FAQs
GENERAL
... General Details...
What is www.bestilaya.net ?
Bestilaya.net is a Reading Hub. It is an online Hire Service for Books. It has its services online with free home delivery and pickup.
What is form of identification do I need when collecting the book from delivery or store?
We will require National ID, or a Passport for verification of Identity. All your details should always match. Any miss-match will result from cancellation of the order and be identified as fraud.
Is there any point that I will be required to share my social media account details ?
In regular occasions, especially confirming a new customer, you will be asked to share your social media account especially LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. This is done under the procedure we call “Know your Customer.” This is essential for us to understand your requirements and fulfill them while protecting your account against fraud.
I forgot my password. What do I do ?
Don’t worry. Go to the login pop-up. Just click on "Forgot Password?" and follows the steps thereafter.
What are bestilaya.net's terms and conditions ?
Please refer to the 'Terms & Conditions” page on bestilaya.net. You will find this link to the page at the bottom of the page.
Does bestilaya.net provide e-books ?
No. For now, we are focused on physical books to our users. We are introducing e-Books slowly and especially in genres that physical books are hard to find.
How do I contact bestilaya.net's team ?
Please call us on +254 111 45 90 99 or drop a line on at hello@bestilaya.net. Do mention your contact details. We will reach out to you within 24 - 48 hours.
How can I hire online at Bestilaya?
- Go to our website www.bestilaya.net
- Locate the product by either searching using the search bar at the top of each page or browse through the categories
- Once you locate the item, click on the ‘Add to Cart’ button
- If you wish to continue shopping for other items, click on ‘Continue Shopping’. Once you are done shopping, click on ‘Checkout’.
- You will be asked to confirm your items, click on ‘Checkout’
- Fill in your shipping details. This can be done either while logged in since we do not allow guest. If you do while logged in, the website will remember your shipping location the next time you shop. If you register, you will need to input all the required details.
- Select your preferred payment method. We support mobile money transfer (M-Pesa), Paypal, and Credit Card (Both Master and Visa).
- You will then receive a confirmation message via email and probably an SMS from the website and the payment platform. SMS is not a must but the email is a must. The items are normally delivered within 24 - 48 hours from the time of payment unless otherwise advised.
Learn more: How Hiring Works
Can I shop on the website without registering my account?
No, you cannot shop on bestilaya.net as a guest. When you shop as a registered user, you don’t have to enter again your details when you come back next time.
Are the prices on the platform the same as the prices at the store?
Bestilaya has a one-price policy across all branches and this includes the platform.
When a product is marked as available on the bestilaya.net, is it available in the store?
Yes. Products on the platform are available also in our store. The website will aggregate all products available for hire. Once you hire from the website, we’ll aggregate similar items and add on the stock visible on the website. We try to keep the website as updated as possible.
Where is Bestilaya located?
The premise is located at Wanyee, Dagoretti Corner, Nairobi – Kenya but often the support team operates in Eldoret, Kenya.
Talk to us: CONTACTS
Does Bestilaya offer genuine quality books?
Bestilaya offers quality books. Some of the products are old but they are always in a good shape. You're eligible for a refund within 24 hours upon receipt of the book if you're dissatisfied with your hire due to an error on our part.
Learn more about refunds: Terms & Conditions
MY ACCOUNT
... My Account Details ...
Where is bestilaya.net's service available ?
Bestilaya.net service is currently available in over two cities in Kenya.
What is 'My Account'? How do I update my information?
It is easy to update your account information on bestilaya.net. You can view all your reading history in your Order History and your transactional history in History any time through 'My Account'. My Account' allows you complete control over your transactions on Bestilaya. You can Manage/edit your personal data like address, phone numbers, Change your password in the panel after you login to your account.
How do I know my order has been confirmed?
You will be mailed upon confirmation and dispatch of your order. In case you want to check, the transaction current status is available on "My Order" page.
Can I hire a book that is 'Out of Stock'?
