Our Policies

This page contains more information on the policies and procedures we use to ensure that you are pleased with your Mygr8tstuff Bookstore online purchases. Of course, we are always available to answer any additional questions you have. We encourage you to contact us by e-mail: info@mygr8tstuff.com.

Our Service

Mygr8tstuff Bookstore takes pride in providing prompt, professional service. We make every effort to accurately describe every book or other item that we sell. If you have a question about the book that isn't answered on our website, please email info@mygr8tstuff.com. If you don’t see an image with an item’s description, e-mail us and we will scan that item and e-mail you the image.

Reserving a Book & Information on Condition

Most of the books we sell on our web site Mygr8tstuffbooks.com and on the other sites such as Amazon.com and The Advanced Book Exchange are used. We usually have only one copy. You may go ahead and order the book. If it is out of stock, we will let you know.

To be sure we still have the book you want before ordering, e-mail info@mygr8tstuff.com to reserve it.

It helps to have the name of the book and the author’s name when you e-mail. We are often online and will return your e-mail inquiry as soon as possible, usually that same day.

Information About Grading Books

There are 5 broad levels of book grade:
1 Fine: Abbreviated as "F". A fine book in a fine dust jacket is often written as F/F. Fine means: virtually flawless. What flaws are present should be minor, tiny, and virtually unnoticeable, such as a few tiny nicks to a dust jacket. If a book is described as fine, any flaws, such as the presence of a former owner's signature or bookplate, must be mentioned.

A good way to determine whether or not a book is in "fine" condition is to ask yourself: how does this book compare to the way it looked when it first came off the press. Fine basically means as close as possible to that as new look.

Note: Technically, there is a classification above fine: "very fine" or "as new". Since almost any book, almost no matter what protection it receives, will lose its "as newness" and will pick up some flaws within a few years, this description is hardly ever used in describing rare books. However, occasionally such books do appear.

Fine books, especially when that condition is scarce for a particular title, will always carry a substantial and disproportionate premium in price. A dime-sized stain can drop the price of an otherwise fine $600 book by as much as $100!

Near fine, abbreviated as NRF, or even very near fine, very NRF, is self-explanatory.

2 Very Good: Abbreviated as "VG". Very good implies that the book is still basically sound and collectible, but with visible, if not terribly serious, flaws. A "VG" book will typically have some fading and/or staining to the covers. On older books there will likely be some rubbing at the extremities. A "VG" dust jacket will have some rubbing, some chipping, possibly even some tears or small pieces missing, but it should still be substantially bright, clean, and complete. As a rule of thumb, a "VG" book should sell for about 1/3 to 1/2 less than a fine book. A VG+ book may sell for a bit more, a VG- book for a bit less. Note: Most of our books are in good or very good condition.

3 Good: Abbreviated as "G". Good, except as it pertains to the very rarest books, is not good! For most books - again, except for the very rarest - it is a classification generally considered below collector grade. The difference in pricing between Fine and merely Good books is usually substantial. A Fine book selling for $600 may sell for only $150 in merely Good condition. 4 & 5 Fair and Poor: Except for the very rarest books or hard-to-find books needed for reference purposes, these are categories well below collector grade. Even these should still be complete and readable, although the pages may be browned and the covers detached.

Other Important Terms

Price clipped: Abbreviated "PC'd". This means that the price - usually on the top right of the front inside flap of the dust jacket - has been cut off. This is more or less an important flaw, depending on whether the price is an essential "point" in identifying the 1st printing. Collectors vary on the importance they place on this flaw and dealers vary enormously in their pricing to adjust for it. Some dealers - inexcusably in my mind - don't even bother mentioning it in their jacket descriptions. For some books, the price is essential to determining a 1st printing. But even where it is not, in my judgment a price clipped book should be marked down at least 20%.

Sunning: One of the two major "devils" of book condition is caused by sunlight (the other "devil" is moisture). Sunlight causes books and/or their jackets to discolor. The most common alteration, but far from the only one, is fading or browning of the spine, both of the book and jacket.

