If I could give 0 stars, I absolutely would. I have never walked into an establishment and felt so unwelcome. The workers were just sitting around chatting and didn't acknowledge me at all. I entered the store and was not greeted just stared at as if I didn't belong. As an African American customer, this experience made me feel uncomfortable and unwelcome, and it completely discouraged me from wanting to spend any money there. I will not be returning. read more

Selection and value was a big factor. I was able to find several copies at various prices.

When it comes to books I really enjoy three things. I enjoy Theology, History, and the Classics. Most second hand book stores often have pitiful Christian theology sections but I've consistently found enough gems here to consider checking every once in a while. What I really like about this Half Price Books in comparison to others is that they consistently have a fantastic section of Easton Press books. They are so beautifully bound and I really appreciate how this store seems to respect their beauty by putting them in the front. read more

Good selection of books not too big so it's easy to maneuver around and find what you may be seeking out. The staff was very helpful finding what you are seeking read more

Half Price Books - Books, Mags, Music & Video Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

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For a throwback gamer like me, a trip to HPB is a mini adventure- just press start. Sure, the adventure might end quickly and in frustration, but every now and then you find a gem amidst 50-some copies of every hockey game from the past 30 years. Obviously books are the big draw, and if you're willing to spend time, you'll find something worth grabbing, dirt cheap if you wander to the clearance corner. And if streaming movies/TV isn't your thing, goodness can you do some damage picking up physical copies. Tons of seasons of tons of shows (check the kids section for the motherlode of Disney DVDs), not to mention all the music, books on tape, odds, ends, and others. Give yourself some time and you never know what you'll find. And if your shelves are looking a bit too full, you can always sell stuff back to them and browse while they calculate your score. read more

I'm so happy that HPB exists. Though they don't necessarily have all the latest release books (specifically leadership/business books that I use for work), they are really good about getting you anything they don't have in stock. I love that they are willing to check inventories at other locations and ship the items free. I know, you probably get your books from Amazon and they are probably cheaper (in most cases) online... what I would say is that HPB is more than books and you can find a lot of hidden gems. Some standout items aside from books include collectibles (like Funko Pops), board games/puzzles, comic books, vinyl records, used video games, and movies. We come here almost once a week so that the kids can pick out a book or two, and we just love window shopping and taking in all the cool stuff. The COVID precautions are pretty good, everyone wearing masks and some wearing gloves and the rule is that only one person is allowed in each little aisle of bookshelves. I feel safe when I'm in the store! read more

This location has a great selection! It's a large store - very clean, well-kept and super organized.

Visited here in search of an specific Indie comic book. But they mainly only have Marvel/DC comic books. Huge selecton btw. Not many Indie comics. Lots of books. Pretty cool store though. read more

This place should be called Full priced books or more. Specifically as it relates to comics. They have just gotten worse and worse over the years. Two examples: First this weekend I was trying to buy four non key comics which had animal chew on the corner. They were listed for a buck a piece. This knocks the comic automatically down to a 0.5 grade. On top of that they were in rough shape anyway. So a buck was overpriced before the rat chew. I go speak to the manager to see if he will sell them for 50 cents due to condition, and he said- well they are Bronze Age, so no. Having no clue that these are paper, and any real comic collector considers grade. Second- about a year ago my son wanted to trade in some comics he had. When they called us up, they said they would give us 10 dollars and change for the short box. ( it was full of silver age and Bronze Age comics). We said no. When we got the comics back, they had already put their new prices on four comics totaling over 300 dollars. Such money grubbing folks. The managers are the worst. It used to be a good store, now it's a dump. So disappointed. For comics , you are better off hitting your local comic store and getting better quality at a better price. read more

