Frequently asked questions
What is lolalist?
lolalist is a price comparator for school book lists.
lolalist does not sell books: it helps you compare prices and takes you to the store you choose.
lolalist is free and does not require a user account.
How does lolalist work?
The mechanics are very simple:
- Upload a book list through the website or through the WhatsApp chatbot and get, in seconds, a link to the comparator generated with the books from your list.
- Select your books, choose the store or combination of stores, and click on the prices to go to the store's website.
How do I upload the book list?
How can I send my list?
You can send your list in several ways:
- On the website (lolalist.com), from a computer you can drag the list directly.
- On the website, from a mobile phone we have set up a WhatsApp chatbot that makes it easy to upload files.
- By email, you can send us your list at [email protected].
Which list format works best? (PDF, photo, copied text, ISBN)
The preferred format is PDF, but any format that allows the ISBN codes to be read will work well.
Can I upload a photo or a screenshot of the list instead of a PDF?
Yes, of course. Just make sure the ISBN codes can be read.
What happens if the photo isn't very clear?
If the ISBN codes can be read, the list will be processed and the system will return a link to the comparator. If the system shows an error message, try taking another photo.
Can I send the list by email?
Yes, send it to [email protected] and we'll send you back the link to your comparator.
What should I do if my list fails to upload?
Copy all the text from the list, including all the titles and all the ISBN codes, and paste it into the text box on the website or in lolalist's WhatsApp chat. In a few seconds you'll have the link to your comparator.
How do I buy the books?
How do I complete the purchase?
In the comparator, in step 3 (Purchase), click on each price to open the product on the website of the store you chose. Once there, add it to the cart. Repeat the process for every book on the list.
Do I buy directly on lolalist? Who handles payment, shipping and returns?
lolalist does not sell books. The purchase is completed on the website of the store you choose. For anything related to the purchase, you'll need to contact the store where you bought the book.
How does lolalist choose the best store?
lolalist calculates the best option by combining price and availability. You can change the order in which stores are shown by clicking "Sort by" in the "Store" step of the comparator.
How does lolalist make money if it's free?
When you use the purchase links for each book to go to the stores, lolalist may receive affiliate commissions from the store. This doesn't affect the final price of the book: the price is always the same for the user, whether they access it through lolalist or go directly to the store. lolalist doesn't add any extra cost.
Why do you sometimes recommend second-hand books?
We believe in reusing resources. Second-hand books are also a great opportunity to save on back-to-school shopping.
What happens if a book isn't available in any store?
It's shown as "not found" and the comparator won't be able to link it to any purchase option or show its price. This can happen for one of these reasons:
- the ISBN is unreadable, incorrect, or missing;
- the book isn't in stock in any of our stores.
Do the prices include shipping costs?
No, the prices shown don't include shipping costs. Check the shipping costs on each store's website. Many stores offer free shipping above a certain amount.
Are the prices up to date?
Yes, prices for most stores are updated several times a day. For Amazon, they're checked in real time.
WhatsApp and privacy
Why do you use WhatsApp?
On a mobile phone, it's very inconvenient to download a file and then find it and upload it to a website. WhatsApp simplifies this, since it's much easier to share a file (for example, from your email app) through WhatsApp.
Lola, our AI assistant, will help you through the whole process.
Is the school's book list personal data?
The school's book list isn't considered personal data. It only contains a list of books (titles, publishers and ISBN codes). In fact, it's a document shared with the whole community of parents in that class or school.
What do you do with my list?
After the comparator is generated, it's kept for 180 days in case the user needs to check it again. After that period, it's deleted.
What do you do with my phone number? Will I get advertising?
lolalist will use your WhatsApp number to receive the book list and reply with the comparator. We don't share your number with stores or use it to send you advertising.
lolalist will ask you if you want to be contacted the following year to help you with next year's books. We'll only do this with your explicit consent.
Do I have to create an account?
No. To use lolalist you don't need to create any user account or provide any personal data.
Can I compare prices for non-school books?
Yes, you can use the comparator to search for any book (by its ISBN) or any book list, as long as it contains ISBN codes.
How is school material on the list handled?
If the school list includes school material, lolalist will make it easier for you to search for it in stores that sell school material. School material doesn't take part in the price comparator.
Is lolalist compatible with the Val Escolar from the Generalitat de Catalunya?
Yes, the Val Escolar is built into the comparator: €60 will be reserved to redeem the Val Escolar at a physical store enrolled in the program.
Sharing lolalist
How can I share my book list on lolalist with other users? (for example, with other parents in the same class)
In the price comparator you'll find a "Share" button. Follow the steps to send the comparator for that book list to other users.
How can I share lolalist with other users so they can use it with a different book list?
Send them the link lolalist.com.