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BookSwim.com

BookSwim.com is America's only hardcover/paperback online book rental service.  Utilizing the Netflix rental model, similar to GameFly and BagBorrowandSteal, BookSwim acts as a book rental library club.  They offer no due dates, no late fees and free home delivery with prepaid return bags.

BookSwim's rental plans range from 2 to 11 books at a time and from $14.99 to $35.99 monthly, with no limit on the number of rentals per month.

Founded in 2006 by NJIT graduates, George Burke and Shamoon Siddiqui, BookSwim has a strong focus on the environment.  Not only does BookSwim.com encourage book-renting as a great way to reduce the number of trees cut down each year for virgin paper, but they also plant a tree for every Gift Subscription sold, through a partnership with EcoLibris.

For consumers, BookSwim acts as a supplement to local libraries and a relief for those who live debilitatingly far from their nearest rural library.  With the cost of an average best-seller at over $22, BookSwim's rental plans are designed to save money over buying just one new book each month.

BookSwim also works with library systems and senior centers, providing multiple copies of new and popular books, as well as facilitating supplies for book discussion groups and summer reading programs.

BookSwim.com
MSRP $14.99
Release date April, 2007
Brand BookSwim
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Pros & Cons25
Reviews4
Details
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Competitors1
Comments1
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Pros & Cons

ProSCORE
4 reviews
69
negative
mixed
positive
2 positive
0 mixed
2 negative

[i] How is the ProSCORE calculated?

show me!

Pros:
Do you agree?
cheaper than buying books
+3agreedisagree

free shipping, both ways
+1agreedisagree

great customer service!
+1agreedisagree

easy to send/receive books
+1agreedisagree

try-before-you-buy option lets subscribers keep great books and send back the rest for free
+1agreedisagree

Bob Marley plays on hold with customer service
+1agreedisagree

I can add books I want to their catalog and they buy them for me
+1agreedisagree

new releases, popular bestsellers are usually available
+1agreedisagree

libraries can have long holds for popular fiction!
+1agreedisagree

has every book I want to read
0agreedisagree

no competitor has hardcovers, so BookSwim is my only option for new books
0agreedisagree

better hours than my 9-5 local library
0agreedisagree

better for the environment than buying new books
0agreedisagree

better for the environment than driving to the store/library each time I want a book
0agreedisagree

BookSwim plants trees to balance out ones cut down for paper
0agreedisagree

Cons:
Do you agree?
no audio books (real books, only)
+3agreedisagree

no textbooks
+2agreedisagree

Bad business plan
+1agreedisagree

Sophomoric corporate attitude
+1agreedisagree

Got the feeling I ws dealing with junior high school crowd
+1agreedisagree

No correct info on book swapping alternative.
+1agreedisagree

USPS shipping time to West Coast is slow
0agreedisagree

Do not have that many books
0agreedisagree

Shipping time is obscenely long
-1agreedisagree

HIDDEN CHARGES!!!!!
-1agreedisagree


4 people added to this review by submitting or voting on pros and cons. Add your say!

Details

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This report was started April 21, 2008 at 12:22 pm by indibulous
with the last edit occurring September 21, 2009 at 11:18 am by Fila
This page has been viewed 622 times, with 100 edits by 5 contributors.
See the full report history »

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Competitors

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Comments

1.  avatar Antique said:

Hey this guy Burke started the company. They never let me grade my papers in college, so what do you expect him to say about his own creation??? Call their customer service number and see if you don't agree that you are dealing with SOPHOMORIC MENTALITY. I got a gift certificate, got in, and gratefully got out. Very little value for money.
Jul 12, 2009 7:50pm
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Reviews

Sort by: Most helpful  •  Newest  •  Most positive

indibulous

avatar
April 21, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
81
negative
mixed
positive
13 pros
3 cons
trustedtrusted
love itlove it
have ithave it
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • cheaper than buying books
  • free shipping, both ways
  • great customer service!
  • easy to send/receive books
  • try-before-you-buy option lets subscribers keep great books and send back the rest for free
  • Bob Marley plays on hold with customer service
  • I can add books I want to their catalog and they buy them for me
  • has every book I want to read
  • no competitor has hardcovers, so BookSwim is my only option for new books
  • better hours than my 9-5 local library
  • better for the environment than buying new books
  • better for the environment than driving to the store/library each time I want a book
  • BookSwim plants trees to balance out ones cut down for paper

Cons

  • no audio books (real books, only)
  • no textbooks
  • USPS shipping time to West Coast is slow

Competitors

indibulous prefers BookSwim.com over Public Libraries
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Antique

avatar
July 12, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
17
negative
mixed
positive
1 pro
5 cons
trustedtrusted
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • cheaper than buying books

Cons

  • no audio books (real books, only)
  • no textbooks
  • Bad business plan
  • Sophomoric corporate attitude
  • Got the feeling I ws dealing with junior high school crowd

Comments

"Hey this guy Burke started the company. They never let me grade my papers in college, so what do you expect him to say about his own creation??? Call their customer service number and see if you don't agree that you are dealing with SOPHOMORIC MENTALITY. I got a gift certificate, got in, and gratefully got out. Very little value for money."
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

George Burke

avatar
July 11, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
89
negative
mixed
positive
8 pros
1 con
love itlove it
have ithave it
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • cheaper than buying books
  • great customer service!
  • easy to send/receive books
  • try-before-you-buy option lets subscribers keep great books and send back the rest for free
  • Bob Marley plays on hold with customer service
  • I can add books I want to their catalog and they buy them for me
  • new releases, popular bestsellers are usually available
  • libraries can have long holds for popular fiction!

Cons

  • no audio books (real books, only)

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Fila

avatar
September 21, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
0
negative
mixed
positive
0 pros
1 con

Pros

Did not agree with any pros

Cons

  • No correct info on book swapping alternative.

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

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