About INDIAreads

• What is INDIAreads?
  • INDIAreads is an online library cum bookstore that ensures that you have access to books, anytime, anywhere. It saves you the hassle of going to a library or bookstore to search for your favourite title. Just log on to the www.indiareads.com and order the books of your choice. They are delivered to your doorstep free of cost.
• Where is INDIAreads available?
  • All over India. Our library and bookstore cater to booklovers in over 250 cities and towns across the country. And the list is growing. Click here, to see if INDIAreads is available in your city. If not, send us an email and we’ll try and reach you asap.
• What kind of books do you keep?
  • We have thousands of books from a variety of genre- fiction, non-fiction, political science, sports, self help, management, children’s books etc. Our collection is guided by a panel of authors, senior bureaucrats, journalists, academics, successful entrepreneurs and professionals from Fortune 500 companies. In addition to this we receive regular feedback from a group of students and avid book lovers. Most importantly, our collection is tailored to the needs of our members. So if you want to read a book or recommend it, just Request-a-book. If we do not have it in our catalogue, we’ll procure it.
• How many copies of each book do you keep?
  • We have multiple copies of most of the books in our library. Based on customer demand, we keep adding titles as well.
• Are these ebooks?
  • No, we do not keep ebooks. We still believe in “cuddling with a good book.” So what we deliver to you are real books, the kind you’ll find in libraries and bookstores. As we are strictly against piracy, all the books in our bookstore and library are originals.

Membership and Account

• How do I become a member of INDIAreads?
  • It’s fairly simple. Just click on the New User tab and fill up a simple registration form. Once you have registered, an activation link will be sent to the email id that you have given us. Click on the link and your account becomes operational. You are now ready to hobnob with book enthusiasts from across the country.
    If you want to enjoy unlimited reading within the comfort of your home or office, then simply click on the Activate Library Membership tab in the My Account page. You can choose from a variety of plans designed specifically to cater to your reading needs.
• What do I have to pay to register with INDIAreads?
  • Nothing. Registration with INDIAreads is free and open to all book enthusiasts, including people from cities where we are currently unable to offer rental and purchase services. Joining INDIAreads gives you complete access to the world of books – you can browse for your favourite titles, read book reviews, familiarise yourself with upcoming titles, review books yourself and discuss your favourite book or character with other book lovers through our blog. The only time you have to pay is when you purchase a book or sign up for library membership.
• I forgot my password. What do I do?
  • Don’t worry. Just click on the ‘Forgot Password?' link, enter your Login ID and click on the ‘Recover Password’ tab. Your password will be sent to the email id provided by you at the time of registration .

Library

• How does the library system work?
  • It’s fairly simple.
    • Register with INDIAreads.com and create an account.
    • Click on the Activate Library Membership tab on the My Account page and select a plan depending on your city of residence and reading requirement.
    • We will contact you to verify your address and the date from when you would like to start the membership.
    • Browse/search books you would like to read, and add them to your Bookshelf. It is recommended that you keep 10 books in your Bookshelf.
    • Your first set of two books will be delivered to the Shipping Address that you give us when you activate your library membership.
    • Once you are done with the books, go to the My Account page. You can choose between a ‘Pick up my Books and deliver the next set’ and a ‘Pick up my books but wait before you send the next set’ tab. Please ensure that you ask for pickup only when you have finished reading both the books.
    • If you select the ‘Pick up my Books and deliver the next set’ tab, your first set of books will be collected and the next lot delivered within 4 business days. If you select the ‘Pick up my books but wait before you send the next set’ tab, your first set of books will be picked up within 3 business days. A ‘I want to rent books now’ tab will appear beside your Bookshelf. Click it whenever you wish to have the next set of books delivered.
    • If you have opted for a self return plan, please courier the books to us when you are done reading. We will send you the next set of books as soon as we receive these.

    For further information check out the How it Works section or Contact Us.

• What are the membership fees and plans?
  • We offer a variety of plans to cater to your reading habits and budget. Please note that pricing is based on your city of residence. For a list of available plans, please visit the Prices and Plans page.
• Can I change my plan mid-subscription?
  • Yes, you can change your plan in the middle of your subscription period. If you wish to upgrade your plan, we will charge the difference in subscription fees for the remaining period of your subscription. Your deliveries will resume as per your new subscription plan after we receive your payment. You can however, move to a lower subscription fee, only after your current subscription has expired.
• How do I search for books on your site?
  • You can carry out two kinds of searches.

    a) A Simple search with the author, book name, isbn number or keyword. For example, enter ‘Alchemist' in the search field in the right top bar or enter ‘Paulo Coelho'. In case you enter the name of an author, all the available books written by him or her will be displayed.

    b) Advanced Search – Click on this link for an exhaustive search by keyword, title, author, year of publication, price, genre, language and ISBN number. You can sort your results by price, year of publication and availability for rent/sale.

