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What do the different book conditions mean?
What do the different book conditions mean?

A quick guide to the different conditions for books on PangoBooks for buyers and sellers.

Dan avatar
Written by Dan
Updated over a week ago

When making a listing on PangoBooks you'll be asked to select a condition. Our conditions range from Poor at the bottom to New at the top. Here's a description of what each means. If you are unsure about the condition of the book you are selling, don't hesitate to reach out to our support team for help.

  • New: Books in New condition have never been read and are exactly as they come from the publisher. This condition is intended mostly for professional book retailers and distributors, and folks selling self-published books directly. New condition books should be unopened, flawless, and still in protective packaging where applicable. When a buyer buys a book in New condition on PangoBooks, they are expecting to receive a book as though they bought it new from a book store. If you have a book that is flawless but you’ve opened or read it at all, it does not qualify as New.

  • Like New: Like New condition is intended for books on your shelves that are more or less the same as a new book from a retailer. Like New condition books should show no signs of wear on the pages or cover, and be completely free of any markings, folds, notes, or other signs of use. If you bought a new copy of a book and read it once very gently, or maybe just opened and paged through it a bit, it can count as Like New. If there are any signs of use or you are unsure, classify it as “Excellent” instead.

  • Excellent: Books in Excellent condition are still in great shape overall but can show signs of having been read. These books may not be quite as “crisp” as those in Like New condition but are still free of any obvious defects. Excellent condition books should also be free of any notes, highlights, dog-ears or damage to the spine. If you have a book with a miniscule issue or two but that you would still consider as Excellent, be sure to describe the specifics in your PangoBooks listing.

  • Good: Good condition books may have some flaws or signs of wear, but nothing that affects the book’s readability. Old library copies with added outer sleeves or markings on the inside cover can qualify as Good, as well as books with some bends in the corners or mild cracks in the spine. Good condition books may also contain some notes in the margins or highlights, but if these sorts of markings are persistent throughout the book, it is likely better classified as Fair.

  • Fair: Books that exhibit obvious imperfections or damage but are still totally readable should be classified as Fair. Compared to Good condition books, those in Fair condition will be more outwardly worn with more severe cracks or bends, and with a higher number of markings and highlights. Additionally, books missing the original dust jacket should be listed in Fair rather than Good condition in most cases, especially for newer publications. While books in fair condition will have some damage, they still should have all pages intact. If the book is missing pages or literally falling apart, it should be classified as Poor instead of Fair.

  • Poor: Books in Poor condition will have major conditional problems and damage that will affect the readability of the book. A Poor condition book might have structural damage to its spine or even missing pages. When listing a book in poor condition be sure to communicate such issues in the description and include photos that make it clear to the buyer the state of the book they are buying. It is always better to be up front about issues with a book than to end up with a disappointed buyer once it sells.

PangoBooks asks that you take consideration when selecting the condition of a book. If an issue report is submitted by the buyer upon delivery, and our team determines that the condition of the book was misrepresented at the time of purchase, PangoBooks reserves the right to withhold earnings from misrepresented sales.

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