay. Great thing about PBS is that you can drop $20 in your PBS account and print off your stamp with your mailing label right there on the site. It's a great set-up. The cost is free to list all your books. The only out-of-pocket for you is sending the book to the person who requested it which is always calculated at the "media mail" rate (cheapest). read more

I have been a member for almost a decade and loved every minute of it. This site simply provides a forum/system for book lovers to share books. You send a book, you earn a credit to redeem for a different book. Pretty simple concept. After almost 10 years of providing this service for no fees (other than optional supplemental membership perks), they will finally be charging either per swap or annual memberships to keep the site operating. It seems that the majority of the complaints are regarding other users (common folks just like the reviewers) and their behaviors, which I have to admit, can be pretty horrid at times. However, those are other members not the business itself. This would be like my complaining on a restaurant business page about the couple at the table next to me with an unruly child. So, if you love books and can spare $12 to $20 a year, consider joining. It can take a little while to move up the wish list lines, but I've gotten some amazing books through the years. read more

I've been using PBS for over three years now, and it has made a huge difference in the amount of money I spend on books. This site is a real boon for anyone who goes through books quickly. I find it incredibly easy to use, particularly the mailing label service, which is streamlined and simple. The one problem with PBS is that the books you want are rarely available right away, and you have to "Wishlist" them and wait, sometimes a very long time. The first year I was a member was particularly annoying--I was constantly sending books out but rarely receiving any. After I had built up quite a Wishlist and given it time to mature, I started reaping my reward. Books now arrive fairly regularly, and I now actually have the opposite problem...I am running out of books to trade out for more credits! read more

I'm a regular user of Paperback Swap (PBS), and I love it! As Valerie J. mentioned, PBS is an website that provides a a free way to share books with people from all over the country. Once you sign-up, you list books that you're willing to trade, and then pay for the shipping of those books once people request them from you. For each book that you ship, you earn a "credit," and each credit can be traded in for a book. All you have to do is put books on your wishlist, and as they become available, the book will be shipped to you free of charge. When you're done reading the book, if you want to trade it, you re-list it on PBS. However, if you want to keep the book, you're able to do that, too. There are rules about the quality and condition of the book, which helps ensure that you get a book that is in good condition, should you decide to keep it. As someone with an extensive library, I love reading, in general, and I keep books that enjoy. Over the last year, I've received and mailed more than 80 books, some of which I decided to keep in my own collection and some of which I posted to trade once I finished reading them. For me, PBS means that I don't have to be placed on a library waiting list, I don't feel rushed to read the book in order to be able to return it by the library due date, and I don't feel like I've wasted money on a book that I have no intention of keeping. Not that the library and the bookstore don't continue to be useful, as they definitely do, but PBS provides a perfect, inexpensive middle ground. If you're a reader, PBS is definitely something you should look into. read more

When I come across a really great book, I will ignore the rest of the world until I've finished it. When the bfer and I moved in together, the merge of our libraries was pretty much the best part. Inevitably though this means I have some books around that aren't really that great. So I stumbled across PaperBackSwap. Tons of books I'm interested in reading -it does not look over-run with Harlequin romances or old thesaurus-es....either. Thesauri? I'm brand new at it, but I've listed 10 books and ordered 1. I'm excited. You pay for postage to send books out to other people and earn a credit in doing so. You then use that credit to 'buy' a book from someone else. It's free for now but the website warns they may have an annual membership fee in the future. Check it out. read more

I had an absolutely terrible experience with these people. When I used their website functionality incorrectly (but to the best of my ability), I received an extremely rude and condescending email from them attacking me. And the person who wrote the email didn't even have the integrity to put their name on the email - not surprising, given the level of rudeness and condescension. I will never post a book there ever again! read more

I have been lovin paperbackswap for almost three years now and I want to thank PBS for being innovative and easy to use. It is because of you, I have a library of 150 books.....ok well not everyone of them is from PBS but just the shear volume I have access to means a whole lot. Thank you and I love you. *** UPDATE *** Since my joining PBS they have gotten to big for me. Even though I am a early member they began charging fees for membership and for those who choose not to joine pay an additional .75 cents per book deal irregardless of your amount of book credits.... Just a travesty for someone who has been a member since 2010. read more

I racked up a large number of credits on PBS, mailing my books to people. It was never a great value proposition, more like a labor of love, really, kind of like freecycle, which I also participate in. Lately PBS has switched to charging membership fees, or "ala carte" membership. So I have to pay $0.49 to redeem each of my "free" books that I earned. Additionally I just learned I've been paying an extra $0.50 "kiosk fee" on top of that, so really I've been paying $0.99 to redeem my "free" books. Meh, indeed! I will not be sending any more of my books out via PBS and resent that they changed their terms of service in such a way that people are not allowed to use existing credits under their original terms. I'd recommend to people to share your books with your friends or local library, or contribute to one of the many "little free libraries". Or try to sell your books via Amazon. I now feel that Paperbackswap is exploiting its users. We have always supplied the product, packing supplies, and shipping & handling. Now they're asking us to pay substantial fees on top of everything else. They're raking it in for basically just running a website, which is cheaper now than it's ever been. read more

