RedShelf

I reached out about an issue with the app in October 2021. As a student, obviously, a prompt response is needed to address a current problem. I got a response weeks later. The response was defensive and not helpful for the issue that still existed. I am not a fan of ebooks anyway but -for this course. It was the most cost-efficient option. NOTE: The search feature does not highlight each parameter found by page number, so you never know where the search item is without going through the entire list. NOT HELPFUL.

While providing textbook for classes for university students, the organization has no agreement to provide supplemental files and data for the textbooks. Is that really a complete service when using a math textbook? It should be clear when accepting the 'Inclusive Access' that all textbook materials are NOT included. Along with the with the warning a path to get the materials or requesting them should be noted.
I have e-mails that redshelf cannot help me. A partial refund should be in order for my time searching for a solution to this issue.

As law student with a focus in environmental law, I buy all texts in e-version. This wasn't an issue last year when the software contracts were with VitalSource, but things have become nearly unmanageable since having to use RedShelf. The texts typically take over 15 minutes to load, and that's after having to force close and restart the app multiple times because it freezes &/or when it finally does load it doesn't import your highlights/notes so you have to keep refreshing app until it does. I have been in contact with technical support for over 5 months now, who have been extremely kind and communicative, but which has ultimately produced absolutely NO solutions to these issues.

Considering the $180+ price tags on these e-texts, it is absolutely absurd that they do not even work and that the company cannot provide any remedy or alternative option in the interim while attempting to resolve the tech glitches. Knowing that these texts are being sold for educational purposes, the company has an obligation to establish safeguards &/or remedies in these instances where their product is defective. The lack of such is a huge pitfall for me and will likely prevent me from working with them in the future.

I called 3 different departments, including corporate, to ask a basic question before purchasing a test bank for a class I am teaching. No-one answers the phone. Yes, you do get a friendly voicemail, but otherwise so much for their self-proclaimed "excellent customer service"
DGC

I am a professor teaching population genetics, and requested an "inspection copy" of a new book on Molecular Population Genetics. This would normally be provided free for an actual book if I called the editor associated with this area of science, because the publisher, Sinauer/Oxford University Press, know that I may implement the book as a required or recommended reading in my courses.

Instead, after my online application, OUP directed me to my free copy on RedShelf.com, but I was underwhelmed. I could not obtain a PDF copy (presumably in case I circulated it), and the text I did receive online was fuzzy and difficult to read. I searched for FST (a common parameter in population genetics, which is dealt with in the book), but the search engine failed to find it, even though it is treated as a major topic in the book. I tried highlighting the FST statements in the text and copying (Ctrl-C) to see if I could search for the formatting they use, but this didn't work either. Instead, RedShelf chose to colour the background to the FST text yellow (for some reason), but no copy was transmitted to the clipboard, so I could not paste it into the search engine.

Supposedly, by my license I am allowed to print out only 36 pages, but I've not tried; a clear printout would make the whole book readily readable. I suspect that the printnout would be very low quality, compared to the printed book.

With internet delays and slow response due to bloated software of RedShelf, this book is not readily readable at present in this format, in what they presented me as my "free copy."

In view of the unsuccessful search for FST, I searched for my own name, and found it once. But it's present at least twice in the actual text, I found. I suspect that the RedShelf strategy is to provide a very low resolution copy of the book, but instead of taking the original electronic text, they appear to have scanned the book at low resolution, and then attempted to recognize text in that low resolution version, and provide the low resolution version to subscribers. So there are errors.

Really, you can do better RedShelf! And OUP, you should just send me a PDF!

This is one of the worst reading websites I have ever used. Features like page number, zoom in/out, etc. cover text while text-to-speech is in use and does not allow user to move the page as it reads, making comprehension of text extremely hard. I usually bookmark any textbooks I use for class on my MacBook and this website does not allow this feature for quick access when studying unlike all the other reading websites I have used in the past. When I go to their website, it is hard to find my book making it even more challenging to use. When I try to copy and paste important information to my notes, a popup makes me click copy and also confirm that I want to copy it wasting my limited study time when my initial 'command c' should have worked. Then when I go to paste the text, it is in quotation marks which is unnecessary and distracting when it is only going to my personal notes. Not only does it do that, but it also highlights the text that was previously copied and does not allow the reader to unhighlight it. As someone who has ADD and is easily distracted, it is extremely hard to focus when random parts of my reading are highlighted. When using this website, I often became enraged by all of the previously stated issues often finding myself yelling at my computer out of frustration and unable to continue reading. Would not recommend using this website if allowed other options.

Update: I have figured out how to unhighlight text but took a 20-year-old college student about a week to figure out so I'm not sure if I'm just stupid or this website is just challenging to use. If I wanted something highlighted, I would do it myself. I don't need the website to do it for me.

So I really like online books because I dont have to physically carry a hard copy and I can import or crop the pictures to put into documents. However, you spend nearly the same amount for the book on this site and they will not let you print more than 20% and acn only download once offline. I did the offline download however the file never made it to my coputer and now I cannot redownload. On top of that it doesnt download the full content. For the particular book I have I need to be able to reach the content online and off and be able to print. Waste of money. Buy on another platform or get the physical book.