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Store Policies

Shipping Policy

Books may be picked up at our open shop or shipped directly to your home or work address.

All shipped orders must be Prepaid by a major credit card or by PayPal. Orders are usually processed within two business days. If there will be a significant delay in shipment of your order, we will contact you via email or telephone. All books will be shipped by the US Postal Service. Upon shipping your order, we will send you a shipment confirmation email and a tracking number.

The following table states our shipping rates within the United States:

Shipping Method Estimated delivery time Cost for first book Cost for each additional book
Media Mail 2–8 business days $6.00 $2.00
Priority Mail 1–3 business days $9.00 $2.00

International shipping rates and times will vary. Please contact us for a quote.

You are responsible for all customs fees, tariffs, and taxes associated with your shipment. For domestic orders, any applicable sales tax will be applied at checkout.

Any questions may be addressed to us by phone at 314-968-4491, by email, or with our contact form.

Return Policy

Our general policy is that sales are final. However, returns of online orders will be accepted within two weeks of your receipt of an item for reasons of damaged merchandise, incorrect merchandise received, or an order placed by mistake. Contact us by email to authorize a return. If the return is the result of a customer mistake, shipping costs may not be refunded.

To be eligible for a return, your merchandise must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. Returns should be sent to our store at 7352 Manchester Road, Maplewood, MO 63143. Discounted or sale items and gift cards are not eligible for return or refund. Books purchased in the store may be returned for store credit within 48 hours, but will not be refunded with cash.

Social Distancing

We have reopened for daily browsing and walk-ins. Face masks are optional. We thank you for your courtesy and consideration of others. Curbside pickup is also available.

Donations, Purchases and Appraisals

The Book House does not buy used books from individuals. Book donations are accepted on behalf of the non-profit Second Chapter Center. Donations are tax-deductible and can be dropped off at the store during business hours. All donated books should be clean and packed in boxes or bags. We generally cannot use ex-library books, textbooks, old encyclopedias, or magazines, including National Geographic or old issues of Playboy. (This gets asked a lot!)

Appraisals are done by the store owner, Michelle Barron, for a fee of $95 an hour ($50 minimum). To schedule an appraisal, please contact us.