• What is My bookshelf?
  • My Bookshelf is the list of books that you want to read. Search or browse through our collection and when you find a book that you would like to read, just click on the Rent tab. The book is automatically added to your bookshelf. Books in the Bookshelf are given a Priority, i.e. the order in which you would like to read the books. Unless you Edit the Bookshelf and determine the priority, the first book you add to your bookshelf is automatically given number one priority.
    It is recommended that you keep 10 books in your Bookshelf, at any given time.
• How do I manage My bookshelf?
  • Go to My Bookshelf on the My Account page.
    • To add a book to your Bookshelf, click on the ‘Add a Book’ button in your bookshelf. You can now search/browse through our catalogue and add titles to your shelf.
    • To remove a book or rearrange priority, click on the ‘Edit” button in My Bookshelf. The contents of your bookshelf will be displayed along with your preferred order for receiving the books. Number 1 denotes that you want the book to be delivered first. Change the numbers, if you wish to rearrange the order in which you receive books. Make sure that you chose numbers between 1 and 10 and do not repeat a number.
    • To remove a book, click on the delete button in the same row as the book on the Bookshelf.
• Why should I keep at least ten books in My Bookshelf?
  • Books are shipped to you based on priority and availability. If a book is in great demand, despite having multiple copies, we can have a ‘temporarily-out-on-circulation' situation. Therefore, a longer book queue helps us continuously deliver books of your choice. You are less likely to be faced with a situation, where you are not shipped books due to an out-of-stock situation.
• How do I get books delivered to me for the first time?
  • Once you have activated your library membership, please add books to your bookshelf. Our representative will call up to confirm your delivery address and your order. The books will then be shipped to you.
• How do I know a book has been sent to me?
  • The Order Status column in the My Account page shows you the names of books sent to you along with the date of dispatch.
• Once I'm done reading the books, how do I return them?
  • If you have chosen the self return option (not available to customers in Delhi/NCR), put the books in the self addressed envelope that was sent to you along with the books. Please courier this packet to us.

    If you have not chosen the self return option, just log on to your my Account page. You have two options now. You can either choose to have the finished set of books picked up and the next set delivered immediately or you can simply return the finished set of books and order the next set when you have more reading time. Once you have indicated your choice, our logistics partner will pick up the books from your home or office. Please ensure that someone is present at your delivery address during the day to receive and return the books. If you have already exhausted your monthly quota of books, the new set of books will be delivered at the beginning of your next monthly cycle.

• Do I have to return all the books at the same time?
  • Yes, please ask for a pick up only when you have finished reading both your books.
• How do I know you've received the books I had returned?
  • When we process the books you have returned, we will send you an email confirming receipt, and we will remove them from your account. Please allow at least two working days for us to receive the books you have returned.
• How long can I keep the books? Is there any late fee?
  • You can keep the books for as long as you want. There is no late fee or due date as long as you are a subscribing member (i.e. you pay your monthly/six month/annual membership dues on time).
• What if I can’t find my book?
  • If any title is not available in our library, click on the Request –a-book tab in the My Account section. Please fill in as many details as you can. Alternately you can shoot an email to findmybook@indiareads.com If it's a running title with any of the publishers, we will procure the book and notify you immediately.
• Why didn't I receive the first book from my queue?
  • We strive to send you your top priority books first. However, if a situation arises in which your top preferences are in circulation, we will have to send you the books that are lower down on your Bookshelf.
• What do I do if I never received the books that were shipped to me?
  • Please verify your shipping details on our website. If more than 4 days have elapsed since the dispatch date, and the delivery address is correct, please call customer care at +91-11-22541035 or +91-11-43710618. You can also send an email to customercare@indiareads.com
• What do I do if I accidentally send you one of my personal books?
  • Please send an email to customercare@indiareads.com indicating the name of your book and the dispatch date. Our customer service executives will respond promptly.
• What do I do if I lose or damage a book?
  • Please inform us at customercare@indiareads.com . Please understand that the cost of replacing a lost book or repairing damages will be charged to you and the payment for the same collected before you receive your next shipment of books. The amount charged will be the current retail value of the book.
• How do I cancel my membership?
  • You may cancel your membership any time you want. You will have to return the books you currently hold and your security deposit will subsequently be refunded. Please take the time to tell us why you are cancelling your subscription.
• Will I receive a refund if I cancel my membership in the middle of a billing month?
  • No. We do not give pro-rata refunds of paid membership fees. Your refundable deposit of Rs. 1000 will however, be sent back to you once you return all the books that you have received.
• Can I re-join once I have cancelled my membership?
  • Of course you may – we’d love to have you back!