I have a unique history with this particular Half Price Books. Before it was Half Price Books, it was a Borders Books and Music, a store that, for a little less than a year, I worked at. It took a while for me to stop seeing 'Borders' while walking around Half Price Books! (Half of it, at least, as Half Price Books technically uses only half of the old Borders area!) I'm so happy we have a bookstore in Algonquin Commons, especially Half Price Books. It's a great store to wander around, even if you're not sure if you're in the mood to spend your hard earned money. Book-wise, they have a very large selection. Book are organized by topic, much like other bookstores. While it's not a store you should go out of your way to travel to if you're looking for a specific book (call ahead if you are), I think this is a great store to browse and see what speaks to you! For me, the highlight of the store is their DVD section. You can find some great DVDs at excellent prices if you look hard enough! There are a handful of seats, but this isn't a store that you can 'lounge' in, in my opinion, nor is there a cafe, like you may see at other bookstores. Parking is super easy, as this is located in Algonquin Commons, an outdoor shopping mall. Staff is usually pretty friendly. The only downside of this store is that you get peanuts for things you try to sell to them. I brought in an entire manga series once and got a pity offering of something like $1.00. It was such a low offering that I decided to give them away to a Little Free Library, because at least then someone might benefit from them. Don't expect to make bank by selling books to Half Price Books, even if you have carloads of stuff. Overall, though, Half Price Books is a nice store to explore. You never know what you'll find! read more

I love Half Price Books. I have been to a lot of them across the Midwest. The Algonquin store is still my favorite. I have gotten so many great books and cd's here it's not funny. Books and cd's I never new existed. It seems prices have gone up a little over the last few years but hey, that's business. I have never sold any items to HPB so I can't testify to that part of it. But people have to realize, this is a business. If you don't like what they are offering you for your items, walk out. They're not holding a gun to your head. Instead of taking a couple of dollars for several boxes of books, take them to Good Will or Savers and donate them to a good cause. As for the employees. They have always been great at any location I've been too. Whenever I ask to see if they have a title I'm looking for they always go above and beyond to search the store or if they don't have what I'm looking for they search other stores and have it shipped in for me. Keep up the great work HPB. One of my favorite places to shop! read more

This is a nice place to casually browse when you're in the area, but wouldn't go out of my way to go here. I never come in looking for anything specific, but usually wind up finding something random that jumps out at me, be it a book, record, or CD. Other times, it takes a bit of time of dedicated digging to unearth something worth snagging for a rainy day. When I've been here, employees have been friendly, laid back and offered help if I needed it. read more

This is a review of the vinyl records selection at this HPB (Half Price Books)... Like many of the other area HPBs locations I've reviewed, this HPB has a decent collection of records in terms of genre diversity--one will find a servicable selection of classical and jazz and a nice big selection of pop and rock records, along with a iittle bit of country, some blues, and a bit of soundtrack and world, as well. As with all the other HPB locations, the quality of the records can sometimes vary quite a bit, so it's always best to check condition before buying. Unfortunately, rather than pricing the records more like Bloomingdale or Palatine, this one is often more like Naperville and Niles, where the prices are often higher than the condition of the records actually warrants. This is not always the case at this location, though--it can be hit or miss. Clearance records are generally a good offset to this, but the selection is sometimes lacking. Thus, you are mostly left with too many records selling at above market cost and also not enough at clearance prices. Thus, a 2 star rating overall... See my other HPB location reviews for more on shopping for vinyl at HPB locations generally... read more

The staff was amazing. I was trying to shop on crutches. One employee helped me find everything I was looking for, including the perfect gift for my boyfriend. Another staff member helped me carry my bags to my car and s third went in search of Pokemon stuffies for my daughter. I couldn't ask for better service. read more

My favorite book store. I usually make a list of movies and books I'm interested in and when ready I call and check. They look up my items and if they are not in their store they check the surrounding stores and have it transferred in. Usually takes about 2 weeks. They can also have items from out of state shipped to your house. I've done this several times already. I have found some gems just looking through the shelves. I also like the fact that they take in items. When my dad passed away I brought in a shopping carts worth of movies and books. While you might not get much back its nice knowing someone else will be able to enjoy something you may have brought in. They also have records, calendars, blank cards, games, puzzles... and a kids section. Wonderful store. read more

It obviously isn't worth selling your books here. I brought in 6 big bags full of books (fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks) all in great condition. I got $8 for all that! That's the price of one of their softcover books. They do have a decent selection of used books, but they're quite pricey. You're much better off buying online used (amazon or half.com) unless Half Price Books has a book you can't find. The staff is also NOT welcoming or friendly. read more

