This has to be one of the worst "Used" book stores that I've ever walked into. "Half Price Books" has always been highly thought of by members of my family. I've always been told it's the place to shop for used copies of books at good prices. So I thought I've swing by today and give them a once over. I honestly couldn't be more disappointed by what I saw and what I was told by a staff member. (Here's just one example) They were selling a used Hardback copy of a Warhammer 40K novel (Belisarius Cawl) for over twice the retail price of when it was released. They wanted $55 for a used copy that retailed for $27 when it was released in 2024. (major red flag) I asked an employee if he could show me where they keep their Warhammer 40K paperback novels as I've had a few on my want list for awhile now. He showed me a very small collection (3-4 books) of paperback books. When I asked him why they had so few I was told they kept them in back since a lot of them sold on Ebay for between $50-$100. He then asked me if I wanted him to go look in back and see what they might have. I told him not to bother, if I wanted to pay ebay prices for a "used" copy of a book I wouldn't have come to their store. And truth be told after walking around for a bit longer I quickly realized that this place isn't anything close to a "used book store" where you're going to be able to find a fair price on a used book. This store also places giant barcode stickers directly onto the covers of nearly all their books. If this place wants to charge "Ebay" prices for all of their used books go ahead and close down your storefront and stop trying to fool the general public into thinking they might find something at a good price. They're not. After leaving the store I've concluded this place should change their name IMHO to "ripoff books" as it seems more appropriate given my experience there today. read more

I love bookstores, particularly used bookstores. Half price books never disappoints. There is a huge selection. It isn't the most affordable used books you can buy, but it is always fun to come and hunt for treasures. My kids all went home with new (to them) books. read more

This store is huge and had so many selection at a great value. I went in searching for certain Mitch Album books and found 3 out the 4 I was looking for. The service was very friendly and helpful. Go check them out. read more

I had approx. $780 in brand new books. ( some never opened )and they offered me $3.84??!! Now I understand the concept of buying used books, but come on. Then when I declined the woman said "we'll good luck as we are one of the only places that even think of giving anything for books!" read more

I shop only the vinyl section, so I'm biased - disclaimer. I thought it was a decent selection, though pretty small. They did have some deals on sealed/new titles, and I found a couple used items that were interesting and in good shape with a decent price. Definitely worth the trip, but not the best half price books I've been to for vinyl at least. I won't fault them for that since they're a book store. The staff seemed friendly enough, and everything seemed clean/organized. I'd stop in again when I'm in Des Moines. read more

Great store. No Japanese-language books at all, which was a bit disappointing, but tons of puzzles, and a great way to spend an hour or five. read more

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Cool book shop for everything I need to look for that's everything-books. I always find something here and it's hard to walk out without buying something. Amazing deals! Not only do they sell books but they have music, maps, games, records, and souvenirs. My kids love coming here to search for the next cool discounted thing. I have not sold here in a very long time. My most recent purchase was a giant map of the world that I've gotten many compliments on. Staff is friendly and helpful. Aisles are nicely laid and wide. Sometimes it's hard to get to a spot when it's busy. Highly recommend for buying cheap books. read more

Great selection of books for cheap. I've never left without finding something interesting. Super good for classics, cool books, and children/teen books, but there's books of every genre. read more

The good side: the store is well-organised and has a good selection of books from all categories for sale. The bad side: I've never had a store offer so little when buying used books. As another user commented, it's on the order of 25 or 50 cents per book. This is not the norm in the used book business. I'd rather donate my books to Goodwill, which at least re-sells them for a good cause. read more

Once again, this location receives a full five stars from me. I found more treasures than my budget would allow, so it was tough to choose what had to stay and what had to go. The staff at check-out was extremely friendly and fun, despite the busy Friday night holiday shopping crowd. I will visit time and time again. read more

They downsized their Art section which is REALLY disappointing. Most of the store is complete junk. If you bring a trailer full of books in, be prepared for them to offer you $2 for the whole lot (with a straight face). read more

Half price books is a great deal. In one place, you can exchange your old books for money and exchange that money for other people's old books! I've never left this store without buying something. The staff are really friendly, but not pushy. I love having time to myself on the floor; I can spend hours browsing here. The clearance section can definitely be a great find. Usually every few weeks there's some kind of 20% off deal as well, so if you want a huge hall, wait for one of those. The upside of going to this location rather than other thrifter stores is that it's organized really well. You don't really have to dig too much if you're looking for something specific, which is great. Plus there's a Starbucks right across the parking lot now, so you can get your caffeine on with your new books after you're done shopping! Highly recommend. read more

