FINDING BOOKS ONLINE

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How do I order print books online?

First, make sure you’re on our online bookstore linked here (our main site has links to other products we sell). Add books to your cart, then complete the checkout process as you would with any other online store. 

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I found the book I want but there are a lot of versions – which is the right one?

Most books are published in multiple editions (hardcover, large print, large format paperback, mass market paperback, Spanish-language, etc.). Each book’s details are on its page, sometimes towards the bottom, and the physical format is listed next to the title. New hardcovers usually won’t get a paperback edition for at least a year after release, if ever. You can always pre-order an edition that hasn’t been released yet if you don’t mind waiting!

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I’m having trouble with the search function. Is there a trick for finding what I need?

If you need a specific title or author, type those in the search field and the site should return the correct result. You can search by keyword, as well (for example: dinosaurs, pizza, cats). If you’d rather browse, you can click through the list of subjects in the sidebar that appears after clicking the "Browse Print Books" link at the top of the screen. That will give you a manageable list of books closer to what you’re in the mood for. Email us if you're stuck!

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I’m typing the exact title I want but it keeps saying it can’t be found!

This is usually due to a misspelled word or a misremembered phrase in the title. For example, if you’re looking for “Geology of the Hudson Valley” but you type “Geology IN the Hudson Valley” it won't work. You can try fewer words, or just the part of the title you remember – the site will return results with every book that has that specific combination of words, so sometimes less is more. If you’re sure everything’s spelled right, email us and we’ll investigate!

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STOCK AVAILABILITY​

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Is everything on the website available in the store?

No, and we can't emphasize this enough! The online bookstore reflects everything we have available at the warehouse level. Books currently on-hand will say "On Our Shelves Now." While we pride ourselves on fast order turnaround, if you need something right away we suggest ordering only those that say "On Our Shelves Now," or stop by the shop to browse and we’ll give you some recommendations!

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A book I want says, "contact the store" or something similar -- what does that mean?

This book is most likely out-of-print (meaning it's not published anymore) or backordered (temporarily unavailable). If you see any unusual status message, drop us a line and we'll investigate. 

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How long will it take to complete my order?

It will be ready same-day if it says "On Our Shelves Now," or within two business days in most cases if not. Some out-of-stock books take a little longer to get here, so the best way to estimate is add the processing time and the shipping time listed for the book and shipping method, not including weekends and holidays. It will take much less time in most cases, but that's a good way to plan if you need it by a particular day.

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ORDER FULFILLMENT​

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How does in-store pickup work?

Once your order is ready, you’ll get an email letting you know so you can plan your visit. When you arrive, tell the bookseller your last name and they'll grab your books for you! 

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How does delivery work?

We leave your package on the porch! Nothing else is needed from you.
 

What’s your delivery range?

Within the Rondout Valley School District.

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Is delivery quicker than other methods?

It seems so, but no! We run our delivery routes once weekly (weather permitting), which means your order may get to you as long as a week following processing time. Our customers love delivery as a cheap and convenient way for the books to magically appear at your home, but we strongly recommend pickup if you're local and need something right away! 

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HELP WITH CHECKOUT

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How do I use a gift card?

First, make sure you're on the page for print books (gift cards can't be used to buy non-physical media). Select the gift card option when checking out and type in the gift card number when prompted. We also need a credit card in case there's a remaining balance, but it won’t be charged until we manually review the order and apply the gift card first. 

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How do I use a coupon code?

There’s a field for this at the top of the checkout screen.

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I can’t log-in / the site rejects my email address.

You are most likely typing your log-in info in the "New Account Details" field at the top of the Checkout screen. When this happens the site will return an error message like, "email already exists," because you already have an account with us! If this is the case, go to the "Customer Information" field right above this one and click the highlighted text that reads "click here to login with an existing account." Another option is to log in on the home page by clicking "My Account" at the top of the screen. This is also where you can reset your password.

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I can’t complete the checkout process and it’s hanging up at the end.

The most common cause of this is incomplete info in required fields. Scroll up and look for red-flagged text indicating the missing spots. If you’re still having trouble, email us your order and we’ll ring you up manually.
 

I'm otherwise having trouble logging in, resetting my password, or completing an order.

Any issues besides the ones mentioned above tend to happen on mobile devices, so our first suggestion is to switch to a desktop browser when you get home. Then, we’ve found that clearing your cache, reloading the page, restarting your computer, and/or using a different browser will fix this in most cases – just the standard internet 1.0 solutions! If you’re still stuck after this (which is rare), email us and we’ll ring you up manually at the shop.

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Once I place an order, will it save my credit card for next time?

Not automatically, but you can opt in for this feature if you like! You can add a card to your account profile at any time, not just when placing an order. Your card info is stored on an encrypted server and isn't viewable by anyone at Postmark. 

