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Special Book Orders Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How do I place a special order for a book you don't normally stock?
  2. What information do I need to place an order?
  3. What do you mean by all special orders are "firm"?
  4. How long before my book arrives?
  5. Why would it take so long?
  6. What will my book cost?
  7. How will I know when my book has arrived?
  8. Why would I not get my book?

1. How do I place a special order for a book you don't normally stock?

Please call us (ext. 22630) or email us giving us as much information as you can. Once your request is received, we will check the item and advise you on availability, price, freight costs, expected delivery and other pertinent information.

2. What information do I need to place an order?

To special order a book, we need to know important details including:

  • Title
  • Author
  • Publisher
  • ISBN
  • Hardcover or paperback.

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3. What do you mean by all special orders are "firm"?

Special orders may be books that we don't stock on a regular basis so they cannot be cancelled, returned or exchanged. After you have placed your special order, we may ask for you to supply a method of payment before we initiate your order. Rest assured, you won't be charged until the goods come in.

4. How long before my book arrives?

Depending on where we need to source the book a special order may take two business days to eight weeks to arrive.

5. Why would it take so long?

Books often arrive very quickly however there may be delays due to:

  • The publisher or distributor is out of stock.
  • It is necessary to import the book directly from a U.S. or British publisher.
  • Some publishers have stringent minimum order requirements, in some cases as much as 25 books. We may have to accumulate other orders to meet this minimum.

Keep in mind the book trade is a complex industry, with over 2 million English language books in print from tens of thousands of publishers, ranging from large multi-nationals to self-published authors. This can add an element of unpredictability to almost any order.

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6. What will my book cost?

Although most of our bibliographic sources are current, publishers do change prices without notice. So we can't guarantee the price quoted for the book you ordered.

Since many of the books sold in Canada are imported, fluctuating exchange rates contribute to this situation. American and British books have Canadian prices that reflect the conversion rate to the American dollar and the British pound.

The price of your special order can also be affected by postage or shipping costs charged by the publisher.

7. How will I know when my book has arrived?

You will receive an email notification when your book arrives. You are always welcome to email, call or visit the store to inquire about your order.

8. Why would I not get my book?

Sometimes we are simply unable to obtain a book. While every effort is made, some situations are out of our control. For example:

  • The book may be out of print. This can occur even if there is a listing for the book in our bibliographic sources.
  • The publisher has declared the book to be out of stock indefinitely. While not officially out of print, the publisher no longer has copies available and has not made a decision to reprint.
  • There are no Canadian rights for the book. Even if a British and/or American edition has been published, the copyright may not permit this book to be legally sold in Canada.

If there is difficulty obtaining your book we notify you immediately.

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