You can add the book to your cart. It goes to your wishlist and you will be informed as soon as a copy of the book is available for hiring. In special occasions, some books are available for “place an order” to be notified immediately. In this situation, bestilaya.net finds its way to look for the book on behalf of the customer. Such kind of books have extra cost incurred.
How do I check the current status of my orders?
You can check it in "My Order" Page.
HIRING
... Hiring Details ...
What is a Cart ?
A Cart is a virtual shopping box that shows the details of all the books that the user is ready to hire in the present order. The user freezes the books in the Cart and then proceeds for providing the delivery information and payment to confirm order.
What is my wishlist ?
We are a user-driven platform. When there are books which you want to hire but are not available, you put them in your wishlist. We try to procure these books and you are notified when they become available on the platform.
Can I hire from the website using a Coupon?
Yes. It’s possible to hire using a coupon. After getting a discount coupon, kindly use it before the expiry dates.
Can I send money to a mobile number to make the payment?
You cannot send money to a personal number if you want to make a website hire. You are required to follow the correct procedure of hiring online (as described here) and when you get to the payment page the website will prompt you M-Pesa Express which allows you to pay via “Buy Goods and Services” using Till Number. You will use this to make payment. You will receive an SMS/email notification on the number you supply us. You do not need to know the till number since the transaction is done as a STK push notification.
Can I pay Cash on Delivery?
We do not support cash on delivery at the moment.
How do I add books to my Cart ?
Click on the Order button on the books you like. These books get added to your “Bookshelf”. You can select the books you want to hire presently and add them to your hire cart and proceed with the checkout when you are ready to confirm the order.
How can I re-hire books in case I’ve lost my cart or need them again?
You can repopulate your cart with items you’ve hired in the past by logging into our website. Click on ‘Account’ link on the top right hand of your browser. On the page that opens, click on ‘Order History’. Locate your order using the filters at the top or the list of orders that appear. Click through the order number desired and click on the button ‘Reorder.”
If an item is out of stock, how can I get notified when it’s back in stock?
If you get an item is out of stock on our website, the product’s ‘Add to cart’ button will be disabled and replaced with a ‘Place an Order’ button. Click on this button and fill in your email address. Once the product is back in stock, the website will send you an email to notify you that the item is back in stock.
How do I add books to my wishlist ?
When you find the book you have been looking for, click on "Add to Wish List" button. In case the book is not available in platform it gets added to your wishlist automatically.
Can I earn points if I shop online?
Yes you can. Any time you hire a book, you earn points that can be renewed on the future hiring.
Can I buy books from bestilaya.net?
Yes. You can buy books from bestilaya.net. However, if you decide to keep the book you hired for more than the available hired period, then you can incur the additional cost to keep the book.
Does bestilaya.net sell second-hand books ?
Yes. We do sell second hand books from the vendors. Although, our major focus is for the members to hire books that may be circulated into reading to another user.
How do I cancel my order ?
Please reach us on via +254 111 45 90 99 and we will try to process your request within 24 hours.
How will my payment be refunded ?
In case you cancel your order, the payment will be credited to your M-Pesa or PayPal account depending on which method you used to pay. There might be incurred charges that will be deducted from your pay as the handling fee to process the refund.
What are bestilaya.net's terms and conditions ?
Please refer to the 'Terms & Conditions' page on bestilaya.net.
Can I order a book that is out of stock ?
Yes. You can order a book product that is out of stock depending on the status of the specific book. You can place it in your wishlist so that you are informed by email as soon as the product is added to the platform. Some specific books allow you to place an order in advance.
I see different prices of books with the same title. Why ?
Sometimes different editions and different bindings are available for the same title. This data is provided by publishers and distributors.
Is it necessary to have an account to hire books from bestilaya.net?
Yes. You need Account on bestilaya.net to hire books.
How will my payment be refunded ?
The payment will be credited to your M-Pesa or PayPal. This depends on which form you used when checking out.
What are the delivery charges ?