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I received a Square invoice -- how do I pay it with a gift card? 

It's trickier than it should be! First, enter the gift card number in the appropriate field in the invoice. Then enter the amount you'd like to charge to the gift card, even if it's the full amount. If it doesn't cover the balance you'll get a prompt for credit card info to pay the rest. We agree with you that this is weird!

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ORDERING NON-BOOK ITEMS ONLINE

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How do I buy gift cards?

We recommend sending an electronic gift card, which you can buy directly here. We can also load a plastic gift card for pickup, delivery, or shipping if you prefer that (email us to get started). There’s no way to replace these if lost and should be treated like cash, but they are super cute (ours have art by our favorite book illustrators) so we understand if you prefer them!

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Do you sell eBooks?

We are working on a new eBook service for our customers -- check back soon for updates! 

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Do you sell audiobooks?

For CDs and other physical media, you can search for the title on our online bookstore, find the right format, and checkout as normal. For streaming audio, visit our audio-specific website here, hosted by Libro.fm – here you can buy individual audiobooks a la carte, or sign up for a one-book-a-month subscription, just like Audible. Note that non-physical media is final sale and non-returnable, and can't be bought with gift cards.

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What about flowers?

Just head to the flower order form here! Due to the custom nature, you'll receive an email invoice after the arrangement is finished. We need a few days’ notice in most cases as all flower arrangements are made to order. You can see sample sizes and price ranges here. We often have a selection of grab-and-go bouquets at the store if you're feeling serendipitous!

 

How about puzzles/cards/candles, etc?

Yes! The best way to shop for these is to stop by and browse, but we also have an infrequently updated online gift shop here. You're welcome to take a shot at that if you'd rather buy gifts from home, but remember it's most likely not our full selection!

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EVENTS, MARKETING, & SALES INQUIRIES

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Does your store have author events?

We love author events! We just have them off-site due to space limitations. Drop us a line if you have an idea for an event that might work with some of our favorite partner venues including some of the area's best bars, hotels, galleries, and restaurants. 

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How does an off-site event work?

It's a lot of fun, actually! First, we find the right venue for the event, one that's already set up to accommodate crowds of people with refreshments. We set up our "Mobile Bookstore Package," a transportable mini-version of everything we have in-store including cash register, graphics and signage, and book displays. During the event we sell your books to customers and handle all the logistics of ordering stock and having it ready on-site. 

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I'm an author -- will you carry my book?

Congratulations on the new book! And the answer is, "It depends." There are many factors weighing on our decision to stock a book, no matter who published it. It's best to follow the guidelines we lay out in our sales & marketing instructions here, but it boils down to emailing us a pitch with all the relevant sales info. If your publisher has a listing for it on their site or Edelweiss you can just send us that link, which has everything we need. If we think our clientele will buy it, we will order it without further questions, and if not, then we won't; there's no need for you to follow-up. We don't accept sales inquiries in-person or over the phone while we're helping customers -- the answer to those will always be "No." 

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I'm a publisher / manufacturer -- can I send you some marketing material or product samples?

Please do! The products/books should fit the vibe of our store and be available to order through established national distributors. Mailing instructions are posted here -- please pay close attention to the details! We don't accept sales inquiries in-person or over the phone while we're helping customers -- the answer to those will always be "No." 

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MISCELLANEOUS FAQs

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I tired to mail you something but it got returned. What's up?

It seems like you didn't follow the guidelines! We can't accept USPS deliveries at our store due to arcane small town reasons. You can send us FedEx, UPS, and email, though.

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What's your return policy?

Anything special-ordered or purchased online is final sale, but if you bought something while browsing our in-store selection you can return it within 7 days if it's still in sellable condition. All gifts (with gift receipt) can be returned within 30 days. If you received something damaged in shipping, let us know and we'll see what we can do. If you chose an insured shipping method we can send a replacement for no additional charge.

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Do you have a loyalty program?

Yes, and it's great! When you buy 10 full-priced books we will send you a store credit in the amount of your average purchase price. (This is our "Buy 10, Get One Free" deal.) Books ordered online with free shipping don't count towards your reward (that is considered a discount). Your rewards never expire and we keep track of your progress forever. In-store customers have to opt-in with an email address, while customers ordering online are automatically enrolled.

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Can I sell you my used books?

No, we only sell new books. There are several fantastic used and antiquarian booksellers in our area you can try, though. Just Google those terms and you should find them right away. 

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Are you hiring?

Not at the moment, and when we are it's typically for occasional shifts rather than a set schedule. If this sounds like it might work for you and you have publishing, retail, or customer service experience, fill out our online form here and we'll hang on to it should the need arise.