Waterstones Reviews 

5,363
TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

4.6

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Considering 642 reviews, reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company. Customers frequently praise the support team for being exceptionally helpful, friendly, and remarkably quick to resolve various online ordering questions. People looking for unique reads also deeply appreciate the wonderful selection of signed copies and special collector editions that are otherwise hard to find. However, some customers also noted recurring issues with mailing preparation leading to damaged items upon arrival. Consumers expressed clear frustration that books sometimes arrive with creased dust jackets, crushed corners, or tears due to insufficient protection during transit. Buyers feel that retailers marketing special editions should ensure proper boxed packaging to prevent this kind of avoidable disappointment.

What people talk about most

Customer service

People report positive experiences with customer_service, highlighting prompt and efficient support when... See more

Staff

Clients share positive opinions on staff, consistently praising their helpful, professional, and friendly... See more

Order

Customers consistently note ambiguous experiences with order processes, highlighting both praise and... See more

Product

Customers had ambiguous experiences with product, often highlighting a great selection of signed and special... See more

Response time

Users describe positive interactions with response_time, highlighting consistently fast and efficient... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Lisa was very helpful and quick to respond to my original query, and then gave some additional information which I found really useful. Great Customer Service!! This is one reason why Waterstones is t... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Love visiting a Waterstones. Last visit I bought a signed copy that turned out to be missing the signature - didn’t realise this until I got home. Contacted customer service and they shipped a new s... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I’m impressed at how helpful Lisa and Peter were when I asked a question about stocking my recently published poetry book (bilingual) . Lisa quickly passed my query to the relevant department and then... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I had recently ordered a book for an upcoming holiday and it unfortunately took a while to dispatch. I emailed the customer service team for help with this. And Lisa (who was lovely) explained that th... See more


Company details

  1. Book shop

About Waterstones

Written by the company

Waterstones' mission is to be the leading Bookseller on the High Street and online providing customers the widest choice, great value and expert advice from a team passionate about Bookselling; uniting readers with the perfect books and bringing them together with authors through our events programme.

Browse millions of books online - Fiction, Non-Fiction, Children's, Textbooks and Audiobooks. Discover our range of Signed & Exclusive editions, Gifts and Games. Sign up for our Waterstones Plus card to earn and redeem as you spend in our shops, cafes and online. Free UK delivery to store and on orders of £25 or more.


Contact info

4.6

Excellent

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

5k reviews

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Asks customers to review

This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative

Replied to 62% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 2 weeks

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4.6

All reviews

(5,363)

637 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Damaged parcel

My parcel was damaged in the post and two books were undelivered. Within a few hours Waterstones resolved the issue and organised replacements with no arguments. Georgina, from their customer support department, was extremely helpful.

17 July 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

After a very long day,

After a very long day! I made contact with ‘Jade’ in customer services. Jade was so professional, attentive in all I had to say, re my order and payment! I immediately, received a ticket support, explaining what is happening. Jade dealt with my problem, immediately, and had it solved and sorted , very quickly. My payment is now sorted, and books are in process of being delivered. Jade has made my weekend at launching of book, (author my niece Cynthia Murphy)a much more relaxing time to look forward to. So professional, again ‘thank you’ Jade!
Martha Delahunty Ireland

17 July 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

An excellent service from Lisa.

I spoke to Lisa today, I was following up with a book order, Lisa was extremely helpful, she explained clearly what she was going to do regarding the situation with my order and explained what she would email once she had an outcome, true to her word I received an email from her today.

17 July 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent customer service

Happy to say that at Waterstones, on the very rare occasions something goes wrong with an online order, the customer service to right the issue remains of a very high standard, and the problem efciciently resolved by an actual human being!

I might also add that in store (and mine is most specifically the Guildford branch) Waterstone's staff are also consistently excellent.

16 July 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Top products and great customer service

They carry great products especially some of my top favorite authors AND get stock of signed books from them, which is difficult to find anywhere else. Their customer service is also excellent as I had a little issue with my order and it was addressed quickly with clarity and kindness. Thank you Cecilia and team! Have been and will continue to be a customer of Waterstones.

14 July 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Delayed Publication / Shipping

Had an issue with a book not being dispatched after publication date. I reached out to Waterstones customer service team who promptly looked into this for me and kept me updated through the entire process. Was very happy with the service received.

10 July 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

After having problem after problem with…

After having problem after problem with my books arriving….no fault of Waterstones, I reached out to customer services and had some fantastic help with a lady called Hayley! Can not thank her enough for all the hard work she put in, in trying to locate my books for me!

Like I said never any issues with Waterstones!

14 July 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The staff at Waterstones Deansgate…

The staff at Waterstones Deansgate Manchester are fantastic and so knowledgeable. Several staff helped me find the perfect book for my daughter and she was so happy with the choice. Thank you to the fab staff.

13 July 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Terrible packaging and pricing

Thought I'd steer from ordering on amazon for once and support an actual book store as I had a gift voucher. Ordered five 20 pound hardbacks. All arrived in a cardboard envelope, all had dents and tears. 100 pound order and they can't even be bothered to put it in a box? Vinted level packaging, complete joke. Generic template reply from customer service. Overpriced and carelessly packaged. I'd advise steering clear and ordering through travelling man, who individually bubble wrapped each book and shipped them in an actual box. Won't be ordering from here again.

9 July 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Georgina was extremely helpful and polite!!!

Georgina was extremely helpful and polite! Especially with the time difference! I’m in the US! I had an issue with my address and needed to change it but the book I had preordered was now out of stock. Georgina was able to cancel the order internally and get me swapped over to a new one with the correct address!! Thank you so much for taking that stress away!! Top tier customer service!!!

10 July 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Helpful staff

Unfortunately the book was not appropriate for my selected reader, but the staff were really kind and helpful and understanding and arranged a return very quickly =)

7 July 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely amazing customer service

Absolutely amazing customer service, I contacted Danny A through the website chat service around a damaged item (manufacturer's fault, not waterstones) and he was absolutely amazing in getting it resolved and a replacement copy of the game sent out as soon as possible. Really appreciated !!

9 July 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I ordered a signed copy of John of…

I ordered a signed copy of John of John, but after a few days with no email to tell me it was dispatched I followed up with Customer Service. I spoke with Lorraine, a Customer Service Advisor who was very prompt in getting back to me and managed to source a new copy for me. She answered all of my questions and really appreciate the time she took to help, long live bookshops. Thank you Lorraine!

9 July 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Lorraine was amazing

Lorraine was amazing, she followed up daily on my issue until it was rectified. She was so helpful and nice. It was some of the best customer service I’ve received.

8 July 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent customer service from point…

Excellent customer service from point of order to delivery. Hayley was brilliant and constantly kept in touch with regular updates. Brilliant service. When we had an issue with a damaged book, Hayley again sorted everything out efficiently.

4 June 2026
Unprompted review

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