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, and each book’s details are on its page, sometimes towards the bottom. The physical format is listed next to the title in parentheses. 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 type a specific title or author in the search field, the site will give you what you need! 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 that appears after clicking "Browse Print Books" at the top of the screen. 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 “A Secret History” but you type “A Hidden History,” it won't work. 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 at our store on Main Street will say "On Our Shelves Now."

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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 (no longer available) or backordered (temporarily unavailable). If you see any unusual status message, drop us a line and we'll investigate! 

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ORDER FULFILLMENT​ 

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How long will it take to complete my order?

If you need something right away we suggest ordering books that say "On Our Shelves Now," which will be ready same-day. Titles that say "Ships in 1-5 Business Days" come to us within that time frame (not including weekends, holidays, or days that we're closed). If your order is time-sensitive, let us know and we'll see what we can do to meet your needs.    

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If I ordered something for shipping, how long will it take to arrive?

Same timing as above, but remember to add the estimated ship time for your chosen shipping method when estimating! Shipping takes longer than in-store pick-up.

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Will it be faster if I pay for expedited shipping?

Yes, but we can't speed up the processing time. Even expedited orders may take several business days for us to get into the mail if they aren't currently in stock. 

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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?

Delivery is fun and convenient, but slow! We run our delivery routes once a week, so 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 we promise it won’t be charged until we 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 might be typing your info in the "New Account Details" field at the top of the Checkout page. Try entering it in the "Customer Information" field instead and you should be good! You can also log in right away on the home page by clicking "My Account" at the top of the page (or right here, since you're here!). This is also where you reset your password if you need to.

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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. 
 

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 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 (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; if you're interested, please let us know and we'll tell you when it's up and running. 

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Do you sell audiobooks?

You can search for CD-format books on our online bookstore 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. Our streaming audiobooks are DRM-free but they are not compatible with competing apps and devices, due to the horrors of capitalism. 

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What about flowers?

Just head to the flower order form here and we'll get back to you with a confirmation shortly! 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, often from our own micro-farm. You can see sample sizes and price ranges here. We sometimes have a selection of grab-and-go bouquets at the store if you're feeling serendipitous! At the moment we aren't set up to fulfill same-day flower orders but we love advance orders! 

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How about cards/candles/chocolate, etc.?

The best way to shop for these is to stop by and browse, but drop us a line if you'd like to put together a custom order or gift basket with extra fun stuff like that.

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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! 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 "Elite Mobile Bookstore Deployment," including cash register, 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. We don't accept sales inquiries in-person or over the phone while we're helping customers. 

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

Please do! Mailing instructions are posted here -- please pay close attention to the details! 

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MISCELLANEOUS FAQs

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I tried 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.