How does it work?

Books are traded based on a points system. You earn points by mailing your books to other members and you can use those points to request books.

Does it cost money?

No. Joining Chango Books is free and members can trade books for free. The only cost is the postage to mail books that other members have requested from you.

Who is eligible to be a member of Chango Books?

Anyone in the world who has books they are willing to give away.

How does the trading work?

Trading books is based on a system of points. When you place a book in your inventory to be given away, you are free to choose the number of points you would like to receive for sending the book. Additionally, for every book you put in your inventory, you get a bonus of 0.10 points. You can use the points you have accumulated to request books from other members.

What types of books can be traded?

Books with the following bindings can be traded:

  • Mass Market Paperback
  • Hardcover
  • Paperback

Books should be in a readable condition including all of their pages and covers. Highlighting and notes inside the book are acceptable if it's noted in the condition notes.

How is Chango Books different than other book trading sites?

  • We are international and our members can be from anywhere in the world.
  • Unlike other book swapping sites, the number of points for a book is not fixed. You can ask for more points for your expensive hard cover textbook than a cheap romance paperback.
  • Flexibility when mailing internationally. You can choose on a book-by-book basis which books you are willing to mail internationally. You can also ask to receive more points when mailing internationally to compensate for the additional postage.
  • Books in your wishlist are automatically reserved for you when they become available. Whomever has been waiting the longest gets the first chance to request a new book.

How do I earn points

You earn 0.10 points for every book you add to your inventory. You also earn points when mail a book to another member.

How much is a point "worth"?

There is no fixed value for a point. When you place a book in your inventory, you can choose how many points you want to receive for mailing it domestically and optionally how many points you want to receive for mailing it internationally. The average points for currently available books are:

Domestic International
Mass Market Paperback 1.18 points 3.51 points
Hardcover 1.67 points 4.48 points
Paperback 1.44 points 3.62 points

How are the suggested points calculated?

When adding a book to your inventory, a suggested points value for your book is calculated by averaging the points values of other inventory for that book or similar books. Remember that these values are only suggestions and you are free to list your book for any point value you wish.

Who pays for shipping?

The sender of the book pays to mail the book.

What about international shipping?

When placing a book in your inventory, you can choose if you are willing to send it internationally. Because mailing books internationally costs more, you can request to receive a higher number of points when mailing outside of your country.

How are books mailed?

Books should be mailed by whatever means is the cheapest. In the United States this usual means using media mail.

How does the wishlist work?

Books in your wishlist will be automatically reserved for you when they become available from other members. After a book has been reserved for you, you have 48 hours to either request the book are decline the reservation passing the book to the next person on the waiting list.

When exactly are points credited or deducted during a trade?

When a book is requested, the points are immediately deducted from the requester's account. Points are credited to the sender's account when the book has been marked as sent.

Can I add books without an ISBN?

No, it is not currently possible to add books that do not have an ISBN number.

What happens if I'm on vacation or cannot mail any books for a short period of time?

You can put your account on vacation in your user profile. While you are on vacation, your inventory will be hidden from other users, but you will still be able to use the site and request books normally.

Are there any time limits for sending books?

Yes. Requests should be approved by the sender within 7 days of being made. Once a request has been approved, the book should be mailed within 30 days. Failure to do so will result in the account being placed on hold.

What happens when an account is on hold?

An account may be placed on hold when the member fails to meet the deadlines for sending books mentioned above. When an account is on hold, the member's inventory is removed from the site and cannot be requested. To reactivate an account that has been placed on hold, the member must log in again and agree to the terms and conditions. The hold will be removed and the member's inventory restored.

What are ratios and how are they calculated?

The ratio is simply the number of points for books you have sent divided by the number of points for books you have received. For example, if you requested one book worth 2.00 points and sent one book worth 1.00 points, your ratio would be 1.00 / 2.00 = 0.50 . At this time, the ratio number is displayed only for informational purposes and there are no requirements to have a minimum ratio although we may reevaluate this in the future.