BooksDirect

Help Desk

All prices listed on BooksDirect are in Australian dollars (including those books that are sourced from overseas).

'Your Price' is typically 10%, 20% or 30% off the Recommended Retail Price (we discount EVERY book).

Imported books are priced depending on the current exchange rate from the country of origin and include the cost of importation.

Prices and stock availability may differ from the information displayed on the BooksDirect website. If the price and/or availability changes, we will contact you prior to finalisation of your order.

Goods and Services Tax (GST)
For Australian customers, all prices listed on the website are inclusive of Australian Goods and Services Tax (GST). A Tax Invoice is provided to all purchasers in the form of a PDF attachment to the Order Confirmation email, which is dispatched shortly after an order has been placed.

Freight costs
Freight costs are not included in the book price. Freight costs are added to your order at the checkout stage.

Duties and Taxes for Overseas Orders
The customer is responsible for ensuring that the product can be lawfully imported to the destination country. Orders that are shipped to countries outside of Australia may be subject to import taxes, customs duties and fees levied by the destination country. The recipient of an international shipment may be subject to such import taxes, customs duties and fees, which are levied once a shipment reaches your country. Additional charges for customs clearance must be borne by the recipient; we have no control over these charges and cannot predict what they may be. Customs policies vary widely from country to country; you should contact your local customs office for further information.
Availability and Unavailability
Some books on the BooksDirect website are not carried in direct stock and need to be ordered in from our network of suppliers in Australia and overseas. There are well over 5 million titles that are 'in print' at any one time, and it is not viable for a business such as ours to hold them all in stock at once.

Expected delivery times for each book are displayed in the 'Availability' information when a title is viewed on the website. Customers should refer to the 'Availability' information prior to placing an order to ensure that the delivery time frame is suitable and understand that this is an expected time frame given the information provided to us from the publishers..

Generally, titles in stock in Australia are shipped within 7-10 days of order (depending on stock availability). Books sourced from the United States are shipped in 8-11 days (depending on stock availability) and books sourced from the United Kingdom are shipped in 10-12 days (depending on stock availability).

We do our best to estimate the shipping date for all books however we do not guarantee that the estimate is the date that it will be shipped, as this depends on a title's availability. Please note that expected delivery times are dependent upon the supplier's advice to us about the availability of the book. On occasions this advice can be inaccurate, resulting in delays or, in some circumstances, unavailability.

In the event that a book cannot be supplied, we will contact you as soon as possible and advise you of the book's unavailability. A refund will be supplied within 72 hours of notification, via the same method as the initial payment was made.

Provision of Overseas Titles
BooksDirect sources titles from within Australia and overseas. Users of this website agree that books purchased from overseas sources are for private use only.

Back Order Books
Occasionally books appear on the BooksDirect website that are currently unavailable or out-of-print. Should you order a title that is currently unavailable, we will hold your order on back order until this is confirmed by our supplier. If the supplier indicates that the book cannot be fulfilled, we will cancel your order, refund your payment and notify you by email.

Order Status Updates
After you have placed an order, you will receive an email each time the status of a book changes. Here is an explanation of the various book statuses:

Payment pending - Your order has been placed, but we are waiting for payment. Please note that funds must clear (Paypal, BPay, Direct Deposit, Cheque or Money Order) before an order is confirmed.
Sourcing - The book is being sourced from a supplier. Many titles are held in direct stock but other books need to be sourced from a publisher or distributor. Most books are dispatched from our warehouse within 7-10 days of order, however, this depends on the where the book is sourced from. Books sourced from overseas can take longer to arrive. The date on your Order Status Update email indicates when we expect your book to be dispatched to you.
Ready to Dispatch - The book is ready to dispatch to you, but we are waiting on other books on your order to arrive from suppliers. Generally, we will wait until all books have arrived before dispatching them to you. If you would like us to send your book(s) immediately, please contact us via our online contact form.
Back order - The book is not available immediately, but the publisher has indicated that it should be available in the near future. The book will be dispatched to you as soon as it becomes available. The date provided on your Order Status Update email indicates when we expect your book to become available.
Not Yet Published - The book has not yet been published. We will source and dispatch the book to you as soon as it becomes available. The date provided on your Order Status Update email indicates when the book is published.
Cancelled - The book has either been cancelled at your request or it cannot be supplied. Accordingly, the book has been cancelled from the order and a refund has been processed.
Dispatched - The book has been dispatched from our Sydney warehouse to your delivery address. Depending on your location, the book should arrive within 2-4 days (within Australia). The Tracking ID number provided on your Order Status Update email can be used to track your parcel on the Australia Post website.
We currently accept the following payment methods:
  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Direct deposit / Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
  • Paypal
  • Australia Post money order
  • Purchase order (by application)
Credit Cards
Credit cards payments are processed in real-time by our 128-bit encrypted SSL secure server and payment gateway. Credit cards are charged immediately for all orders.

Please note that credit cards are debited immediately for security purposes and to reduce the prospect of fraud. If your book(s) are not available for any reason, your credit card will be refunded.

Direct Deposit / Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
If you wish to pay by Direct Deposit / EFT, select this option in the payment process and you will be provided with our bank account details and a reference code to use when making payment.

Please note that if you use this payment method, your order cannot be dispatched until your payment has been received. This may take up to 3 working days to clear.

Paypal
If you wish to pay by Paypal, select this option in the payment process and you will be asked to enter your Paypal account name and password.

If your Paypal payment fails for any reason (overseas customers often have difficulties due to Paypal's internal fraud mechanisms), it is still possible to make payment by using the 'Send Money' function in Paypal. Direct your payment to paypal@booksdirect.com.au. Once payment has been received, your order will be manually cleared for processing.

Cheque or Money Order
To pay using an Australia Post money order or personal/bank cheque, select this option in the payment process and you will be provided with a copy of your order to include with your money order or cheque.

Please note that if you use this payment method, your order cannot be processed until your payment has been confirmed. Note that it may take up to 5 working days for your cheque to clear AFTER we receive it in the post.

Money orders and cheques should be sent to:

BooksDirect
PO Box 357
FRENCHS FOREST NSW 2086

Purchase Order (Schools)
BooksDirect offers all schools a 30 day account for payment.

Need a Quote?
No problem, at the checkout enter all your school details, select account as payment method and select the QUOTE Checkbox.
Need a Quote?
No problem, at the checkout enter all your school details, select account as payment method and select the QUOTE Checkbox and complete the order - you will automatically receive a PDF quote.

We will not process the order until we have confirmation from you.

Order Cancellations

You may choose to cancel an entire order, or a book within an order, prior to fulfilment. We request that you contact us as soon as possible by telephone (02) 9457 1190 when you decide to cancel, so that we can cancel the order from our own suppliers if necessary.

You will be refunded the cost of the book/order shortly after cancellation. Refunds will be processed via the same method used to pay for the order (eg. the cancellation of an order paid for by Visa card, will result in a refund to that Visa card).

In the event that the item(s) have been dispatched to the customer, a credit or refund will only be processed upon return of the items to our warehouse. Refunds for cancellations of bulk orders, special publications and imported books will only be processed once the order has been confirmed cancelled with our supplier.

Returns - Bulk Orders, Special Publications and Imported Books

We do not permit the return of bulk orders - ie. quantities of more than 5 of the same book. Books purchased in quantities of greater than 5 units are supplied on a 'firm sale' basis only. Bulk Order terms are below in the Bulk Book Orders tab.

We do not permit the return of special publications, such as textbooks, or imported books as these are normally sourced on demand for specific needs and cannot be returned to the supplier or resold. These books are sold on a 'firm sale' basis only.

For any questions about 'firm sale' items, please contact our staff via telephone on (02) 9457 1190 or via our online contact form.

