Help center/Damaged book guidelines
Damaged Book Guidelines
Flirting With Fiction
We check every order before it leaves the shop. But books travel twice: once from the printer to us, and once from us to you. Somewhere in transit, a box gets dropped, a corner gets kissed, or a sprayed edge picks up a scuff. It happens across the entire industry, big or small.
These guidelines cover all books purchased from Flirting With Fiction, including special editions and preorders. They outline what qualifies as damage, what falls under normal manufacturing or transit variation, and how we handle remedies.
How to Report Damage
Report within 3 business days
Email us at fwfbookshop@gmail.com within 3 business days of delivery confirmation. After 3 business days, orders are no longer eligible for replacements, refunds, or store credits.
Start a damage claimPlease include
Important: Keep all original packaging until your claim is resolved so we can file an inquiry with the carrier if necessary. Please do not send anything back to the shop; our team will direct you once photos are reviewed.
Damage Levels & Remedies
Store credit percentages are calculated directly from the purchase price of the affected book.
| Level | What It Looks Like | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1Normal Wear | Corner dents or crushes under 1.5 cm; light scuffs or rub marks on the cover; top or bottom of the spine gently pushed in; small dings to the top/bottom page block; plus items listed under What Isn't Damage. | No credit or replacementConsidered acceptable variation. |
| Level 2Noticeable Wear | Dented or crushed corners bigger than 1.5 cm; large dents and scratches on the front cover or spine clearly visible at arm's length. | 20% store credit |
| Level 3Edge Issues | Sprayed or stenciled edges that are patchy across the page block with significant white showing; or a stencil printed so off-center that a core part of the design is cut off. | 25% store credit |
| Level 4Severe Damage & Defects | Tears, cuts, or deep scratches over 1 cm on the cover or spine; more than one torn or severely bent page affecting readable text; large permanent stains or unremovable residue; water damage; split or broken spine; missing or inverted/upside-down pages; punctures penetrating the board; an advertised signed edition that arrived unsigned. | Free replacementOr a full refund if inventory is exhausted. |
Good to Know
What Isn't Damage
Certain cosmetic variations are standard characteristics of physical book production and high-volume specialty printing. These do not qualify for credit or replacement:
- Small white flecks, pinpricks, or minor chipping on sprayed or stenciled edges, including minor dings along page margins or corners.
- Uneven edge spraying or paint that bleeds slightly into the interior page margins
- Slightly soft or blurry stenciled designs, or designs a few millimeters off-center where the entire composition remains visible
- Wavy pages caused by atmospheric humidity changes during transit
- Faint roller lines or subtle foil stamping variations from bindery presses
- Micro-scratches on metallic foil or soft-touch matte laminates
- Surface marks on the back cover that do not impact the front board or spine
- A loose dust jacket or minor crimping along its top or bottom edge
- Outer shipping box damage when the interior book contents arrive unharmed
A Note on Dark & Black Special Editions
Dark and matte editions are visually striking, but they naturally show transit wear faster:
- The underlying paper is white: Sprayed edges apply pigment over raw paper. Minor contact can chip the surface layer, exposing the white core beneath. On black edges, even microscopic points of friction stand out.
- Cover boards whiten at impact points: The binder board beneath printed covers is naturally light-colored. A modest corner tap can compress the surface laminate and expose lighter material.
- Matte absorbs friction: Soft-touch matte finishes inevitably show minor rub marks and handling sheen from standard packing.
We assess dark editions using the standard criteria above: slight edge flecks and soft scuffs are normal; patchy edge blocks and severe board defects are not.
Replacements & Limited Inventory
- One replacement per title: Every replacement copy is hand-inspected prior to dispatch. Replacements cannot be replaced a second time.
- Sold-Out Titles: Because special editions have finite print runs, replacement inventory is limited. If stock is exhausted on an approved claim, you'll receive a full refund with no replacement.
Operational Policies
- Individual Review: Every damage submission is manually reviewed by our team; the final classification level and applicable remedy remain at the shop's operational discretion.
- Store Credit: Digital store credits do not expire and apply to any title or item across the shop.
Our Mission
Flirting With Fiction operates as an independent bookstore whose proceeds support Fun With Fiction, our community literacy initiative for children in crisis. Clear guidelines allow us to treat readers fairly while keeping resources directed toward our community programs.