Books That Matter Reviews

Left in the dark! I still haven't gotten my stuff :(

I've been a fan of Books That Matter for nearly a year, and honestly, I think the recent negative feedback is a bit harsh. A lot of those reviews focus on the December boxes, which, sure, were delayed. I got mine in January, but they did mention in their emails that the team was out for the holidays from around December 16th to January 3rd. (If they’re not around, the boxes can’t be sent out, right?) Personally, I enjoyed getting my box in January; it was a nice surprise during what can be a pretty gloomy month.

Now, let’s talk about the books and the overall idea. I appreciate that they send me titles I wouldn’t typically pick out for myself at a bookstore, but I love broadening my reading experience! The selections are always by female authors, and the themes and book of the month are thoughtfully chosen. Plus, I adore the little extras you get, like a vegan treat, some stationery, or a bookmark.

They offer various subscription plans, so you can opt for monthly, 3, 6, or even 12 months. I was sweetly gifted a subscription in October for my birthday, but before that, I had purchased a monthly plan and a 3-month one.

Being a new business, they’re still figuring things out, just like any startup. But they’re putting in the effort, and I believe they’ll learn from their experiences and improve over time. I’d definitely suggest checking them out! :)

The idea behind this is fantastic, and I’d be more than happy to keep backing them, but their customer support is a total disaster. For the past two and a half months, I haven’t heard back from anyone regarding my questions, and I still haven’t gotten my last orders (which I placed at the start of November and December). Unfortunately, I won’t be shopping with them again.

I've never felt the need to share a review before, but honestly, I really want to support this company and what they're about. However, my faith in them has taken a hit.

I've tried ordering two one-off boxes, and both times the service has been a letdown. The first order took ages, and I had to chase them down through emails and social media just to find out where my package was. When it finally showed up, I was thrilled, so I decided to give it another shot before Christmas. Now, four weeks later and after five emails, I'm still in the dark about my order. All I've gotten are generic replies that don’t address my concerns at all.

I get that delays can happen, but the lack of decent customer service is just unacceptable. It feels like I'm being brushed off completely. They've pointed fingers at the postal service for the hold-up (even though I haven't received a dispatch email from BTM) and blamed me for not reading their messages closely enough. Turns out, they sent me the wrong info, but they haven't owned up to that yet.

What really gets me is that their social media presence seems super friendly, but when you ask them about issues, they get all defensive and sound disingenuous. They throw out excuses and shift blame onto everything else, making you feel guilty for even asking. I wouldn't be shocked if they respond to this review in a condescending way. Plus, they delete any negative comments on social media, which feels really shady and shows a lack of transparency.

I’m totally head over heels for books that really mean something. Every month, I can’t wait for my box to arrive, and I always have a blast diving into the stories. Huge thanks to you all! x

I placed an order for a box as a gift for Christmas more than a month back, and I haven't received any updates. I've sent several emails, but no one has gotten back to me.

I've been subscribed to a box for some time, but I had to cancel it. I made my payment for the December box on November 21st, but I haven't received any updates since then. No email about dispatch or any info on where my box is, nor a refund. They did offer me 20% off another product, but I ain't buying anything else if I might not get it. It's been a hassle dealing with customer service, which is really disappointing.

Honestly, it bums me out to write this because just three months back, I would’ve given this a solid 5 stars or more. I've been enjoying the box for over a year and have told loads of folks about it. The selection of books is diverse, the boxes are well thought out, and they really offer bang for your buck. You can see the effort that goes into designing these, and it really shows. I always look forward to getting them. The boxes themselves are definitely worth 5 stars.

I totally get how tough the mail strikes are, especially for a small business. But the communication before Christmas was really lacking. I only got my November box at the end of December, and while I know postal issues can play a part, my box is sent via Evri, so it didn’t even get into their system until way later than it should have. I only found out about the delay after I reached out for an update, and there should’ve been a heads-up from the company as soon as they realized there would be a hold-up.

I’m still waiting on my December and January boxes, both of which I’ve already paid for. On the bright side, they did acknowledge the November hiccup and mentioned there would be a delay with December’s, but now they’re running about a month behind, which is just not cool for a monthly subscription. Because of this, I’ve had to hit pause on my subscription until they get their act together. It was also pretty disheartening as a loyal subscriber to see special Christmas drops being advertised while regular subscribers weren’t even getting their boxes. It feels like they’re focusing more on expanding rather than keeping the current system running smoothly.

Pros:
- Good value for money
- Variety of reads
- Thoughtful, themed boxes

Cons:
- Communication with customers
- Prioritizing new launches over fulfilling subscriptions

I really wish there was a way to give zero stars. I made an order on November 11, 2022. After six weeks, I got an email stating that the international shipping fees weren't calculated correctly. They said if I wanted to cover those costs, I should reply. I did, but since then, I've heard nothing (as of 21/12/22). I've sent two follow-up emails and one message through messenger. I'm located in France.

I understand that mistakes happen, especially with a small business. But come on, it’s been over two months, and I feel like I'm being totally ignored. I know I’m not the only one in this situation. It’s just unprofessional.

My order arrived way later than expected, and the sizing was off from what was mentioned. The quality is pretty bad too. To top it off, they sent me a sweatshirt in the wrong color. I reached out multiple times via email but got no response.

There’s no returns policy or any info about it on their site, so now I’m left with an order that’s not right.

Seriously, steer clear of this company! I ordered a couple of boxes back in November for gifts, but only one showed up. They claimed to have proof of delivery, but that was a load of nonsense. They never sent out a replacement box or refunded me. It took forever to get a response to my emails, and all I got were these cookie-cutter replies. They even told me to ‘enjoy the box’ when I hadn’t even gotten it! Now, I’m still waiting for a response to my last message. I’m done with them for good.

I've been a loyal shopper for years, buying their boxes regularly, but they assured me they would fix an order and totally dropped the ball. They also ignored all my emails. Sadly, I can't keep backing this company; it seems like customer care isn't on their radar.

My order hasn't shown up since November. I couldn't give the gift for Christmas.

I truly wish to back this initiative, but it gets so frustrating every month when the delivery just doesn’t show up. Right now, I'm waiting on my last box, but I’m not too optimistic since the last reply I got was just a regurgitated response from my earlier question.

Unfortunately, I’ve had to cancel my subscription.

Steer clear of this place! My friends and I ordered some books, thinking they’d arrive before Christmas, but it took a whopping 6 weeks. Their customer support was just terrible—sent us the same old emails, no apologies, and they didn’t even acknowledge the hassle they caused. Plus, there’s no refund policy. I’m definitely reporting them to trading standards.