While Borders is out of business and Barnes and Noble is on the brink of destruction, half price books flourishes. I dont know if it's the half price novelty or the fact that they will buy old books back from you, but it's sorta like a library that actually has the best selller you want without being #50 on the waiting list to check it out. If you keep it in good condition you can always sell it back to the store and use that money to buy another book. This store restores my faith in humanity...I love reading and hope generations to come will also enjoy the crisp pages from a book...not just keep their heads in their ipads and smart phones. read more

This is the best Half Price Books I have ever been in! So clean and organized! Which I have been to some Half Price Books that look like a bomb just went off in them, and that makes things pretty hard to find! But not here, this place is great! They have records, books, cds, dvd's, and more! You can also sell items back to them, you won't leave rich but it's nice to get rid of stuff every now and then, only to buy MORE RECORDS! Stop here frequently if you want to find the gems, and it's usually pretty busy on the weekend so hop in on a week day! All in all great store! read more

Half Price Books - Ringo's here - Books, Mags, Music & Video Near Me - Clive, Iowa

Neat store, friendly staff, and products are 50 percent off regular retail. What more could you ask for? Thank you!

First off I want to say that I never write reviews, negative or positive, I don't have the time. This is the first review in my entire life I felt the need to write. I went to Half Price, the same Half Price books I have been going to since I was a child. I have been a customer for a long time and have spent thousands of dollars and sold books to HP adding up to hundreds of dollars. My family and friends go to HP. HP has a lot of rules like many businesses during this pandemic. They require masks and there are arrows you need to follow when you go down aisles. They require people stay 6 feet apart. They require a certain number of people to be in the business at one time and require you only stay there for 30 minutes. Employees walk around the aisles and count how many customers there are at various times. This is their store, their rules. I followed every rule while I was in there. Had my mask on, walked down the aisles where the arrows pointed, stayed away from other people. I was there for fifteen minutes. An employee came up to me and asked me to pull my mask up to cover the rest of my nose. It is true, my nostrils were flaring out trying to breathe in oxygen even though it may have been dusty and COVID-19 laced. I complied with her. I pulled my mask up. I turned back to the book I was looking at and I saw in my peripheral vision that she turned around as well. Then, she immediately turned back around to look at me again (to make sure I complied). This is where I drew the line. I put the book down and I walked out. The employee said "thank you". I complied with every rule HP had and then I was scrutinized and micro-managed to an extreme extent. There is a line between keeping customers and employees safe and micro-managing in a way where you treat an individual "less-than". I will never shop at HP again and I will advise my friends and family to not shop there as well. I will spend more money at Barnes & Noble and I will shop on Amazon. Retail shopping is dying. It is in the news everyday. I would think HP would be aware of this and would want to keep business in their stores. Again, I followed every rule HP had until I was scrutinized and treated like I was in the second grade. I am voting with my dollar and I will be asking others to do the same. read more

Took in some music CDs to sell. While I waited I browsed their music shelves and found they were selling used CDs for $3.99, $4.99, $5.99 and up. So I figured they would at least give me $1.00 for each of my popular mint condition CDs. Not so. 30-cents each. That's what they offered. Don't bother selling your stuff to these thieves. I'll throw the rest of my collection away before I sell them here. If you want to by some used CDs for$1 each, shout at me off line read more

I always end up spending more time and money than planned here. The aisles and sections are organized in a coherent order, they have amazing selection, and the employees are always super friendly. I've also sold books and I think it was a fair deal each time. Love their selection of bookmarks as well. read more

I'll start with the positive for this store. They have a very impressive selection of many genres as well as unique books to choose from. The display is impressive upon walking into the store. There are a few new items such as journals and calendars to choose from as well. This is why I'm giving this store 2 stars. I am however unimpressed with their purchasing methods. It was fairly unorganized and chaotic of a process. I brought in about 8 large boxes full of children's books and adult books, new and older, in pristine condition. I received an offer of only $50!!! There was such a rush I didn't receive an explanation as to why such a low ball figure, and got the vibe it was take it or leave it-no fanagaling. I should have pressed more but got the sense it wasn't okay. Looking over the store, most books are priced at $9 and up. They just made a killing on me! And if it weren't for me driving an hour to Des Moines and needing to part with them since moving, I'd have said no and taken them back. I won't do business with them again. read more

