Customer Reviews (500)

chique chica • 2025-03-28T04:39:27-07:00

PangoBooks and this app has made book selling a no-brainer. I have an experienced any glitching. It’s just smooth and straightforward. I am both a buyer and a seller and my experience on both ends has been extremely positive. This app has made the process simple to understand and complete! I’ve been successful at both selling several books and purchasing.

MiepMary • 2025-03-27T17:36:45-07:00

This is a great app, fun and easy to use. Each step of the book listing and selling process worked great. Buying is easy too. It’s nice to have this alternative venue to find books.

inmybookreadingera • 2025-03-27T14:45:46-07:00

Pango has made my book purchasing experience so easy!

Summary of Key Insights

PangoBooks enjoys overwhelmingly positive sentiment, with users praising its ease of use, wide selection of books, affordable prices, and strong community. It is perceived as a great alternative to larger marketplaces like Amazon and eBay for buying and selling used books. The app simplifies the process of listing and shipping books, making it accessible even to first-time sellers. However, some users have identified areas for improvement, including search functionality, shipping costs, and occasional app glitches. There are also requests for more community features and seller tools.

Key Strengths:

  • Easy to use for both buying and selling.
  • Affordable prices and a wide selection of books.
  • Strong community of book lovers.
  • Simplified listing and shipping process.
  • Good customer service.

Key Weaknesses:

  • Search functionality could be improved.
  • Shipping costs can be high, especially when buying from multiple sellers.
  • Occasional app glitches and lagging.
  • Higher platform fees compared to some competitors.

Overall Sentiment: Highly Positive

Quantitative Metrics:

  • Overall Rating: Approximately 4.8 stars (based on the score distribution).
  • Score Distribution:
    • 5-star: 89.2% (446/500)
    • 4-star: 5% (25/500)
    • 3-star: 2.4% (12/500)
    • 2-star: 0.6% (3/500)
    • 1-star: 2.8% (14/500)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: Not explicitly stated, but assumed to be recent based on the version number (2.5.71) and the mention of "2025" in one review (likely a typo).
  • Analysis Methods:
    • Sentiment Analysis: Manual assessment of the sentiment expressed in each review.
    • Keyword Extraction: Identification of frequently used words and phrases to determine common themes and issues.
    • Frequency Analysis: Counting the occurrence of specific issues and feature requests.

Key User Pain Points

  • High Shipping Costs: Many users complain that the flat $5 shipping fee can be disproportionately high, especially for inexpensive books or when purchasing from multiple sellers. This discourages purchases.
  • Search Functionality Limitations: Users want more refined search options, such as the ability to search within a specific seller's inventory, filter by ISBN, or find specific editions of books.
  • App Glitches and Lagging: Several users report occasional app glitches, freezing, or slow performance, which negatively impacts the user experience.
  • Inability to deactivate single listings: Some sellers want the option to deactivate single listings instead of deleting them.
  • Lack of iPad Landscape Mode: Some iPad users are frustrated by the absence of landscape mode.
  • High Commission Fees: Some sellers find the 20% commission fee high compared to other platforms.
  • Customer Service for Sellers: Some sellers report poor customer service experiences, particularly when dealing with unfair buyer reviews.
  • Not being able to see previously sold listings: Not being able to see how much books in the past have sold for.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Improved Search Filters: More granular search options, including searching within a seller's inventory, filtering by edition, and ISBN.
  • Offer Button: A direct "offer" button to allow buyers to negotiate prices with sellers.
  • Bundle Shipping: A system to combine shipping costs when purchasing multiple items from the same seller.
  • Website Access: A website version of the app for easier listing and management, especially for sellers.
  • Seller Rating System: A system for sellers to rate buyers.
  • Landscape Mode for iPad: Support for landscape mode on iPads.
  • Ability to deactivate single listings: Some sellers want the option to deactivate single listings instead of deleting them.
  • Ability to sort/view listings according to views: Sellers want to sort/view their listings according to views so they can edit a low-viewed listing for more visibility.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Ease of Use: Users consistently praise the app's intuitive interface and ease of navigation for both buying and selling.
  • Affordable Prices: The app is valued for its competitive prices on used books, making reading more accessible.
  • Wide Selection: Users appreciate the vast selection of books available, including rare and hard-to-find titles.
  • Strong Community: The app fosters a sense of community among book lovers, with many users highlighting the friendly and helpful interactions with other buyers and sellers.
  • Simplified Listing and Shipping: The ISBN scanner and prepaid shipping labels streamline the selling process, making it easy for anyone to participate.
  • Good Customer Service: Most users report positive experiences with customer service, citing quick and helpful responses.
  • Accurate Book Condition: Users appreciate being able to see photos of the actual books they are buying.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Reduce Shipping Costs: Explore options for lowering shipping costs, such as negotiated rates with carriers or a tiered shipping system based on weight or distance. This is the most frequently cited pain point and directly impacts sales.
  • Improve Search Functionality: Implement more advanced search filters, including the ability to search within specific seller inventories and filter by ISBN or edition. This will enhance the user experience and increase the likelihood of finding desired books.
  • Address App Glitches and Lagging: Invest in optimizing the app's performance to eliminate glitches and improve speed. This will create a smoother and more enjoyable user experience.

Medium Priority:

  • Implement an Offer Button: Add a direct "offer" button to facilitate price negotiation between buyers and sellers.
  • Develop a Website Version: Create a website version of the app to provide sellers with a more convenient platform for listing and managing their inventory.
  • Implement a Seller Rating System: Introduce a system for sellers to rate buyers to encourage positive interactions and address unfair reviews.
  • Add Landscape Mode for iPad: Support landscape mode on iPads for a better user experience on tablets.
  • Allow Sellers to Deactivate Single Listings: Allow sellers to deactivate single listings instead of deleting them.

Low Priority:

  • Re-evaluate Commission Fees: Consider adjusting the commission fees to be more competitive with other platforms, while carefully balancing revenue needs.
  • Add ability to sort/view listings according to views: Allow sellers to sort/view their listings according to views so they can edit a low-viewed listing for more visibility.
  • Improve the threads section: Enhance the threads section with book discussions.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Enhanced Book Recommendation Engine: A more sophisticated recommendation engine that takes into account users' reading history, preferences, and community interactions.
  • Book Subscription Box Integration: Partner with existing book subscription boxes to offer exclusive deals or access to special editions on PangoBooks.
  • Virtual Book Club Platform: Integrate a virtual book club platform within the app, allowing users to connect and discuss books with other members.

Trends and Observations

  • Strong Positive Sentiment: The vast majority of users have a positive experience with PangoBooks.
  • Community Focus: Users appreciate the sense of community and the ability to connect with other book lovers.
  • Emphasis on Value: Affordable prices and the opportunity to save money are key drivers of user satisfaction.
  • Comparison to Other Platforms: Users frequently compare PangoBooks to other marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, Mercari, and Poshmark, often highlighting PangoBooks' advantages in terms of book selection, community, and ease of use.
  • Growth Potential: The app is experiencing rapid growth, driven by positive word-of-mouth and social media mentions (e.g., #booktok, #bookstagram).

Conclusion

PangoBooks has successfully created a thriving marketplace for used books by focusing on ease of use, affordability, and community. By addressing the identified pain points and implementing the requested features, PangoBooks can further enhance the user experience, attract new users, and solidify its position as the go-to platform for book lovers. The overall recommendation is to prioritize improvements to shipping costs, search functionality, and app performance, while continuing to foster the strong sense of community that users value.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pangobooks-buy-sell-books/id1546752104?uo=2