I've been a member here for a about 3 years and have traded about 100 boooks. It's a great way to get all your popular novels no matter what genre for a very low cost. I don't know why this site has gotten less than stellar reviews. Sure they started charging an annual fee, but if you are a big reader, it sure is worth it! Whenever I finish one novel by my favorite author, I I simply click on the next book by them, and it's sent to me within about a week. And there are many other books besides popular fiction. I've gotten great books on history, art, economics here. Really this is about the best site I've ever used. I am a big, big fan read more

The idea is simple: you have books you aren't going to read again, or if you are like me, you live in a small apartment in NYC and you can't possibly store all the books you buy. So you mail your book to someone who does want the little orphan and get a credit for another book someone else wants to ship out. You can print your postage online, wrap your book up, and send it out. You do pay for outgoing postage (Media mail, usually around $3 or less) and not for the incoming mail. And that's all you have to pay for any book, hardcover, paperback or what have you. There is a charge if you print your postage online, but you don't have to do that, I just find it faster and easier. I like that the site has a wish list section (and a nice little command to import ISBNs from other sites, so if you already have an Amazon wish list, you can import the whole thing in one click without much work). You can have the books on your wish list either automatically sent to you, if you have enough credits, or you can opt for an email reminder letting you know the book is available for you. Or you can mix and match the methods so you automatically get the books you want most, first. With a little patience, this site could replace your need to buy books from other places, especially when you take the low prices into account. I do find that it is easier to browse books either at a Brick & Mortar store or Amazon.com and then search for the book here, but if you know what you want, this site is a good way to get it. I utterly love this site and have traded a bunch of books since finding it just a few months ago. I have yet to keep up with all the trading I have done so far too. read more

One upon a time - a great idea gone bad. There once was a place called Paperback Swap, know to its loyal members as PBS. It built a strong community of readers who exchanged books for PBS credits, so they in turn could get books. PBS made money by selling postage, credits, and asking for donations of cash and credits from members. Loyal members, like me, gave them both because we enjoyed the Games forum and loved chatting about books. Then the hairy monster GREED came. PBS no longer made enough money from postage and other income streams, so they decided to charge for membership. Now this was no simple thing. They created classes. Then the built walls so that those members who chose to pay per swap could now join in forums, or message other members. They were EXILED to the PBS Gulag and cut off from the community they had been part of in an effort to force them to pay annual fees. Now those who paid their fees sought to find ways around those walls, but each time they succeeded, PBS found a way to cut them off. Now a close knit community lays in tatters and more and more members are looking at PBS Management and asking, "What are you doing?" "Will you even exist in a year? Or even 6 months?" As a member and strong supporter for 6 years, my dismay has turned to contempt and I cannot see the business being viable for lengthy time. If you want to swap books online, try using www.bookfreeswap.com It's not a simple or easy to use as PBS, but it also doesn't put pay as the go members in a ghetto. With the continuous erosion of membership in PBS due to growing popularity of ebooks and the draconian management decisions, joining as a paid member, even for 1 year will be a gamble. read more

I've been a member since 2006 and I have traded over a thousand books in that time (sent and received). Its a great way to get books that you want to read by trading the books that you have piling up around the house. All-in-all, I strongly recommend you take a chance on it and learn to use it to your advantage. But having said that, I would also recommend reading hen I's comments to get the true view of the drawbacks of PBS dot com. What he wrote is accurate, I'd have to say. PBS dot com is not perfect, but as a way to exchange books at about $2.50 per credit (the cost of media mail postage necessary to get one credit) its a good way to go. read more

I've been a member there for over 9 years, I've been a volunteer mod and tour guide, and I've been very active in trading and in the forums, and I've sent and received over 1,000 books. Yes, there was a huge change earlier this year when the owner created a membership tier level - look at the dates of the bad reviews you read and just ignore the ones posted during this time - they are mostly sour grapes. The truth- in all my swaps, I've asked for my credit back because of bad condition about 3 times. In all but less than 5, the other member marked my book received and I got my credit. I don't use the site's postage, so my cost per credit is the cost of shipping, plus the 49 cents per trade, less than 3.50. It's still a good site. read more

"Liberians" on this site are utter assholes! Had my account deleted because a book got lost in the mail and the replacement copy got logged in late. Nothing but mollycoddling website. Gonna stick with sites that aren't quite so authoritarian. Also got told that I don't swap out enough books on the site. The rules here are extremely strict. read more

