How we grade our books
Every book at The Stacks is hand-checked and graded before it goes on a shelf. The grade sits right on the listing, so you know exactly what shape your book is in before it ships.
Our grades
- New: Never read or owned by a reader. May show light shelf wear from a store or warehouse. New in Package means it's still sealed.
- Like New: Looks unread. Clean cover, tight spine, crisp pages. You'd have to look closely to tell it's secondhand.
- Very Good: Light shelf wear on the cover or edges, but nothing more. No writing, no highlighting, spine intact.
- Good: A well-read copy with honest wear: a creased spine, softened corners, maybe a previous owner's name inside the cover. Complete and fully readable.
- Fair (reading copy): Rough around the edges, with noticeable wear and possible markings, but every page is there and the story works fine. Priced accordingly.
If a listing simply says Used, it means the book grades Good or better; ask us and we'll happily send photos of the exact copy.
Our promise
If a book arrives in worse condition than we described, we'll make it right with a full refund, including what you paid for shipping. If we need the book back, we'll cover return shipping. Just email us within 14 days of delivery with your order number and a photo. For other returns, see our Refund Policy.