Thank you for shopping with Parnassus Books online! Below you'll find information about our sales policies, shipping information, and other frequently asked questions.
SHOPPING ONLINE
Online shopping is quick and easy, but if you have any questions about using our website, please feel free to give us a call at (615) 953-2243. We're happy to help!
To search for a specific title, use the search bar in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. Place items in your shopping cart and proceed to checkout through our order form.
BOOK AVAILABILITY
All of our titles are subject to availability. Prices may be subject to change. Please call us at (615) 953-2243 to confirm the availability and price of a book.
We maintain the in-store availability of titles on our website as accurately as possible. Changes to our inventory are automatically uploaded to our website four times per day. They do NOT happen in real time. Below are brief explanations of the availability terminology you'll find on our website.
"Availability: On Our Shelves Now" - This book was on our store's shelves and in our in-store inventory system the last time inventory data was uploaded to our website. Please call us to confirm the availability of a title before relying on this information.
"Availability: Special Order - Usually Arrives in 1-5 Days" - This book should be readily available to either ship directly to you or for us to order for you to pick up in the store. This status also means that the item was NOT on our shelves the last time inventory data was uploaded to our website.
"Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now" - This book is available for us to pre-order for you, but is not yet available for pick-up or shipping. If you order it now, we will notify you or ship it to you when we receive it from the publisher.
"Availability: Availability to be confirmed" - This book may not be currently available from the publisher. This status is displayed for older titles that may not be in print or are between print runs. It is also displayed for new titles that will not be published for a month or more. We will attempt to order the book for you and will notify you of your order status.
"Availability: Out of Print" - Parnassus Books cannot obtain this book. If you live here in Nashville, we encourage you to check out one of Nashville's many excellent used bookstores, including Rhino Booksellers or McKay Used Books. Not in Nashville? Click here to find an independent bookstore near you!
PAYMENT METHODS
We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Paypal, and Parnassus Books gift certificates.
ORDER AND DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS
You may choose to pick up your online order here in the store, or we can ship it to you. Our online ordering department will send you an email to confirm that we've received your order, and will inform you again when your purchase is complete and your shipment is on its way.
If you have any special needs or requests for your order, please let us know in the comments section when you check out! You're always welcome to pre-order a signed book by an upcoming author on our events calendar. If you'd like your signed book to be personalized, just include that information in your comments and we'll do our best to fulfill it. Missed an author event, but still hoping to get a signed book? Check out our signed books pages, and be sure to indicate that you'd like a signed book in your order comments. You can also order signed and personalized copies of Ann Patchett's books.
We're happy to enclose a message or gift wrap -- free! We take great care in packing and shipping our online orders. Note that giftwrapped packages must be shipped via priority mail. USPS strictly does not allow wrapped books to be sent via media mail.
SHIPPING METHODS
We ship orders via the US Postal Service, via their media and priority rates.
Orders shipped via media rate are usually received within 5 to 7 business days. Arrival time depends on how far from Nashville the order is being sent: Items sent within Tennessee will typically arrive faster than items sent out of state.
Orders shipped via priority rate are guaranteed by the US Postal Service to arrive within 3 business days. Most arrive within 2 business days.
Tracking information for all orders, regardless of shipping method, is available and will be emailed once your order ships.
Books not on our shelves may be shipped to you directly from a distributor's warehouse, especially if your order doesn't have any special requirements, such as gift wrapping or an authors signature. Shipping directly from a warehouse does not affect shipping rates.
SHIPPING RATES
Number of books | Media Rate | Priority Rate |
1 book | $4.50 | $9.00 |
2 books | $5.00 | $11.00 |
3 books | $5.50 | $13.00 |
4 books | $6.00 | $15.00 |
5 books | $6.50 | $17.00 |
6 books | $7.00 | $19.00 |
7 books | $7.50 | $21.00 |
RETURNS
All returns are handled on a case-by-case basis, subject to management discretion. Please note that we can process returns and refunds only for items purchased from Parnassus Books. Returned items must be in their original, salable condition.
To return an item purchased in the store, just bring in the item along with your receipt within 30 days of the purchase date. With your receipt, we're glad to offer you a refund in the form of your original payment. Some special order items may not be returnable.
Need to return an item purchased online that arrived damaged? Did we send you the wrong book? (All online orders are processed by real people who occasionally make mistakes!) Give us a call at (615) 953-2243. We'll generate a shipping label so you can return the order to us, free of cost to you. We'll be glad to offer you a refund or a replacement book, subject to availability.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
We hope you'll find the experience of shopping online as enjoyable as the experience of shopping in our store. Anything we might be able to do for you in the store, we're glad to try to do online, whether it's gift-wrapping, having a book autographed, answering questions, or helping with book suggestions. Please don't hesitate to call us during store hours at (615) 953-2243, and we will be happy to assist you!