Frequently Asked Questions

How do I pay for my item(s)?
Through Paypal.  Payments must be in UK Pounds Sterling. 

How will I know if you have received my payment?
When you make a payment to us through Paypal you should automatically receive an email from Paypal confirming the transaction. 
Also, we make a point of emailing customers to confirm that we have indeed received the payment.

When do you leave feedback?
Positive feedback is left after a customer's payment is confirmed by Paypal.

I have bought multiple items.  Do you combine the cost of postage?
Postage is based on the weight of the parcel and is charged as per Royal Mail postal rates.  The way that a customer can save money is on packaging.  Packaging costs £0.40 per parcel.  If a customer buys three books then he or she will save £0.80 in packaging costs by the books being sent in one parcel. Upon buying items you will receive an automatic email for each item from eBay that are invoices inviting you to pay.  Do not act on these because within 24 hours you will have a new invoice emailed to you (from us) combining all the items and reducing the cost of Handling & Packaging.

How is Postage calculated?
By combining the weight of the item(s) and the weight of the entirety of the packaging and checking the size under Royal Mail's new pricing system.

In the UK: we send item(s) by First Class or Second Class Mail through the Royal Mail.  At the request of the customer we can send the item by recorded delivery but the charge for this must be paid by the customer. 

To the rest of the world item(s) are sent by Air Mail through the Royal Mail. 
 

How is Packaging calculated?
Packaging is £0.40 per parcel.  By combining purchases you can save money on packaging.

What kind of Packaging do you use?
Depending on the size of the item, or the number of items bought at one time if a multiple purchase, packaging can vary from a bubble-wrap envelope through to a cardboard box.

There is also internal packaging as follows:
All items are tightly wrapped in a plastic bag, or bags, before being put into a bubble wrap envelope or cardboard box parcel.  This is for extra protection.  
If the item is very thin, such as a comic or a thin paperback, card will be used to stiffen the package. Usually the card is recycled from other things and therefore we do not have to charge for it, hence my low price for packaging.
Padding is used in cardboard box parcels to ensure the items bought do not move around in the box possibly causing damage.

To what countries will you mail items?
This is decided by two factors. (a) Countries that have Paypal and therefore customers can purchase items from us. (b) That the country is a destination that the Royal Mail can deliver parcels. 

John Helvin's Books is registered as a business with Ebay. John Helvin's Books is a part of another business called John Helvin. John Helvin is run from the following address which is the address registered with Ebay.  John Helvin, 4 St. Paul's Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN2 1AY, United Kingdom.  This address is not a shop; it is not open to the public, no stock is stored there and no money is kept on the premises.  All financial transactions are done through Paypal.