For most UK buyers, World of Books and AwesomeBooks are the safest starting points for pre-owned textbooks, with eBay, AbeBooks and Amazon close behind when you need a particular edition. What separates them is less about price and more about what other customers say, what happens if the book is wrong, and how honestly condition is described.
That is how this comparison works. For each site we look at its review reputation, its returns position and the way it grades used stock. Then we flag the one weakness worth knowing before you order a book you need for an assignment or exam.
1. World of Books
Reviews: widely reviewed by UK customers and familiar to most students. Returns: there is a set process for items that are not as described. Condition: stock is sorted into grades, so you know roughly what to expect. Best for buyers filling several reading-list gaps in one order. Weakness: you buy a grade rather than a specific copy, so two books at the same grade can look quite different on arrival.
2. AwesomeBooks
Reviews: rated Excellent on Trustpilot at 4.7 out of 5, from more than 33,000 reviews. Service: email queries are answered within 24 hours, orders are dispatched within 24 hours and UK delivery is free. Condition: each used listing states its condition, and many copies are like new. Best for cost-conscious buyers who like that each purchase funds a donated book. Weakness: availability of an exact edition changes from day to day, so confirm the ISBN and edition first and rely on the listing for condition.
3. eBay
Reviews: every seller has a public feedback record, which is the main trust signal. Returns: the eBay Money Back Guarantee covers items that do not match the listing. Condition: written by the individual seller, usually with photos. Best for current-edition textbooks sold on by last year’s students. Weakness: descriptions range from careful to careless, so message the seller if anything is unclear.
4. AbeBooks
Reviews: seller ratings appear on each listing. Returns: set partly by each bookseller, so read them before paying. Condition: independent dealers often write the most detailed notes of any site here, covering binding, markings and ex-library stamps. Best for older or specialist editions. Weakness: overseas sellers can mean slower and dearer delivery to the UK.
5. Amazon (used listings)
Reviews: seller ratings sit next to each used offer. Returns: Amazon’s returns route applies to most orders, which many buyers find reassuring. Condition: standard labels from Like New down to Acceptable, plus a short seller comment. Best for speed when a deadline is close. Weakness: Acceptable can mean heavy wear, so read the comment rather than trusting the label alone.
6. Better World Books
Reviews: an established used-book seller with a social mission that includes donating books. Returns: check the terms at checkout. Condition: graded used stock with short descriptions. Best for buyers who want a charitable angle and are flexible on edition. Weakness: some stock may ship from outside the UK, so look at the estimated delivery date before term starts.
7. Oxfam Online Shop
Reviews: the Oxfam name carries trust, though feedback on individual items is thin. Returns: standard online shop terms apply. Condition: listings carry a condition description, with the level of detail varying. Best for humanities and social science titles from donated stock, with proceeds supporting the charity. Weakness: textbook depth is limited, so it rarely covers a whole reading list.
8. Biblio
Reviews: a marketplace of independent booksellers with ratings for each seller. Returns: per-seller policies. Condition: dealer-written notes, often precise. Best as a cross-check when AbeBooks has nothing suitable, particularly for older academic editions and scholarly titles from smaller dealers. Weakness: many sellers are outside the UK, which adds delivery cost and time, so check the shipping location first.
What to compare before you pay
- The number of reviews behind a seller’s score, not only the star average.
- Who pays return postage if the book arrives in the wrong edition.
- What each grade means on that site. One seller’s Very Good is another’s Good.
- The ISBN and edition, especially for professional syllabus texts.
- Whether extras such as CDs or access codes are included. With used copies they usually are not.
Pick two sites from the top half of this list and compare the same ISBN on both. If the cheaper copy has a vague condition note or unclear returns, the slightly dearer one is usually the better buy.
