FAQ's - Elizabeth's Bookshop

Online Shopping FAQ

Is your website secure?

YES! Elizabeth’s Bookshops – Safe Shopping Guarantee

At Elizabeth’s Bookshops, we value your privacy and security. We aim to make your online shopping experience as safe and hassle-free as possible.

Our website uses 256 bit SSL security provided by Sectigo Limited. This means that your credit card details are transferred safely between your computer and our payment gateway provider PayStream Australia Pty Ltd. You credit card details are never stored within our website or database.

Shipping Rates & Policy

Shipping within Australia

Within Australia customers have the choice between Red Parcel Post and Express Post.

PLEASE NOTE: This is based on the item being within the Australia Post weight range (up to 5 kgs) and fitting in the standard post bags.

Postage cost to your shipping address will appear on your order for approval before you confirm payment.

Some books may be too large or too heavy for standard Australia Post and we will need to contact you re extra postage costs.

COVID-19 Impact

There may be some delays in delivery of purchases due to COVID restrictions, especially overseas. We are doing our best to minimise impact of these.

Overseas Orders

Postage cost to your shipping address will appear on your order for approval before you confirm payment.

For additional costs, we will always obtain your approval before debiting your account.

Returns Policy

Your satisfaction is very important to us. If you are not 100% happy with your purchase, we’re happy to refund the full purchase price, minus postage and insurance costs.

Simply return the product in its original condition within one month of your original invoice date, and we will arrange for your reimbursement.

Refunds Policy

If we have sent you the wrong book, or it has been incorrectly described, we will happily refund your order!

For Australian orders, we will also send you a pre-paid satchel to return the book to us.
For overseas orders, we will deal with it fairly on a case-by-case basis.

Condition of Books

Books are described according to this hierarchy of condition. (Best Quality to Poorest Quality)

NEW – Applies only to genuinely new items straight from publisher, or Unused and Unmarked Imported Books.
AS NEW – May apply to Unused Imported Books or be exactly that – “as new”.
MINT – Applies to New Book, Unused Imported Book or Secondhand Book in exceptionally crisp condition.
VERY FINE – Applies to Unused Imported Book or Secondhand Book in excellent, unmarked condition.
FINE – Applies to Unused Imported Book or Secondhand Book in excellent condition, with possibly very minor show of use.
VG+ Very Good Plus – Better than run-of-the-mill condition for this item.
VERY GOOD – Most common Secondhand category. A used book showing acceptable signs of wear for a secondhand book. Obviously used, but in very collectible condition.
GOOD – Applies to Secondhand book showing acceptable signs of wear, but ranking below “Very Good”! (Note: On many other websites “Good” = “Not very good at all!”).
FAIR – Rates below “Good” and above “Poor”.
POOR – Applies to Secondhand book showing serious signs of wear and tear. It may be a scarce title not available in a better format.
READING COPY – Applies to Secondhand book with very serious wear or damage. Only buy it to read it, not to add to your collection!
“May have small remainder mark” – Imported titles sometimes have a texta dot or stripe on the side of the book.
“May show minor warehouse wear” – Imported titles sometimes have light scuffing of the covers or edges from transport or shelving.

Also note Dustjackets may be in different condition from the book. Where relevant, they are described separately. For example, a “Fine” book may be inside a “Dustjacket showing Edgewear”.

For further information on grading of books, go to: http://www.booksellerworld.com/grading-conditionguide.htm

Our Online Book Catalogue

Why don’t you have a database of all the books in stock?

We do get this question frequently, sometimes from quite irritated customers. And we do try not to be rude in our response.

It’s simple: Over our 4 stores, we stock 400,000+ titles. (Not books, but titles!) Even if we had the technology (which we don’t) to track them in real time as incoming and outgoing stock, our cheapest quote to database them (is that a verb?) in a logistically usable fashion is in excess of $100,000.

So, sorry guys, but you’ll have to live with it!

Our staff are VERY good at knowing what we’ve got in stock. But they are not connected to a mouse.

We have always seen second hand book searching as being NOT about the books you are looking for, but about the books you FIND!

Keep an open mind and grow. 😊

We Buy Books

We are always interested in purchasing good quality second-hand books from the public although at the moment we are packed to the rafters with good quality stock.

Therefore, if you are interested in selling your books to us be aware that we are being very selective in regards to the quality of the titles that we are taking in.

Please call us on one of the numbers below, so we can explain our (currently very restricted) buying criteria and procedure. Unfortunately, we cannot give valuations or even estimates on the phone.