Half Price Books should be more transparent. What staff fails to tell you is that they offer about 5% (or 1/20th) face value for your books. This varies with the desirability of what you have to offer but this is what you will average at best. Over the past couple of years, I have sold 500+ books to Half Price at several locations due to a lack of other options. Based on what Half Price will pay, it is tough to justify the cost of gas and time. At first, it was interesting to observe their process, but I seriously wouldn't recommend wasting your time gathering your books and driving out of your way to sell them to Half Price. Any inquiries about how exactly they value books leads to tense conversations. Another disconcerting issue is that the company fails to clarify what volume of books are "recycled." If you are hoping to do something positive for the economy and environment, knowledge of the percentage of books never actually sold might drive sellers to other options such as Goodwill. read more

I stopped in because I wanted to purchase some fun coffee table books. Granted, I do all of my reading on the Internet, I think that hardcover picture books can function as home decor as well as something interesting for your guests to flip through when visiting your home (or even yourself when you are bored). I came in here one day and bought about 15 really cool fashion and photography books (packed with photos) to scatter around my house and I got a great deal on all of them. I googled each book before purchasing to see the price on Amazon, and I was literally paying a fraction of the price for each book. Most books were new in the plastic for around $19.99 or less. Some books were as low as $5.99. There is also a clearance section with really good prices. I will definitely return! read more

Customer service at this Half Price Books in Algonquin is always courteous and friendly. The staff is very knowledgeable and have always gone out of their way to find me some obscure title. They have called other stores and shipped titles to Algonquin for my pick up convenience. I shop for myself and others, always finding an armful of treasures each visit. I do wish trade-ins were a bit more $$, but hey, got to make a living! Keep up the great job. read more

A family member took many huge boxes of very nice quality and recently published books to sell to Half Price Books. The amount that was offered was indeed insulting. After waiting a long time for them to go through them all-it wasn't worth packing them all up again. The staff member was not professional or a nice person. They don't give a fraction of what they then turn around and sell them for. It would be better to just GIVE them to a place that will appreciate the books, such as a school. I am a librarian at an elementary school. I gladly take appropriate, donated books. Our budgets are so limited these days. Other places that would appreciate your books are assisted living centers, nursing homes, shelters, preschools, or even doctors' offices. Half Price Books should be ashamed of themselves for ripping off well-meaning book lovers. read more

Convenient location off of Randall Road in the Algonquin Commons. We discovered the store out of curiosity one day. My child and I were pleasantly surprised at the sheer amount of books in the store. All of my book purchases will be from this store, and not the chain bookstores. If you are in search of a book, and are open to it possibly being gently used (or sometimes brand new) then your first stop should be here. The inventory is constantly changing, new items daily. They also buy back books, music, games, movies, stationary.... (check their website for full details). I've sold books here recently, and the staff takes about 15-20 minutes to go thru your items. During the wait time, browse the store for more treasures. They will call you to the buy back desk, make you an offer, you either decide yes or no. If its a yes, take the receipt to the cashier and either receive the full cash amount or take the credit off of your current purchase. If its a no, then take your items without obligation. This store carries a wide range of items not only books. Comic books, games of all ages and game systems, board games, music, DVDs, VHS, stationary, stuffed animals, so much.... It's a go-to store! read more

Awesome fun bookstore to shop! Reminds me of the used bookstores in Chicago. They have records, movies, games, and cute gift items too.

