My back hurts from walking around for two+ hours, my eyes are still drooping since I woke up at dawn to avoid the book sale rush, and my stomach is growling. Does any of that matter? No.
What matters is the ridiculous sale hosted by Big Bad Wolf Books, which has been travelling Asian cities for ten years. Anyone who loves to buy books and then not read them will surely enjoy.
Fiction and non-fiction books were all on an unbelievable 50-90% sale. You could cop a full Harry Potter set for less than Php2500 or something, and glossy graphic novels retailed at Php500 or less. A lot of the books came with sample copies which you can happily browse.
What I loved about BBW
- The discounts!!! If I had more disposable income, I would have bought at least a basketful.
- They have over 2 million books on sale, and it shows. You have everything from gorgeous art coffee table books, baking recipes, a one-off immunology bible, and your illustrated Shakespeare. There was a rash of adult coloring books, unsurprisingly.
- The adjacent food court (though the pickings are a bit poor).
What I didn’t love about BBW
- Trying to find anything is a nightmare. You can ask the customer service if they’re carrying so-and-so brand, but they’ll point you to a section that’s over six tables big. Good luck finding that needle in a haystack.
- Art books (and most graphic novels) still aren’t cheap. They’re naturally expensive, but BBW probably only got them at 50% off at most.
TIPS FOR THE BBW BOOK SALE
- Come at an odd hour. Cashier lines can apparently go ridiculously long, but I was lucky enough to avoid it since I went at a time most people would be at work. It also made it more comfortable to browse.
- Set a budget. I loaded my PayMaya (they have a cashback promo with BBW) with only Php1000, and I promised I’ll make that fit. And I did! I even had some change. I saw several people shopping with literally dozens upon dozens of books in their cart. Maybe they own a library? Or they’re reselling?
- Bring some patience. Seriously. It will take you at least a couple of hours to glance at all the titles. If you’re an aimless book shopper like me, you’ll be pushing the cart for a long while.
- Arm yourself with data (I don’t think there was Wi-Fi). Whenever I shop books, I always check GoodReads or Amazon for reviews. I want to waste my money on certified good things only!
- Bring an extra bag. Unless you’re only buying a couple of books like me, you’re best served with an extra tote for all your books. Plastic bags are bad for the environment!
Will I be back next year? Depends if I have the time. But I think this is definitely something every book lover has to try once in their life 💙
The 24-hour Big Bad Wolf Book Sale runs until March 4 at the World Trade Center.
jari m 