Book Grading Guide

When selling books online, we typically err on the conservative side, listing books a grade or category lower than one may typically expect them to be in. For instance, if a book does not appear to be used, except for minor wear on the jacket, we would list the book as Very Good. eBay only gives us a few options for listing books, and they include Brand New, Like New, Very Good, Good and Acceptable. Below are the guidelines eBay lists for each listing condition.

Brand New
A new, unread, unused book in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages. See the seller’s listing for full details.

Like New
A book that looks new but has been read. Cover has no visible wear, and the dust jacket (if applicable) is included for hard covers. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, and no underlining/highlighting of text or writing in the margins. May be very minimal identifying marks on the inside cover. Very minimal wear and tear. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections.

Very Good
A book that does not look new and has been read but is in excellent condition. No obvious damage to the cover, with the dust jacket (if applicable) included for hard covers. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, and no underlining/highlighting of text or writing in the margins. May be very minimal identifying marks on the inside cover. Very minimal wear and tear. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections.

Good
A book that has been read but is in good condition. Very minimal damage to the cover including scuff marks, but no holes or tears. The dust jacket for hard covers may not be included. Binding has minimal wear. The majority of pages are undamaged with minimal creasing or tearing, minimal pencil underlining of text, no highlighting of text, no writing in margins. No missing pages. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections.

Acceptable
A book with obvious wear. May have some damage to the cover but integrity still intact. The binding may be slightly damaged but integrity is still intact. Possible writing in margins, possible underlining and highlighting of text, but no missing pages or anything that would compromise the legibility or understanding of the text. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections.

When purchasing books from RI Consignment, we strive to be as honest as possible, however we are not expert book sellers nor are we collectors. We acquire books and we sell them at what we believe is a fair price for the condition of the book. We take as many pictures as possible so that our customers can make informed decisions. Please read the item condition notation and the description for a better understanding of the actual condition of the book and do not rely solely on the listing category.

We make every effort to list as accurately as possible but we are human and can make mistakes. If you would like more information about a book we are selling, please contact us and we will inspect the book more carefully to answer whatever specific questions you might have.

Thank you for viewing our collectible books.