In this article, we dive into Wordery.com, a UK-based online bookstore that emerged as a pleasant surprise during my quest for Amazon alternatives.
Discovering Wordery.com
Wordery.com caught my attention during my extensive research for non-Amazon affiliated bookstores with reasonable prices and broad shipping options. The first thing I always do is ensure the site isn’t linked to or owned by Amazon. Wordery’s ‘About Us’ section narrates a story of a friendship-driven business, founded by five friends with over 40 years of experience in the book trade. Their goal was to create a platform offering a vast selection of books with low prices and free delivery worldwide.
The Wordery Story
Wordery’s story is engaging, detailing its inception in 2012 with a commitment to reading and accessibility. Despite this engaging narrative, I needed to confirm their independence from Amazon. A quick Google search revealed that Wordery was acquired by Blackwells, another online bookstore I’ve covered in this series. This connection to Blackwells, a service I’ve consistently used and trusted, was a reassuring discovery.
Navigating Wordery.com
Wordery’s website features bestsellers, new books, trending books, and even a “BookTok Made Me Buy It” category. Searching specific titles like ‘Dominicana’ is straightforward, but navigating through categories can be challenging. For example, the ‘BookTok’ section didn’t seem to list relevant titles prominently. Another issue I encountered was finding fiction titles in the non-fiction section, which was confusing.
Delivery and Shipping
Wordery offers free worldwide delivery, but digging deeper into their FAQ section reveals a list of specific countries they ship to, mainly in Europe, the US, Japan, and Australia. It’s important to note that while they advertise worldwide shipping, it isn’t truly global.
My Experience with Wordery
I placed an order for ‘Dominicana’ and another book, ‘Heaven’. The checkout process revealed minor price changes based on country, likely due to currency differences rather than shipping costs. The books were dispatched quickly and arrived in Portugal in just 11 days, which is impressively fast compared to my usual experience with Blackwells.
Packaging and Delivery
Interestingly, the packaging from Wordery resembled that from Blackwells, suggesting they might share a warehouse. Comparing prices between the two sites, I found Wordery often cheaper, albeit by a small margin.
Conclusion
Overall, my experience with Wordery.com was highly positive. The site offers a viable alternative to Amazon, with competitive prices and efficient shipping. Although their global reach isn’t as extensive as advertised, for those in the countries they do serve, Wordery is definitely worth trying out.