Half Price Books — Local services in Saint Paul

Today I took 14 paper bags of books to the store to receive a buy offer. I called earlier in the week and they told me that any children’s books that they did not buy would be donated. When I dropped the bags, they told me it would be a few hours and would call me with an offer. They asked me if I was likely to take the offer, and I said yes. When I returned I saw hundreds of children’s books in the dumpster. Many books I had brought in. Before I had the opportunity to take or decline the offer, they had already chosen to recycle my books. I had no choice, but to take the offer. For the amount offered, I would have preferred to take my books back. Ike, the assistant manager, only apologized for the miss information and processing my books prior to formally excepting the offer. When I asked them why children’s books were not donated, he told me that they currently do not have any requests for books from schools or other organizations so they had nowhere to donate the books. I am totally flabbergasted as I have dealt with half-price books for decades, even the flagship store in Dallas. Never have I seen such a total disregard for books and literacy opportunities for children. I will not be doing business with half price...

I used to like this place. I went today to sell some books as I am moving and this location was particularly horrible.

It was a very busy day but employees were talking over customers about religious Netflix shows from across the store (register to the book buy area) which I thought was a little inappropriate.

Then they called my middle name instead of my first name and when I told them that wasn't my name (after 20 minutes of standing in front of the counter) the guy at the book buy counter says "okay. i didn't put it in." so I ask "can you change it in your system then because this is not my name"

(keep in mind they check your ID when you sell books and that when I have sold books there in the past my name had always been correct so dude was being rude about a glitch in HPB's system or an employee error)

when I asked him to change it he just said "okay" and didn't ask me my name so I spelled it for him and said it out loud. He didn't write it down.

Whatever dude was working the book buy counter today(8/31/18) at around 2pm needs retraining on customer service. I'm happy I'm moving away from this HPB's area. It was enough to ruin every other pleasant experience I've had there...

This (Highland Park) HPB is the absolute worse place to bring your items to sell!

I took a bag full of books (adult, children and a cook book or 2) as well as variety of DVDS, a couple BLU-RAY, CD'S and even a Vinyl record hopefully to sell.

The offer, $1.50! Are you kidding? I asked which item were they interested in buying. He said it was for ALL OF IT. Was this a joke? I've sold to other HPB locations and they have always returned any items they were NOT interested in purchasing to me so that I may donate them myself to Free Little Library stands around my neighborhood. "NO! That is NOT HPB's policy!" I was rudely told by the old guy with grey hair.

I have read the HOW TO on HPB'S website and it DOES NOT say they TAKE ALL of your items! It does say they will donate or recycle items deemed unworthy of selling.

OBVIOUSLY I left without the ABSURDLY INSULTING OFFER for my items and I ABSOLUTELY MOST DEFINITELY WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND HIGHLAND PARK HPB. (I would have NOT given them 1 ⭐ but you have to give a star to post a review.)

St. Louis Park and Roseville are MUCH better...