Foxing: This is the rusty brown spotting frequently seen in 19th century books and some 20th century books. It is caused by paper acidification.

Tight: Hinges are tight, no loose pages, or separating of the pages to the spine.

Laid-in: Something is lying loose in the front of the book, a note, letter, autographed bookplate, etc.

Tipped-in: Something has been pasted or glued into the book, usually illustrated plates.

Cocked: Book slanted. Generally caused by a book being laid horizontally with other books on top of it. However some books are more prone to this problem than others because they were printed with weak hinges to begin with. Cassell and Heinemann books from the 20's-40's are particularly prone to this problem and it is common on their Shute's and Rand's.

Sprung: Book bowed. Generally caused by the book being exposed to sudden temperature or humidity extremes. But again some books are more prone to this than others.

Offsetting: Brownish staining on pages, generally caused by newspaper clippings laid into the book.

A former library copy. Ex-libs are generally considered not collectible, especially if the library markings are prominent, pervasive, and with the usual pocket glued in the back. However, in some cases, particularly for older books, library marking can be minimal - perhaps a bookplate and library stamp- and these are not frowned on as much, especially if the book is much sought after and rare.

States or Issues: One of the challenges in the rare book trade is to identify the "true" very first printing of a collected book. There are many instances where a book has more than one variation of the first edition. There are a number of these in The Ayn Rand Collection. For example, The Fountainhead has two states or issues of the first edition, both identified by the publisher on the copyright page as "First Edition". It is now known that the red cloth copy with Bobbs-Merrill's Spring List of books on the back of the dust jacket is the first state. The green cloth with Ayn Rand's picture on the back and reviews of the book is the second state. But both state "First Edition" on the copyright page. Later printings, even if with red or green cloth and even with Ayn Rand's picture on the back of the dust jacket, are not first editions unless it clearly says "First Edition" on the copyright page. See: Perinn, Ayn Rand: First Descriptive Bibliography.

Payment Information

At mygr8tstuff.com, we offer a shopping cart and secure ordering. You may pay using your Mastercard or Visa credit card. We also accept checks and money orders and purchase orders (if you are a library or school). If you have any questions or problems with payment, please e-mail info@mygr8tstuff.com

US Shipping Information

Within the United States, we ship books and other items USPS Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation for $4.50 for the first item and $1.50 more for each item included in the same shipment. Media Mail (book rate) is $3.50 for the first book and $1.00 for each additional item in the same shipment.

Overseas Shipping

Overseas shipping is usually at cost. We can ship to many countries Global Priority at $9.00 with 3 to 5 day arrival. We do not recommend surface shipping to overseas destinations unless the book is very heavy and will not fit into a Global Priority flat rate envelope.

E-mail info@mygr8tstuff.com for more information on shipping to your country.

Mygr8tstuff Books Return Policy

We want you to be satisfied with your purchase from Mygr8tstuff Books. Because of this, we offer our customers a 100% satisfaction guarantee return policy.

If the book you ordered is not what you expected or if there is any other reason you’d like to return it, e-mail returns@mygr8tstuff.com within 10 days of receipt and let us know you are returning the book or other item.

If the return is our fault due to an error in description etc., we will refund the price of the item plus shipping both ways. If you ordered the wrong book or changed your mind or the return is otherwise not our fault, we will refund the cost of the item only.

Safe Online Buying

The best way to buy safely online is to buy from someone you know and trust. Mygr8tstuff was founded in 2004 by Mark Smith, a California native and a longtime resident of the small coastal town of Dana Point, California.

I’m a real person and I take pride in selling used, rare and out of print books and collectibles on this web site and on many other well-known sites including The Advanced Book Exchange, Amazon.com zShops and Marketplace, eBay, Yahoo, Alibris, Barnes & Noble, Half.com and others. I maintain accounts with these sites and conduct business there in a fair and professional manner.

I look forward to doing business with you in the near future.

Happy reading!

--Mark