When I first heard about this place when I moved to Iowa I didn't think I would like it and I didn't even think they were a real bookstore. I honestly thought it was like a thrift store for books. Boy was I wrong! They are a legitimate bookstore with gift cards, different locations across the country, and their own business culture. Their books are new for the most part and they also have some used ones for sale. No matter what, the price is great! I have always left the store feeling like I made a great deal! They also sell DVDs, Cds, and other products! Their staff members are very friendly and can assist you with anything. You can also sell your unwanted books here, just bring it to the counter in the back! read more

From the moment you walk in your inner book worm goes crazy!!! This is an amazing store full of great books at great prices, some new, some as good as new, or if you don't mind a little wear/tear or highlighter you can go for their super deals, some even $2! This place seems endless with shelves and shelves of books, music, games, gifts, and even records. Staff is super friendly and store is very well laid out! Just ask if you can't find what you are looking for!! Parking is super convenient and it is right off of University so it is easy to find!! I can't wait to come back and look for longer! Which I think I could spend an entire day here indulging in a book shopping spree!! read more

Half Price Books is the mecca for book lovers. In addition to books there are games, music, stationary, and cute gifty items. Two great features that I really love about this store are 1. They buy back old books and give cash for them 2. They have a deal section where popular books are sold for super cheap. When book shopping, I will check their price against the amazon price. HPBs price is usually less unless it's a newer release. When going in to sell back books plan on an extra 10-25 minutes to allow them to come up with your offer. Recently I joined the email newsletter list and I've been receiving really great coupons, one was up to 50%. I would highly recommend signing up. read more

I took in approximately 200 paperbacks. 15-20 were probably below averaged, 15-20 were in excellent condition, with the rest in between. They offered me $6.08! At they kidding? read more

Typical corporate mindset. The names does not match the prices. If someone wants to accept pennies on the book for their used item, that is their choice. However, if used is more than new then they do not care for their customers nor are they competitive. Their selection has really fell as far a quality and they seem to have more of an assembly line customer service focus. All businesses strive for profits, it should not be at the expensive of the people who keep them in business. I have never tried to sell them anything, nor have I ever had a conflict with an employee. I have noticed that a once cool place now has no soul. read more

I love books, so it was kind of my destiney to get excited about books that are half price. They truly are half price. If you look at they back of the book it will say $8.99 but be priced at $4.99. They have a great selection of books, especially for kids and teens. There is also a lot of how to and instructional books, which works for me because I am a very curious person. Not only do they have a huge selection of books but they also have a huge selection of movies and music. Also when your done with the books and other books that come from other place they you can take them to the back of the store and get money back for it. read more

Great store, great books, great prices! Book lovers should definitely check out this store. I've found a few of my favorites here. You never know what you'll find! read more

I finally found out why there are so few used book shops in the dsm area. It's because no one could compete with this establishment. Great prices, huge selection, and wonderful staff. While I perused physician biographies on one side of the store my wife filled up her bookshelf for her 4th grade classroom. They were a little lacking on the classics side. I couldn't even find any Ray Bradbury, but that was a minor detail to be expected of a used bookstore. read more

Just wasted 40 minutes shopping in this store for them to be unable to accept my debit card payment. This store is not compliant with chip card reader laws and unable/unwilling to manually enter payment information. Guess they do not want my business. Will not return! read more

Very rude employee. Apparently, I wasn't wearing my mask the right way. Good thing the store attendant has the medical degree to correct me. With so many online options to buy used books, it is surprising to see such poor attitude. read more

What a dump. This used to be a nice store but now it's not a clean place. I also caught the employee trying to cheat me when I sold back books. Won't go back, can't recommend that anyone else does either. read more

If you are buying, this store is "okay" or "fine". If you are selling, they tend to rob you. Sometimes it depends on who looks through your items that day, but a lot of offers they give for what you're selling are insulting & laughably low. I recommend selling at regular consignment shops, & not here. read more

They have a decent stock of Wiccan books and Tarot cards. If you are looking for a spell book for your library check here first.

