Help and Frequently Asked Questions

If you are unable to find an answer to your question below, please ring customer services (Mon to Fri, 8:30am to 6pm) 08453 679 676

1) Why does your website show two different prices?
2) How do I search for books on this website?
3) What is the difference between a ‘non member’ and a ‘member’ on agreatread.co.uk?
4) I'm new to this website, do I need an account before I buy?
5) Can I change my details e.g. email, password or address?
6) I have a log in account with the old agreatread.co.uk website. Will the new agreatread.co.uk website remember me or do I have to create a new account?
7) Can I pay off a balance from a previous order on the website e.g. one made over the phone or by posting in an order form?
8) If I order from agreatread.co.uk will I automatically be made a member of your book club?
9) I have ordered from agreatread.co.uk before but decided to opt out of becoming a member. Can I now decide to become a member?
10) I am involved with a reading group. Can I get a better discount if I buy multiple copies of a title?
11) I’ve forgotten my password; can you remind me of it?
12) Do you keep a record of my previous orders?
13) Do you keep a record of my payment card details?
14) Why is delivery of my order delayed?
15) Can I track the progress of my order?
16) I can’t find the item I’m looking for. Can you find it for me?
17) When do you take payment for items I have ordered on agreatread.co.uk?
18) What is the difference between an ISBN code and a REF code?

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1. Why does your website show two different prices?

The first price you see is the publisher’s recommended retail price. The second price is ‘our price’. If you order from agreatread.co.uk but opt out of becoming a member you will pay the full retail price. In order to qualify for the lower ‘our price’ you must agree to receive correspondence from us by mail and email in the form of occasional brochures and special promotions.

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2. How do I search for books on this website?

There are a couple of ways to find what you are looking for on agreatread.co.uk:

a) Search for it. If you are looking for a specific product, the quickest way is to type its title or a description of it into the quick search box and click the arrow to perform the search. Or if you are looking for books by a specific author you can type the author’s name into the box. Perhaps you are interested in a specific subject? Try searching by subject area e.g. ‘Thriller’ or ‘Cookery’. If you know the books ISBN code type it directly into the quick search box. In addition to the ISBN, book club items have a 5 digit REF code. You can perform a search by entering this code instead. For a more targeted search try the advanced search facility where you can put in two or more criterial to find your book or the subject area.

b) Navigate to it. The navigation bar based category tree facility is suited to those who are looking for specific types of books. It begins with very broad subject areas such as ‘humanities’, ‘fiction’ or ‘sciences’; and then allows you to ‘drill down’ into more specific categories within that subject area. There are over three thousand categories with up to 5 levels you can drill down to; so it’s very easy to find specific or specialist groups of books quickly. Note that you'll find the next two lower category levels in the right hand column.

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3. What is the difference between a ‘non member’ and a ‘member’ on agreatread.co.uk?

A ‘non member’ is a customer who buys from the website without having agreed to receive correspondence from us in the form of mailings and emails. A ‘non member’ will pay the higher RRP price. A ‘member’ is a customer who buys from the website having agreed to our Benefits and Conditions of Membership. Members will receive at least 10% off their purchases and will receive occasional mailings and emails from us promoting a hand-picked selection of the best new releases and offers. Please note: both ‘non members’ and ‘members’ must read and agree with our General Terms and Conditions to purchase from the website.

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4. I'm new to this website, do I need an account before I buy?

No. If you are a new visitor to the website, simply add the items you want to buy to the basket. When you are ready to pay, go to the checkout where you will be asked to create a log in before proceeding with your purchase. You will also have the opportunity to become a ‘member’ of agreatread.co.uk and receive the lower ‘member’s price’ on your order. Next time you visit, simply log in with your email address and password. Remember to make a note of your password!

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5. Can I change my details e.g. email, password or address?

Yes. Simply log in to agreatread.co.uk and go to the ‘my account’ link where you can edit your details.

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6. I have a log in account with the old agreatread.co.uk website. Will the new agreatread.co.uk website remember me or do I have to create a new account?

You do not need to create a new account. Your details and log in information have been carried over from the old website. Just log in as you would before.

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7. Can I pay off a balance from a previous order on the website e.g. one made over the phone or by posting in an order form?

No. The website will only process card payments at the time of ordering. If you do have a previous balance that you want to pay off, please contact customer services on 08453 679 676

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8. If I order from agreatread.co.uk will I automatically be made a member of your book club?

No. You will only be added to the A Great Read book club mailing list if you have chosen to become a ‘member’ of agreatread.co.uk by agreeing to our Benefits and Conditions of Membership. Member’s receive discounted prices and will be notified on occasion of special offers by mail or email.

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9. I have ordered from agreatread.co.uk before but decided to opt out of becoming a member. Can I now decide to become a member?

Yes, when you reach the checkout you will again be given the option to become a member. If you decide to become a member, you will receive the lower ‘member’ prices.

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10. I am involved with a reading group. Can I get a better discount if I buy multiple copies of a title?

Depending on the book, and if you want to order 10 or more copies, we can usually offer a better discount. To find out more specific details please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or ring customer services on 08453 679 676 and ask about our ‘Books for Groups’ scheme.

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11. I’ve forgotten my password; can you remind me of it?

If you’ve lost your password, go to the log in page and click ‘remind me of my password’. You will be asked to provide the answer to the secret question you chose when you first created your account. If your details were carried over from the previous website and you don’t have a secret question you can find your password quoted on previous order confirmation emails. Failing this, ring customer services on 08453 679 676 quoting your name, address and membership number and we will remind you of it.

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12. Do you keep a record of my previous orders?

Yes. Simply log in to view previous orders placed on agreatread.co.uk. We also keep a record of all your previous orders (whether they were placed on the website, via phone or mail order etc.) on our 'offline' database.

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13. Do you keep a record of my payment card details?

No. We do not keep any records of payment card details. We use a secure third party card payment system (SagePay) for all card transactions. You will need to re-enter your payment details every time you place an order which is a more secure way of purchasing online.

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14. Why is delivery of my order delayed?

There can be a number of reasons why delivery of an order could be delayed. Sometimes we are told by publishers that a book will be available on a certain date and then the release date gets put back without our knowledge of it. Sometimes we are told by the publisher that a book is available but when we attempt to order it for you they inform us it is temporarily unavailable. If we discover a book is going to take more than 21 days to deliver, we will contact you to inform you of the delay. Delays may occur due to factors out of our control e.g. adverse weather conditions or industrial disputes. On rarer occasions publishers sometimes mistakenly tell us a book is available when it is actually out of print. On this occasion we will give you a refund.

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15. Can I track the progress of my order?

Yes. Log in to your account to view the status of your order.

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16. I can’t find the item I’m looking for. Can you find it for me?

Yes. Ring customer services on 08453 679 676 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with as much detail as possible about the item you are looking for and we will endeavour to source it for you.

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17. When do you take payment for items I have ordered on agreatread.co.uk?

Payment is taken as soon as an order is placed. However, if you have pre-ordered an item, we will not take payment for it until the day we dispatch it from our warehouse.

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18. What is the difference between an ISBN code and a REF code?

The ISBN code is a 10 or 13 digit number that identifies a particular title and edition of a book. You can find the ISBN on a book’s back cover or on the publication page at the front of the book. 10 digit ISBN’s are gradually being replaced by the 13 digit version.
The REF code of a book is unique to A Great Read. Not all books on our site have REF codes. The REF code is a unique code given to books that we have specially promoted in mailings. If ordering by order form or over the phone please quote the REF code of the item you want to order. In the absence of a REF code please quote the book’s title and ISBN.

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