Payment Options

• How do I pay the Membership fee?
  • Currently, you can choose from four options: a) Online - You can now use your credit card, debit card or cash card to pay online using our payment gateway. It is absolutely safe and hassle free. You can also opt for online Banking. Please note that online payments are acceptable for book purchases, memberships and renewals. However, you cannot upgrade your membership through online payment. If you wish to upgrade your membership, please contact Customer Care @ 011-43710618 or send an email to customercare@indiareads.com

    b) Send a cheque in the name of iRead Books Pvt Ltd. As soon as the cheque is encashed, you will receive the first set of books.

    c) Send a demand draft in the name of iRead Books Pvt Ltd, payable at New Delhi.

    d) Cash on Delivery: Pay in cash on the delivery of the first set of books. (valid only for sum of Rs 500 or above)

    The cheques and demand drafts should be sent to iRead Books Pvt Ltd, First Floor, Yogamaya Bhawan, 117-WA Block, Main Shakarpur Road, New Delhi 110091. Our customer service executives will contact you as soon as we receive your cheque/DD.

Bookstore?

• Can I buy books from INDIAreads?
  • Yes! Being complete book-a-holics we understand that some books are for keeps. If you want to buy a book for your own collection or gift it to a loved one, no need to trudge to the mall or bookstore. Now, you can order books at the click of a mouse. Browse through our ever growing catalogue or do a simple book search to find the special discounts that are being offered on the book of your choice. If you are unable to find your book, just fill in the Request-a-book form or shoot an email to findmybook@indiareads.com. If your book is currently in print or a running title, we will get it for you at the best possible price.
• What if I can’t find the book of my choice in the bookstore?
  • If you can’t find the book of your choice in our Bookstore, simply send us an email (findmybook@indiareads.com) giving the details of the book you wish to buy along with your contacts. INDIAreads members can also fill the Request-a-Book form. If the book is available with any publisher we will procure it for you and send you an email.

Delivery

• Where will I get the books delivered?
  • Books will be delivered to you at the Shipping Address you give us when you register. Pick your home address or office address depending on what's convenient for you. All deliveries will be done within normal working hours. Early morning or late evening deliveries are not possible. Please ensure that someone is present at your delivery address during the day to receive the books. In case you will be out of town or no one will be available, kindly send an email to customercare@indiareads.com so that your delivery can be scheduled accordingly.
• How long will it take to get the books once I order them?
  • After you register with INDIAreads, we will give you a welcome call within 1 working day to confirm your membership details. If we are able to confirm your membership before 2 PM on a working day, we will hand over the books to our logistics partner on the same day. Otherwise the books will be sent out the next working day. After receiving the books, our logistics partner takes 2-3 working days to deliver the books to you.

    If you have already read all the books allowed per month as per your plan, then your books will be sent out at the beginning of your next subscription month.

• Who pays for the delivery/pick up?
  • Delivery and pickup of books is free. If you have chosen the Self Return option, you will be incurring the return cost for the books. Delivery of books to you will still be free.
• Who collects and delivers the books?
  • Books will be delivered and picked-up by INDIAreads delivery agents, or our logistics partner.
• Can I get the books delivered at an alternate address?
  • Sure! Just give us a call or send an email to customercare@indiareads.com with the address where you want the books to be delivered. As long as your city of delivery offers the same plans as your registered city, we will deliver the books free of charge. However, in case the plans for your new delivery address are more expensive, you will be billed for the difference.
    If your new delivery address offers cheaper plans, your billed amount will be adjusted from the next billing month.
• What happens if I am not at home when the books are delivered?
  • Please ensure that someone is present at the delivery address during the day. In case, this is not the case or you are travelling then kindly inform customer care at the time of making the delivery request. Every delivery and pick up costs us money (not to mention fuel and the environmental aspects). So unless we have prior information, a failed delivery due to non presence of occupants is counted as a rental.