Returns - Damaged Books

We guarantee that new books purchased will reach you in mint condition. If you are not completely satisfied, please contact us within 14 days of receiving the item and advise us of the problem. Once you have contacted us, return the item within 21 days of receipt and we will refund the order total, replace the item or issue a credit for a subsequent purchase.

For damaged book returns, we will provide you with a 'reply paid' address label for sending the book back to us so that you do not incur postage costs.

Returns - Non-damaged Books

BooksDirect will accept returns of items (excluding bulk orders, special publications and imported books) with the original packing slip, within 21 days of purchase, as long as the item is in a resaleable condition. If you have no packing slip, please return the item with a copy of the order confirmation email you received when the order was placed.

DVDs, CDs and other items shipped sealed or shrink-wrapped must be returned in original sealed or shrink-wrapped condition. We cannot accept CDs or DVDs as returns, unless the goods are factory sealed and unused, or faulty.

For returns of non-damaged books, BooksDirect will issue a credit for a subsequent purchase. Please note that both the outbound postage cost ($8.50 within Australia) and return postage cost incurred by you are not refundable.

Instructions for returning books

Important - please advise our Customer Service team within 14 days of purchase that you intend to return a book for refund or replacement via telephone on (02) 9457 1190 or via our online contact form.

When returning items to us, please indicate the reason for your return on the reverse side of the packing slip and include the packing slip in the box. A refund, replacement or credit will only be provided upon receipt of the returned goods. For your protection, you may wish to send your return via insured parcel post. Please note that return postage costs incurred by you are not refundable.

Return Address
Please send all returns to:

BooksDirect
1/1 Minna Close
BELROSE, NSW, 2085
BooksDirect gladly accepts bulk book orders from individuals, schools, libraries and other organisations.

For once-off purchases, we are pleased to offer additional discount off the retail price on all orders that total more than $1000 (when the extra discount has been applied) for Australian customers only (NB. this excludes textbooks). It is recommended that customers contact us via our online contact form to determine the availability of the desired books and quote a special discount.

BooksDirect does not carry bulk quantities of every book listed and may need to be sourced from distributors. Upon receipt of your request, BooksDirect will provide prompt advice on quantities available and the expected timeframe for delivery.

Please note that all bulk orders are subject to a number of special terms and conditions, in addition to our standard terms of use:

  • A bulk order is defined as an individual order containing at least 5 copies of a single book.
  • Whilst BooksDirect will endeavour to supply bulk ordered books in a timely fashion, fulfilment is often dependent upon the distributor's existing stock levels (which fluctuate daily) and reprinting schedules. BooksDirect cannot guarantee delivery of books by a certain date and will not be held responsible for delays.
  • Payment must be made in advance for all bulk orders (except for approved account holders). Order processing will not commence until payment has been received in full.
  • Bulk orders are offered on a 'firm sale' basis only and returns are not permitted. This condition protects us from the inventory risk of carrying large quantities of a title that may not be readily saleable to other customers.
  • Bulk discounts are not applicable to textbook orders.
  • To receive the bulk order discount, please contact our Customer Service Team, via our online contact form and he will provide you with further instructions.

Delivery Times

Whilst many books on our website are in stock and ready to dispatch, the vast majority of books are not carried in stock and need to be ordered in from the supplier.

Expected delivery times for each book are displayed when a title is selected on the website. Generally, titles in stock in Australia are shipped within 7-10 business days of order (depending on stock availability). Books sourced from the United States are shipped in 8-11 business days and books sourced from the United Kingdom are shipped in 10-12 business days.

Prices and stock availability may differ from the information displayed on the BooksDirect website. If the price and/or availability changes, we will contact you prior to finalisation of your order.

We do our best to estimate a shipping date however we do not guarantee that the estimate is the date it will be shipped, as this depends on a title's availability. Please note that expected delivery times are dependent upon the publisher's advice about the availability of the book.

All books are disptached to customers from our Sydney fulfilment centre.

Standard Freight within Australia - eParcel

BooksDirect uses various freight companies to ship parcels (including Australia Post, Direct Freight and Hunter Express) for all deliveries within Australia. Our freight costs are very affordable, particularly if you purchase multiple books.

