Frequently Asked Questions

We upload books weekly for our 'Tuesday Book Drop' at 8pm every Tuesday. These books are a mix of fiction and non-fiction for all ages, but primarily feature adult and young adult books.

We update our children's book range once a month on the first Saturday of the month.

In addition, we do monthly 'special drops' which range in theme from Classics, to Non-Fiction, to Fantasy.

You can find the newest uploads under 'Shop New' or browse Bargain and Clearance titles here. 

All of our books are listed with a "grade" so you can easily determine the quality or condition of the book. In addition, each listing has specific details about the actual book you are buying, as well as a photo of the actual book you are buying.

We endeavour to be extra cautious and transparent in this process, as we know difficulties of buying something second hand online. For this reason, you will often find you receive a book in better condition than expected!

A - Near New: A copy that has been read, but remains in excellent condition. Pages are intact and are not marred by notes or highlighting but may contain a neat previous owner name. The spine remains undamaged, but books have been opened and read

B - Good: A copy that has been read but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact. The spine and cover may show signs of wear such as creases from reading. The copy can include "From the library of" labels or previous owner inscriptions.

C - Well Read: A readable copy. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact (the dust cover may be missing). Pages can include considerable notes--in pen or highlighter--but the notes cannot obscure the text.

We source our books from multiple places, including donations, book fairs, op shops, and through our waste minimisation partners. This ensures we have an ever changing range of books for you to browse and discover. 

As we grow, we are always on the hunt for more books to rehome. If you would like to donate books to us, please get in contact.

We cannot stress how much we appreciate book donations, small or large! Donations allow us to keep our prices low, while also being able raise funds for local charities through our monthly fundraisers. 

We can arrange drop off or collection for local donations (Hamilton/Waikato). 

For donations further afield, we will arrange courier pick up from your door - all you have to do is box them up and let us know when they are ready! 

Please contact us to chat further. 

We can accept payment by debit/credit card, PayPal or internet banking. For faster processing, we suggest emailing confirmation of internet banking payment (a screenshot is perfect!) after ordering. 

We also offer digital gift cards!

We have two flat rates for shipping to make it as easy (and cost effective) as possible.

$7 for up to 5 books
$12 for as many books as you want 

Please note we do not charge extra for rural delivery - we believe books should be equally accessible to all no matter where you live.

Your order will be processed and packed for shipping within 48 hours and sent via tracked courier.

Most orders will be delivered in 2-3 working days (excluding peak times) but rural and South Island deliveries can take up to 4 days. If you place your order on a weekend day, it will be shipped the following Monday.

Yes! All of our orders are shipped in cardboard packaging (often reused/repurposed) and paper tape, or home compostable shipping bags. We strive to be as zero waste as possible, so aside from the compostable shipping bag, the only waste produced in packaging your order is a packing slip and the shipping label - both of which are compostable! 

As we do not use plastic, please ensure you have somewhere weatherproof for your package to be left. For information on how to compost these products, please visit the Better Packaging Co website.

If you have any issues with your order, please contact us in the first instance at sales@booksforless.co.nz and we will work with you to solve any problems. We do not offer change of mind returns, as we endeavour to be as transparent as possible in the book listing so you know exactly what you are getting.

Our full return policy can be accessed here.