We find interesting stuff, but sellers beware. We don't bring anything of value anymore, just free, read many times or junk. As an experiment, brought 3 test groups, different days, all discreetly marked. Test 1 was over $250 books, games and comics, all collectible, none in Algonquin and HPB national had very few. They took all, total: $13. Test 2, roughly $400 value online, had no copies in the store and only 2 in national HPB inventory. After a half hour of checking prices, they took half the books and CDs. Total: $5 and change. The rest were rejected as "They won't sell for us" and offered back or they could donate them. Test 3 was 4 books and 4 paperbacks, all very rare, store had none, HPB national had none. Over$1200 value, median price online, from major sellers. Offer: $54 for all, but rejected offer, never planned to accept. Online chatter, beyond employees are first picking, is that HPB as a chain is paying roughly .10/item and aren't supposed to go over $50 - $70 per customer no matter what. Our totals worked out to about .5 a item. The funny part is that we find the marked materials on the shelves later, as high as 200x what was paid, including items supposedly donated or recycled/dumpstered. So keep it real, take advantage of what HPB is. Just don't sell anything you care about and don't expect to get close to fair value. It's a business, like a shark is a predator. read more

Don't bother trying to sell your stuff here. It's better to just donate or recycle it. I called to see if they purchase used magazines, and was answered with a resounding "Yes we do!". I brought in 200+ magazines and was told right away, that the offer would be 25-cents. Thinking that 25-cents each was reasonable, I was given a credit receipt for a quarter.... 25-cents for everything! Yes, the whole cart full! Needless to say, it cost me more than a quarter in gas to even get there. What a complete waste of time. Don't fall for it... just recycle your stuff and save yourself the headache. I'll never bother to go back. read more

You'd be better off selling your unused books at a garage sale. I brought in a huge stack of reference books and nonfiction books, all in great condition, which I've seen them sell for $10-$15 each. I was given $5.00 for everything. The girl at the counter was rather rude acted like she was giving me this great deal. This store will rip you off and make a huge profit off of your items. read more

Half Price Books is a huge rip-off. I brought in 4 large boxes of tapes and books. I was offered $2.00 for ALL of them. Unbelievable! They sell many of the books I brought in for about $10.00 each, as they were current large hardcover books. This place is a joke and I will never go back into their store. The staff is very unfriendly and act like they are doing you a big favor. You are better off donating your books to a place that will appreciate them instead of a place like half Price Books that rips you off and makes a ton of money off of your loss. read more

What a rip off. Brought in 4 crates of books. They where all in good condition and left with $16.00. Will never go back and will not recommend to anyone to go to this store. How can a business feel good about how they treat customers when they basically steal from them. Maybe if more people know how much they are going to be taken advantage of they will not bring their books to your store and you will go out of business read more

I like coming here to browse and always end up leaving with something. The staff is just there. I do wish they had more seats though. Theres seems to be 1 chair for every 15 people. read more

I like this store a lot, and have been a loyal customer and seller ever since the store opened. I'm just going to say this, if you're looking to buy some books, movies, records or whatever, this is the place to go. They have tons of great items at good prices. HOWEVER... if you're going there to sell your items you might, and probably will be disappointed. I have been selling my record collection to them little by little and i usually get an "OK" amount of money for everything, and I'm usually satisfied with what i get, everyone there is really nice and seem to know what they are doing with the exception of one person. This guy is short, slightly chubby has a beard and short dirty blonde hair. Usually wears short sleeved plaid shirts. DO NOT SELL TO HIM! Have someone else appraise your items. Every time he's the one appraising my items, it takes less than ten minutes and his offers are honestly insulting. Every other employee i've dealt with takes their time and carefully examines the records, their condition and the demand for them, which usually takes about 20-25 minutes. This guy pretty much looks at them, counts them and if they are popular items will give you a horrible offer. If i brought in a bible signed by Jesus Christ himself he would offer me 4.75 for it. STAY AWAY FROM THAT GUY, if he is there, come back another time and anybody else there will give you almost twice as much money for your items. It depends on who you sell to. I can honestly say i will not be coming back to that store again. Most people there are reasonable, but the short, slightly chubby guy with short dirty blonde hair and... somewhat of a beard? Will rob you blind with a smile on his face. read more

i been to halfpricebooks lots of times they are a rip off i brought some tapes in back in july that i did not want i got coulpe dollars then i brought more tapes in sunday got only 250 what a rip off i would not go there anymore they dont give you enough moneywhen you bring in tapes books you dont want you buy there tapes the little pieces where the disk are are broken what a rip off i will never go there again what a rip off read more