Australian customers are charged a flat postage and handling fee of $8.50 for orders under $100, $12.50 for orders under $300 and freight is free for orders over $300. Freight charges do not apply to subsequent backorders of the original order.

Orders over $300 in value are shipped free of charge within Australia.

When ordering, please ensure that your delivery address is correct. Normal delivery procedures for Australia Post and other couriers apply and BooksDirect cannot take responsibility for any orders that go missing due to incorrect delivery information provided by you. A Redelivery fee is applicable or if a shipped order is cancelled a restocking fee of $11.00 will be charged.

Express Post within Australia

BooksDirect offers Express Post within Australia on request. To have your books sent by Express Post, please proceed through our online check out and then contact us via our online contact form requesting Express Post for your order. We will arrange for additional costs to be charged to your credit card or other payment method.

Freight outside of Australia

Currently BooksDirect is not offering shipping outside Australia.

Non-receipt of a sent parcel

If a sent parcel has not been received by you please contact us via our online form.

BooksDirect cannot be held responsible for non-delivery in situations where the customer has entered incorrect or incomplete delivery address details. Please ensure that you enter your address details correctly and in full. We recommend that you double-check the delivery details displayed at the top of your Order Confirmation email after your order has been placed. Please Note: A Redelivery fee is applicable or if a shipped order is cancelled a restocking fee of $11.00 will be charged.

In situations where the correct address information has been provided and the book(s) have not been delivered, we need to raise an investigation with Australia Post. Once Australia Post confirms that a parcel has been lost in transit, we will either re-order and resend the order, or issue a refund.
BooksDirect respects your right to privacy under the Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth of Australia) and is required to comply with the National Privacy Principles in respect to the collection of personal information from individuals.

Use of Personal information
Be assured that we keep all personal information submitted to us in the strictest confidence. The information is stored on a secure server and is only used to process your order and for our own marketing purposes.

We do not rent or sell your personal information to any third party without your permission. However, we must fully cooperate should a situation arise where we are required by law to provide information about a customer.

Use of Credit Card Information
Credit cards payments are processed in real-time by our 128-bit encrypted SSL secure server and payment gateway. Credit cards are charged immediately.

We do not keep a record of your credit card information on our server. Credit card details are stored on systems provided by SecurePay, a fully accredited, Australian-based secure payments processing company.

Use of Email Addresses
BooksDirect will contact you via email in relation to orders that you place on our website (eg. order confirmation emails, order status updates) and you will automatically receive the weekly BooksDirect Bulletin email newsletter. Recipients of the Bulletin may choose to 'unsubscribe' from our mailing list by following the directions in the email.

BooksDirect will not use your e-mail address for any other purpose, and will not disclose it to other individuals or businesses, without your consent.

Use of Cookies
When you add books to your shopping cart or use our wishlist function, a small text file, known as a "cookie" is stored on your computer. This file contains unique information that allows the site to identify you. Cookies are used to make your shopping experience at BooksDirect easier.

To use our shopping cart, you will need to turn cookies on in your web browser. Please refer to your browser's help function if you are unsure how to do this.

Use of Tracking Code
BooksDirect uses Google Adwords campaigns to advertise its website. In order to measure the effectiveness of campaigns, BooksDirect has added tracking code to the payment page to determine the conversion rate for customers who emanate from an Adwords ad. This tracking does not affect the user experience in any way and personal information is not collected.

BooksDirect uses a number of analytics tools (including Google Analytics) to track website traffic and visitation. This tracking does not affect the user experience in any way and personal information is not collected.

Request for Personal Information Held by BooksDirect
If at any time you wish to know what information BooksDirect holds about you, then please contact us and we will provide you with the information. You can also see what personal details are held by BooksDirect by visiting My Account.

More Information
More information about Privacy law and the National Privacy Principles is available from the Federal Privacy Commissioner at http://www.privacy.gov.au.