There are no delivery and pick up charges for all orders above Kshs 1000. If the Rental Cart Value is below Kshs 500, a delivery charge of Kshs 200 is charged. The delivery cost to specific areas around the store is free of charge. The pick up in all cases is free of charge.
How do I tell bestilaya.net which books I wish to see in their platform ?
Find books of your interest and add them to your cart or “book-shelf”. In-case these books are not available with us, they go to your wishlist. We scan the wishlist of our users on a regular basis and keep adding books to the platform.
Does bestilaya.net keep multiple copies of titles ?
Yes. We keep multiple copies of books in demand.
What is the size of bestilaya.net books collection ?
Bestilaya.net has a book collection of 100s of titles across 50+ categories. The titles keeps on increasing based on the demand of our customer and the availability of the required titles.
How do I add books to my cart ?
Click on the “Add to Cart” button on the page of the book you like. It gets added to your Cart. Go to My Shopping Cart near the My Account Option. The Cart option is also present near the search bar on top right corner.
Is there any late fees in bestilaya.net?
The hire is charged based on your hire period. Every book is available for a different hire period after which you will be charged a penalty fee 20% of the cost per day. The maximum penalty cannot exceed 200% from which you will be blacklisted from hiring from the store.
How long can I keep the books ?
For the hire period that the book is available for. Every book is available for a different hire period after which you will start accumulating penalty charges of 20% per day with a maximum of 200% upon blacklisting.
Why does bestilaya.net take Initial Payable over the Hire Price ?
It's not that we don't trust our customers but we need to safeguard our books against unscrupulous elements. The remaining amount upon returning the book shall be refunded.
Is it necessary to have an account to hire books on bestilaya.net ?
Yes, it is necessary to have an account to hire on Bestilaya. Being a hire service, we maintain the reading history and that is where we give you the option to Return Books that you have hired.
What is Initial Payable ?
The Initial Payable is the payment taken upfront for hiring a book. It is not the hire charged to you for hiring. Only the hire is charged based on your hire structure and the remaining amount from the initial payment is refunded to you.
What is the Hire Structure for hiring at Bestilaya ?
It varies from Book to book and the hire structure is available with each book listing. You can check the duration for which the book is available for hiring and the amount that will be charged for keeping the book in each of these duration.
What if the Hire Structure changes after I hire the book ?
Your hire will be calculated based on the hire structure shown to you and that is the amount shown to you at the time of ordering the book.
What if I don't return the book in the applicable hiring period ?
The penalty charges will start to accumulate from which the amount paid upfront is deducted to cater for that extra charges. In case the charges goes beyond the upfront amount paid, the customer will be advised to add the extra amount.
What is hiring period ?
The duration for which a particular book is available for hiring.
If I hire two books at a time, can I return them separately ?
Yes, each book rented is considered individually and the duration of books kept by you can vary.
Can I request for an exchange if the wrong book is delivered or I make a mistake while hiring online?
Yes, you can exchange the item in case of the above two eventualities within 24 hours. Kindly return by using the “Return” button from the Order History. The book should be accompanied by the original invoice as proof of hire.
DELIVERY & PICK-UP
... Delivery & PickUp Details ...
How does the pick-up work ?
You don't have to worry about the pick-up. Different regions have different pick-up plans. For those near the store, Bestilaya's representative will pick-up the packet from your given address. For those in different cities, they will be advised on where to drop the book for collection and transfer back to the store on time.
Where are deliveries done?
Some deliveries in specific areas are done on door-to-door delivery. In some other areas, deliveries are done via EMS and other courier services including specific Matatu Saccos.
Do you deliver outside Kenya?
Yes, we do deliveries outside Kenya. At the moment we only deliver to specific towns that have a direct courier service from Nairobi.
What happens if my package does not arrive within the stipulated time?
If your order doesn’t arrive within 24 - 48 hours or within the communicated period:
If you selected free delivery (Standard Delivery), kindly check your nearest agreed location of delivery.
We might not do door to door deliveries in all areas. In such cases, the client is required to pick the item from their nearest designated location.
