All books will be shipped via Priority UPS Mail Innovations International Services

BOOKSTORE FAQS

Q: Are City Lights Publications sold at 30% off in the bookstore too or only when I order them online?
A: It’s an online-only discount!

Q: I’d like City Lights to carry my book.
A: If your book has a national distributor, please email information about your title to us at staff@citylights.com. 

We are not accepting any items on consignment for the foreseeable future.

Q: I’d like to set up an event at City Lights. How does that work?
A: City Lights is only able to stage a modest number of events each season. Due to the high volume of solicitations, it is difficult for us to review all event requests that come our way. Lead-times for reviewing material run 4-6 months. To send a proposal, include all relevant information (title, ISBN, price, publisher, description, author’s bio, reviews, excerpts from the book, and exact date the book will be available.) Send proposals to staff@citylights.com.

Please be advised: due to complications related to the COVID-19 pandemic, our response times may be longer than normal. We appreciate your patience.

Q: How early should I plan on coming to an in-person City Lights event?
A: For our in-store events, you’ll want to get to the store at least half an hour in advance. For well-known authors, please come to the store at least an hour beforehand.

Q: I have a general question about ordering a book through City Lights.
A: Should you be unable to find an answer to your general shipping inquiries below, please call us at (415) 362-8193 (ext. 22), between 12pm and 5pm PST, Monday-Friday

All orders are processed within 24-72 hours of receipt. However, if the book you are ordering happens to be out-of-stock, we will update you on the status of your order via email.

You may also email us with any questions or concerns, please email orders@citylights.com . 

We accept VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, and DISCOVER.

Individual Orders in the U.S.

Shipping charges are determined by weight to give the best, most cost-effective service to our customers. If you order more than 1 book, your shipping costs will be lower per item—for example, sometimes an order of 1 book costs $5 to ship, but for 2 books your total shipping costs could be $6. Buying more items at once saves you money! All orders are processed within 24-72 hours of receipt.

We ship most orders via USPS Media Mail. Standard orders in the continental United States should arrive within 3-12 business days. Expedited orders should arrive within 2-6 business days. (Check the Shipping Information section below to determine how long your order will take to get to you.) The order confirmation e-mailed to you upon purchase will contain USPS tracking information for all orders shipping within the continental United States and all orders sent via expedited service. Please use this information to track your order with USPS, and retain your order confirmation for any queries you may need to make.

Orders Outside the U.S.

City Lights titles, or any book featured with an “add to cart” button next to it, may be purchased by clicking on the button. Shipping and handling fees will automatically be added to your purchase. All books will be shipped via Priority UPS Mail Innovations International Services. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

(Please note: we cannot provide tracking information for international orders sent via standard service.)

Q: What is your return policy?
A: Books purchased on CityLights.com may be returned within 30 days from the date of shipment. Be sure to pack the items properly, as all returned items must arrive in resaleable condition and accompanied by the receipt in order to qualify for a refund. City Lights will credit the customer’s credit card. No cash refunds. 
 

Please ship returns to:
City Lights Books
Internet Sales
261 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94133

 

All books will be shipped via Priority UPS Mail Innovations International Services

 CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Q: I have a general question about ordering a book through City Lights.
A: Should you be unable to find an answer to your general shipping inquiries below, please call us at (415) 362-8193 (ext. 22), between 12pm and 5pm PST, Monday-Friday

All orders are processed within 24-72 hours of receipt. However, if the book you are ordering happens to be out-of-stock, we will update you on the status of your order via email.

You may also email us with any questions or concerns here

We accept VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, and DISCOVER.

Individual Orders in the U.S.

Shipping charges are determined by weight to give the best, most cost-effective service to our customers. If you order more than 1 book, your shipping costs will be lower per item—for example, sometimes an order of 1 book costs $5 to ship, but for 2 books your total shipping costs could be $6. Buying more items at once saves you money! All orders are processed within 24-72 hours of receipt.

We ship most orders via USPS Media Mail. Standard orders in the continental United States should arrive within 3-12 business days. Expedited orders should arrive within 2-6 business days. (Check the Shipping Information section below to determine how long your order will take to get to you.) The order confirmation e-mailed to you upon purchase will contain USPS tracking information for all orders shipping within the continental United States and all orders sent via expedited service. Please use this information to track your order with USPS, and retain your order confirmation for any queries you may need to make.  

Orders Outside the U.S.

City Lights titles, or any book featured with an “add to cart” button next to it, may be purchased by clicking on the button. Shipping and handling fees will automatically be added to your purchase. All books will be shipped via Priority UPS Mail Innovations International Services. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

(Please note: we cannot provide tracking information for international orders sent via standard service.)

Q: I placed an order a while ago and still haven’t received it.
A: All orders are processed within 24-72 hours of receipt. We ship most orders via USPS. Standard orders in the continental United States should arrive within 5-12 business days. Expedited orders should arrive within 2-6 business days. The order confirmation e-mailed to you upon purchase will contain USPS tracking information for all orders shipping within the continental United States and all orders sent via expedited service. Please use this information to track your order with USPS, and retain your order confirmation for any queries you may need to make.  (Please note: we cannot provide tracking information for international orders sent via standard service.) If USPS is not able to provide adequate tracking information, please email us (include order date and number) and we will respond as soon as we possibly can.

Q: When do I need to place my order to receive it by Christmas?
A: If you are ordering within the continental United States, orders placed by December 13th will arrive by Christmas using Standard shipping (USPS Ground). If you wish to use expedited shipping, you can order by December 19th. Need it faster? Call us at (415) 362-8193 ext. 22 or email us at orders@citylights.com to make special arrangements.

For international orders, please be advised that international expedited shipping varies depending on the country and size and weight of item. We can expedite international orders, but the cost will be higher than our normal expedited estimates. Please contact us with all shipping related questions at orders@citylights.com.

Q: I bought a paper gift certificate at City Lights that I’d like to redeem online. How do I do that?
A: The paper gift certificates that we used to sell for decades can only be redeemed at City Lights bookstore, or by snail mail. We’ve switched to selling plastic Gift Cards that can be redeemed in store or online. If you’d like to trade in your gift certificate for a gift card, please contact us here. Unfortunately, for tax purposes, we cannot accept trades of partially-redeemed gift certificates or credit slips for gift cards.

Q: How can I check my City Lights gift card balance?
A: You can check your balance right here. Simply enter your gift card number from the back of the card.

Q: I just bought a gift card online, but can’t redeem it. Why not?
A: While most gift cards will be processed in real time, please allow for potential delays after purchase.

Q: I lost my gift certificate or gift card. How do I redeem it?
A: Gift certificates and cards cannot be redeemed for cash, and cannot be replaced if lost or stolen.

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