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
- 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.
- Acceptable (reading copy) — Rough around the edges — noticeable wear, 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 — a full refund, with return shipping on us. Just reply to your order confirmation email.