55
BookSwim.com
$15.00
Released April, 2007
The Pros:Cheaper than buying books. New releases, popular bestsellers are usually available. Libraries can have long holds for popular fiction!
The Cons:No audio books (real books, only). No textbooks. Sophomoric corporate attitude.
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.
User Reviews (7)
Pros & Cons
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3
cheaper than buying books
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2
new releases, popular bestsellers are usually available
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2
libraries can have long holds for popular fiction!
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1
Bob Marley plays on hold with customer service
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0
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0
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0
no competitor has hardcovers, so BookSwim is my only option for new books
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0
easy to send/receive books
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0
better hours than my 9-5 local library
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0
try-before-you-buy option lets subscribers keep great books and send back the rest for free
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0
better for the environment than buying new books
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0
better for the environment than driving to the store/library each time I want a book
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0
BookSwim plants trees to balance out ones cut down for paper
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0
I can add books I want to their catalog and they buy them for me
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-1
has every book I want to read
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3
no audio books (real books, only)
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2
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2
Sophomoric corporate attitude
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2
Got the feeling I ws dealing with junior high school crowd
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1
Shipping time is obscenely long
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1
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1
No correct info on book swapping alternative.
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0
USPS shipping time to West Coast is slow
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0
Do not have that many books
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-1
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Comments (1)
Antique:
#bookswim_com 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, 09
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