I have been a member of PaperbackSwap since 2010. The reason I'm so disgusted with them is due to the fact that they recently switched over to a fee based service (PBS is NOT free) with no input from longtime members. We were given 2 weeks notice and that was that. When i tried to voice concern in one of the "forums" I was given the brush off. Too bad so sad. PBS now consists of cliques that exist in the forums that are basically paid chat rooms where the regulars meet, cat and play games. Unless you want a mass market paperback, don't bother. I've had books on my wish list for years now. Some of them, I'm first in line. Woudn't recommend it at all. read more

I've been a Paperback Swap member for a few months now and I LOVE it! Books are my one weakness, and this service really helps fuel that fire. In case this is the first review you are reading it works like this: -you list books you want to trade (books have to be free of markings or rips) -other members with credit request a book from you -you mail the book to them, you pay the postage -when the book is received by them you get a credit -with that credit you are able to request a book from anyone else in the network (the network covers the entire U.S.) Paperback swap members have the opportunity to email each other. This nurtures a sense of community between book worms that I absolutely love. I also love the anticipation of waiting for your books to arrive, the delayed gratification of having to wait is something not so common in today's world. I have posted the most obscure books, books I thought no one would want, that are requested with messages like "Wow, thank you, I've been looking for this forever!" If you have a bunch of books you want to unload and have the patience for this process, sign up!! read more

This used to be a great site. Now it isn't. I think the many other negative reviews sufficiently describe my own feelings so I won't say any more except that PBS got greedy. read more

I've been a member of PBS for a number of years and have traded probably 100 books. I prefer this site to just dumping my books at a thrift store; I'd rather have an individual book get into the hands of someone who wants to read it. I'm surprised by a number of criticisms of the site, and I'd like to address them with my own experience on the site: 1. Books arrive in bad shape. Other than one book that arrived with a bit of highlighting, (which is not permitted in the basic PBS bylaws), I've not had any issues with condition of the books. Some are more worn than others, (some seem new), but none have been in bad condition. 2. Someone requests a book, and they have outlandish requests about the environment the book is coming from. I've had a number of requests that specifically ask that they come from either a non-smoking home, or one without cats, (I understand both of these requests). I don't smoke, but I have a cat; so for the 'cat request', I click the box that says, 'I cannot accommodate this request', and the book goes back into the mix for another reader. As far as I know; as long as you respond saying why you're not sending the book, there isn't any negative repercussion to your decline. 3. The cost to mail the book is expensive. This could be true, depending on your budget. I find the books to cost between $2.50 and $4 per book. I do find it convenient to buy the 'printable postage' off of the PBS site and just drop the book in a mailbox. If you go directly to the post office to mail, it may be cheaper, (I'm not sure). 4. Waiting for a book can take years. This is true. I just looked at my list, and some requests for popular books were made in 2012. But this is one of those things. The wait-time on the list is based on other readers posting that book. It's not the PBS's folk fault that someone hasn't posted, 'Life' the Keith Richards autobiography, (I waited 2 years for this and got it in hardback. . .worth it). 5. The service is no longer 'free'. OK, so here I can see where folks are getting a bit cranky. (I said cranky, not, 'you're so outraged that you call the site 'fascist' .. .really?). Anyhow, up until spring of 2015; you paid to mail a book to someone, but if you wanted a book, it was mailed free to you. I found this to be fair and convenient. However, in the past few months apparently you either need to have to pay .49 cents to get a book, have a membership, (currently $12 or $20, depending on the membership), or you get a free credit if you use the 'printable postage' on the site to print your mailing label, (there's a small fee to use this service, so that fee is also covering the fee if you want a book from another member). I use the 'printable postage' so it's not really a problem for me. That said though; it sounds like the site did a poor job of communicating the policy-change to it's members. Also, they keep advertising the site as 'Free', which is kind of no longer the case. So to me it's more of a PR issue than anything else. I tend to get rid of more books than I receive, so this is less of an issue for me. Plus, I get free swaps because of the 'printable postage'. I have more free swaps than I need right now, so it's not as big of a problem for me than it is for others. I also would be happy to pay a few dollars for a membership to make it all easier. I have enough disposable income, so that would be worth it to me. But I could see how if you were on a fixed budget, that could be inconvenient. 6. There are now fewer folks swapping books on the site because of the new fees. I guess this is true, (you can see how many members are online at any time when you log onto their site). I haven't really paid attention to this, but I think the number is quite a bit lower than it was before the 'membership' kerfuffle. If users have reduced swaps due to the extra fees, then that is a shame. Overall: I like the site and it's premise that you're getting your book into the hand of someone else who wants to read it. I'm sorry that the new policies aren't for everyone; I just hope that folks still decide to use the service. read more