Please do not send us detailed lists with images, etc. Unless we specifically ask you for them, we cannot buy from lists. Please just give us a call, so we can explain our current buying criteria (which change as our stock changes) and procedure.

Current wants include: Recent Bestseller and Literary Fiction, History and Military History, Comics and Graphic Novels, WICCA, Esoteric, Science, Artbooks, Fashion, Philosophy, Penguin Books (Orange, Grey, Black) Motoring, Music, Sailing, True Crime.

Other categories of Wants change on a day-to-day basis, so please check with us.

In WA, please contact Elizabeth’s Warehouse at 23 Queen Victoria Street, Fremantle. Please phone: (08) 9433 3236 before bringing them in.

In NSW, please contact Elizabeth’s Bookshop Newtown Branch at 257 King Street, Newtown. please phone (02) 9550 5691 before bringing them in.

Book Donations

If you simply want to dispose of your books, but hate throwing them away…

Yes, WE ACCEPT DONATIONS. We will find a good home for them (As long as it’s not swapping your rubbish bin for our rubbish bin).

At the Quarry Street entrance our Fremantle Warehouse is a “Donations” trolley. Please place your donations in there. If you have a larger quantity, come inside and let a staff member know and they will be happy to help you out.

Current wants include: Recent Bestseller and Literary Fiction, Science Fiction, Children’s Books (but they must be in excellent condition!), Comics, Artbooks, Penguin Books (Orange, Grey, Black), Philosophy, Motoring, Music, Sailing, True Crime, Titles on Reading Lists (but not textbooks per se).

In WA, please call our warehouse (23 Queen Victoria Street, Fremantle) on (08) 9433 3236.
In NSW, please call our Newtown branch (257 King Street, Newtown) on (02) 9550 5691.

Jobs at Elizabeth’s Bookshop

How can I apply for a job at Elizabeth’s Bookshops?

We are always interested in hearing from people who would like to join the Elizabeth’s Bookshops team.

We also are happy to accept applications from people at any time – whether we currently have a vacancy or not.

If your application looks promising, we actually DO contact you before advertising. (Hint: Being a customer and charming the staff is NOT a wasted effort!)

Because of the lengthy training and required experience programme in becoming a book dealer at Elizabeth’s, we usually require a minimum 18 months commitment to the job. (And preferably a lot longer!)

Persons with an interest in a long term career leading to management positions are also encouraged to apply.

Thank you very much for your interest in joining our Elizabeth’s Bookshops’ team!

We may not have any current vacancies, but that can change very quickly.

First of all, please send us your CV and cover letter to admin@elizabethsbookshop.com.au.

Secondly, at your convenience, please pop into the Warehouse (23 Queen Victoria Street, Fremantle WA)) or the King Street Newton shop (NSW) and fill out our Questionnaire / Book Test for applicants.

7 days a week, anytime from 10:30am to 4:00pm. (It takes about 30-40 minutes to complete.)

It is not a pass / fail test – it’s designed to give a profile of your likely strengths and weaknesses as a potential bookdealer with us.

It does, however, place quite a heavy emphasis on book knowledge and History….

PLEASE NOTE: Previous bookshop experience and/or really good book knowledge are a prerequisite for this application to progress further.

Please bring a hard copy of your CV to attach and check your likely availability times for shifts to write into the questionnaire. (Check any university timetables, etc.)

If possible, please let us know when you are likely to come in to do the questionnaire.

There is some additional information below.

Thank you for thinking of us!

Best wishes,

Dixie Clementine

Administrator

Elizabeth’s Bookshops

WA: Administration and Warehouse Bookshop,

23 Queen Victoria Street, Fremantle 6160

Ph 08 94333236

NSW: 257 King Street, Newtown 2042

Ph 02 95505691

Browse our website: https://www.elizabethsbookshop.com.au/

IF APPLYING FOR WORK AT ELIZABETH’S BOOKSHOPS, PLEASE NOTE:

In WA, Shifts are at the Perth and Fremantle shops.
Shifts will include some late night shifts (until 11.00pm) at the South Terrace and King Street, Newtown branches.
We require an 18 month commitment (due to length of training involved)

WE ARE LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO

Are bright, bubbly, outgoing, enthusiastic, energetic… (And have a sense of humour!)
LOVE books and have good book knowledge. (There is a bit of a “book test” to complete.)
Have some retail or hospitality experience and excellent customer skills
Have reasonable knowledge of history, culture and current events

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