FAQs

Here are some answers to Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Do you buy used books/accept book donations?

A: We do not. We sell new books only and therefore do not accept or buy books.

Q: I saw on your website that this book is marked "Available." Can I pick it up today?

A: Please disregard the "Availability" status our website provides for products. Our website is not synced up with our store inventory. Availability typically refers to whether something is still in print of not. If you do need to know whether we have something on the shelves before you make an online purchase, please call the store at (773) 293-2665, or send us an email at words@bookcellarinc.com for the fastest response and most accurate information.

Q: John Green said I could buy signed copies of his books from you. How do I do that?

A: It's super easy! Here is a link to all of John Green's signed books:

https://www.bookcellarinc.com/books-signed-by-john-green

If you follow that link, you will be able to add books to your cart. When you check out, please enter the address you need the book shipped to and we will let you know when it's on its way!

Please note that personalizations are not available.

Q: How can I be sure I am getting a signed copy of John Green's book(s)?

A: All of our John Green books are signed-- we do not carry unsigned stock. If you believe you have received an unsigned copy from us, please double check all of the front pages of the book, and if you still don't see a signature, feel free to contact us at words@bookcellarinc.com.

Q: I have a gift card for the store, but don't see an option to use it for my online order. How can I use my gift card to pay?

A: Unfortunately our website doesn't have an option to use a gift card balance as direct payment. Instead, please pay with a card and put your gift card number (beginning with a 'G' under the barcode) in the "Order Comments" section of checkout. We will refund your original payment method and apply the gift card when we process the order in store.

Q: I want to buy a gift card for an amount that isn't listed. How can I get a different amount?

A: You can feel free to buy multiple gift cards that add up to the amount you want. Make sure you tell us in your order comments that you would like the purchase to be combined into one gift card, otherwise we will process them as multiple cards.

Q: I ordered a gift card but don't see it in my email yet. Why?

Q: I placed my order on Saturday. It's Sunday. Why haven't I heard from you? 

A: We are currently not fulfilling orders on the weekends. Any orders placed after 11 AM on Friday will be processed the following Monday morning.

Q: I placed my order and haven't heard anything from you in a few days. What's up?

A: If you haven't heard anything from us at all about your order, that means that something is backordered and/or out of stock at our distributor's warehouses. Please feel free to reach out if you'd like more information, but we promise we are not ignoring you! We circle back on all unfulfilled orders daily to see if/when we can fulfill them, and one of us will eyeball and log your order within a couple days of when you initially placed it, with the exception of the weekends.

Q: I want to pre-order a book but I don't see it on your website. How can I pre-order it?

A: Send us an email at words@bookcellarinc.com! It's likely that you are so on top of things that we haven't even added the impending release to our website yet. Feel free to shoot us a message and we will add it for you so you can pre-order it!

Q: You sent me tracking information for my book(s), but I haven't received the package yet. How do I get more info about this?

A: We are aware that USPS shipping times sometimes run slow. After many hours of back and forths with both the postal service and our distributor, we have discovered that USPS has not fully recovered from the massive influx of delivery demand from the shutdown. This is unfortunately even true for packages labeled priority mail. With such a large portion of the population currently depending on delivery for both essential and nonessential goods due to coronavirus, shipping times are simply stretching long. The good news is the vast majority of orders are now once again being delivered with no delays! If you do encounter any issues with shipping, please contact us directly. We are happy to troubleshoot as needed and if the worst does happen and USPS misplaces your books, we can provide replacements as long as we are notified of the lost package in a timely manner. 

Q: I ordered my book(s) to be shipped internationally. Why does my tracking number show my package was "Delivered" somewhere in Illinois?

A: Orders shipping outside of the United States typically go to a partner facility before shipping internationally. If your tracking number says "Delivered" with an address listed in Illinois, it means that the USPS international partner is now in posession of the package. A new tracking number is available if you check your original tracking number on USPS.

Q: I miss your food! When are you bringing back your food menu and indoor cafe tables?

A: We miss it too! For a long while, we were waiting until we felt comfortable allowing customers in-store without masks. Eating requires long periods of time without a mask on, and we wanted to make sure we were truly coming out the other side of the Covid shutdown before reintroducing our indoor cafe (we didn't want to open it, then have to close again if cases surged, then open again, then close again, etc...). Now that we are more comfortable, we are hoping to bring back food in 2024.

Q: I want a job at your store! How do I do that?

A: Send us an email with your resume and a little bit about why you think you would fit well here. When we are looking to hire new people, we always start with the resumes in our inbox! Please note that we do not hire seasonally (i.e. just for the summer or the holiday season) and you must be 21 or older since we serve alcohol.

If you are looking for additional ways to support The Book Cellar, here are a few things you can do:

• Preorder, preorder, preorder!!! It helps us AND your favorite authors! Everyone wins!
• Subscribe to libro.fm! Libro.fm partners with independent bookstores across the nation to provide readers easy access to the wide world of audiobooks, while still allowing them to support their local neighborhood bookstore.
• Check out our page on Bookshop! Bookshop is an online bookstore whose sole mission is supporting local, independent bookstores. Simply search your favorite local bookstore, and the proceeds from your online purchase will go directly to them! If you're struggling with our website, or are just curious to checkout a new online ordering platform (Am*zon who??), be sure to take a look! --> https://bookshop.org/shop/bookcellarchicago

The whirlwind of emotions we have experienced over the past few years is hard to describe. It's our job to deal with words, but it's almost impossible to express how grateful we are to all of you who placed orders, bought gift cards, asked for recommendations, stocked up on wine, promoted us on your social media channels, or left messages of encouragement and support. We truly feel the love you have for your community and for indie bookstores in general. You helped us through this.

Even as it feels we are finally coming out the other side of the Covid shutdown, we just wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU for your continued support. We'll never stop saying it! It's our firm belief that stories are necessary to manage any uncertainty or crisis, and we are grateful to provide stories to all who need a little literary magic.