Stopped by Half Price bookstore yesterday and sold some of my old books/textbooks. I dropped them off at the back of the building and they told me that it would take about 15 minutes to price each book, plus there was someone in front of me. I walked around and looked at random things and there are a lot of books! Books ranging from kids, young adult, adult, to comic books. There are also used movies, CD's, and other random accessories throughout the store. I got a page over the intercom that my offer was ready so I headed back towards the back of the building to hear what my offer was. I was guessing around $12-15, but I got $32! I also thought they wouldn't take some of my older books, but they took them all. I used the money to buy several books and a movie for my girlfriend's niece/nephew, so everybody wins :) read more

One of the best bookstore in Des Moines. This is my usual place to buy books especially if I'm just needing some visual inspiration for a painting or sketches. Yeah, I am that kind of person too who read books with pictures on them. The place is well kept and the smell of the books is just golden. My daughter loves Manga and it's cheaper to get it here. They also have a huge collection of comics and vinyl (if you care). I love comics, especially Marvel and anything Manga. You can easily find whatever it is you're looking for. It's not the best organize books store and if you can't find something you're looking for then the staff will be able to assist you. They're nice too. The best thing about this place is you will be able to find some old stuff as well that you may not be able to find anywhere else. They also have some toys (not much but they'll have the good kids of toys) for kids which makes a perfect gift, kinda like the same kind you'll see over by Barnes and Nobles. We try to avoid crowd as much as possible and just come here around weekdays before heading home. We came here on a weekend one-time and I just ran out of patience trying to get around people since the place is small too. Despite that little hassle, I still LOVE this place, add a coffee shop and it's perfect. read more

Half Price Books - Was looking for an inspiration to widen my sketching techniques. $30 instead of usual retail price for this books. - Books, Mags, Music & Video Near Me - Clive, Iowa

If you are a book seller find ANY way other than this store to move your books. I just took 18 boxes of books (well over $2000 of value) mostly hard back, in excellent condition to this store and had to wait IN the store for almost an hour for them to give me $14.00. Then another 15 minute wait in line to cash out. Great place to buy books, horrible way to sell books. Several of my oversize art books were over $100 new and were in perfect condition. They gave me about a dime per book. How I wished I had donated them to a library, book fair fundraiser or even the Animal Thrift Store. read more

Simply the best book store. I love going here and spending HOURS just looking through books. I always hated that I had to go to the library to check out books instead of owning them. I just will not pay $20 PER BOOK. So coming here is perfect. Even on weeks when I have low income I can still come here and find a book in the clearance section where books are $2-$4. It's also great because they buy books as well, so if I buy a lot of books I have to read them all and if I want more I had to take books back. The money I get from those books goes toward buying more in the future. Employees are always pretty nice here as well read more

Love this place I've been coming here for years! They give fair prices for stuff you wanna sell to them and they will take everything! Great place to find music and movies vintage books and all the rest read more

Love love love this place. I never walk out without having found a new treasure. Music, movies, games, puzzles, non-fication, fiction, magazines.... The list goes on. You can easily spend half a day here . If you are selling, I don't think you really get a very good deal, but I rarely sell and basically go to buy. Great deals in the clearance section!! I try to get here at least every other month as there is always turnover, with new things placed out regularly! read more

Really loved the place, lots of choices to choose from (even sci-fi fantasy!). Reason for three stars is because as they have a great selection but pricing of items brought in to sell was a bit off putting. 9 super stuffed boxes of books from children to adult, including book sets, plus 30+ wii, wii U, xbox 360, playstation, etc games were only worth $100! I do understand and they did warn, that it is based on condition and need of supply/demand for books. I was sad because many of those books were a treasure for me. They did take all the books which was great and best part is knowing that they will continue to be read. I forgot to ask what the offer broke down to such as games vs books which I will do next time. Very friendly and helpful staff. Really would have liked to know about this place instead of buying expensive books from like Barnes and Nobles. read more

Love shopping here, not so much selling here. I took in over a dozen books by popular authors like Nicholas Sparks and got $4 for all of them. That's less than 30 cents a book that they will then sell for $4-5. I know they have overhead but that seems like a huge difference! Next time I will just donate my books. read more