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AudioBooks Online

- Star Review

Last Updated: 10/31/2008

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The Internet has opened up a whole new world for book lovers and avid readers. From online bookstores to Internet publishing houses, books are making their way to the Web. One type of book that has been around for quite some time is the audio book. While they used to be available solely in bookstores, you can now shop for these items is via online download sites. Our team of reviewers decided to compare online audio bookstores to see which offer the best audio book deals, selections, and prices around. One site that we had an opportunity to review was AudioBooksOnline. Here are the details of our review…

What's New?

Free shipping on orders of $50 or more.
Worldwide shipping available.
Coupons and additional savings of up to 5%.

Our Favorite Feature:

Our favorite AudioBooksOnline feature was definitely their online clearance counter. They have loads of great finds that you probably wouldn't be able to get at your local bookstore unless you special ordered it. What’s better is that you get it at a clearance price of between 40% and 60% off the original price. Who doesn’t love a good sale?

The AudioBooksOnline Experience:

When you first enter the AudioBooksOnline be prepared for the “pop-up”. While pop-ups are usually an Internet no-no, we had to give the store credit for the fact that this one was simply an effort to find out about how the customer feels about the site. They simply want to know if you'll be willing to take a survey at the end of your browsing experience. Our reviewers took the survey, and it literally took less than 1 minute to complete.

While the AudioBooksOnline site itself isn’t that well designed, it is easy to navigate. The center of the homepage contains their latest fiction inventory, while the outskirts of the page are lined with freebies, downloads, and audio book search categories.

You do have to register and set up an account with AudioBooksOnline to use their services. That being said, the process could not be easier. Simply complete the short online form and save the information. You can change your details or preferences after you have saved your information. Once you have completed your registration, you can begin shopping.

The site offers a vast selection of books spread across 20 different genres and categories. Searching for audio books at this site is extremely easy. Simply enter in your title, the author’s name, or any keyword that might bring up a title of interest to you. You can also browse their inventory by award winning books, authors, new releases, and more. They offer audio books on CD, MP3, and cassette formats, so whatever your level of technological expertise, you should be able to find something appropriate for you. MP3s can be downloaded directly from the site, so those who demand instant gratification should definitely check this online bookstore out.

AudioBooksOnline’s Features:

Inventory in over 19 genres
Selections in CD, MP3, and Cassette
Free Shipping on select orders
Free audio book downloads
40%-60% off of clearance items
Easy to use shopping cart and check out system

AudioBooksOnline’s Pricing:

Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follet)- $23.96 –CD
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (J.K. Rowling) - $32.47 – CD
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou) - $18.36 – CD
The Firm - $11.99 (John Grisham) - CD

AudioBooksOnline’s Customer Service:

AudioBooksOnline has a toll free 800 number for customer service as well as a fax number, mailing address, and direct e-mail address to contact a representative. They also offer a live chat option, but each time we visited the site they were offline.

While the site does offer an online FAQ, it seems to have gotten lost in the depths of the pages. The links are not immediately accessible on the home page. Our reviewers kind of stumbled across the links while browsing. Nevertheless, the questions are useful and address the main concerns that any customer would have.

It's also important to note that AudioBooksOnline does offer a great refund policy. If you are not satisfied with your purchase you can request a full refund within 30 days.

Upside:

Easy account set-up, good customer service, competitive pricing.

Downside:

Website could be more polished.

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