If you require tracking your order you can also call the Website Sales & Support line +254 111 45 90 99 or email hello@bestilaya.net
More contacts: CONTACT US
How do I pack the books to be returned ?
With every delivery, we send one extra packet. Just slip the books in the extra packet. The delivery related information is already printed on the packet.
What if I lose or damage bestilaya.net's books ?
Please inform us at Hello@Bestilaya.net. There will be no refund applicable upon loss or damage of book and it will be assumed to be sold to you.
Can I ask for delivery but keep books hired earlier ?
Yes. Each books is hired independently. So you can keep ordering as many books you want and keep returning each book separately or together as per your wishes.
When do I receive my delivery after I put a hire request ?
We try our best to provide the fastest delivery. You will receive your delivery within 2 working days. If you stay in Nairobi region or other the prominent cities where we have stores, you may receive it the very day.
Where do the hired books get delivered ?
Your books are delivered to the address you mention when you put a delivery request. You can add multiple addresses to your Address Book to use as and when required.
Can I change the address of delivery every order ?
Yes. You are asked to choose a delivery address. You can choose a previously mentioned address or add a new address. Every order can be delivered at a new address if the service is available at the chosen delivery address.
Who collects and delivers my books ?
Once you request the delivery/pick-up of books on the portal we take care of the rest. Yours is to be available and take note of the timing.
Are the deliveries and pick-up free of cost ?
There are no delivery and pick up charges for all orders above Kshs 2000. If the Hire Cart Value is below Kshs 1000, a delivery charge of Kshs 200 is charged. The pick up in all cases is free of cost.
How do I know that the books have been issued to me ?
When we send you books we email you the details of delivery. You can also find these details in the "Order History" section on bestilaya.net m in your bookshelf.
How do I place a request for hiring books ?
Use the search or browse categories to find books of your interest. Add these books in your cart. You can select the books available in your cart that you want to hire presently and place a hire request by the process that follows after that.
How do I ask for a pick-up ?
You can ask for a pick-up by placing a pick-up request by clicking on "Return" in the order history. Please follow the steps that follow thereafter.
What if I am not available at home / office or designated location when the delivery guy comes to deliver the books ?
In most cases, the delivery representative calls you before making a delivery. In case you confirm the representative about your availability, please ensure that someone is present at the delivery address during the day (with your ID). If this is not the case or you are traveling, then kindly inform customer care at the time of making the delivery request. Every delivery and pick up costs us money (not to mention fuel and the environmental aspects).
What do I do after I am done with my reading ?
Done reading! Do not wait. Return the books as soon as you read the book. Your hire charges increases with the increasing hire duration.
How do I know that my book-request is placed ?
You will receive an email regarding your request. You will notice "Complete" in your order history details.
What are bestilaya.net's privacy policy ?
Please read the privacy policy document for details.
How are the books packaged by bestilaya.net?
We send books in a tamper-proof packet. This helps us avoid damage to books.
How do I return the books ?
Done reading! Put a request for pick-up by clicking the “Return” button. In most cases, you will be advised on where to drop the book. Different orders and customers will have designated locations as advised by the bestilaya.net when placing your order.
Do I have to return all the books at the same time ?
No. Each book is treated independently and can be returned one by one or together as and when you finish reading the book.
I have moved to a new city. Can I continue hiring my books ?
Yes. You just need to check that your Pincode is within our service area. It is highly probable that we have services in your new city. You can take your services where-ever you go.
What all locations does Bestilaya deliver books ?
Please check the delivery pincodes at the How it works page.
PAYMENT
... Payment Details ...
How do I pay for bestilaya.net transactions?
You can pay online with your M-Pesa or PayPal which also has a secure payment connection for debit card and credit card.
Are there any hidden charges when I order at bestilaya.net?
No taxes or additional charges apart from those mentioned on the website shall be charged.
What is cash on delivery ?
You cannot hire books from bestilaya.com without making an online payment when opting for Cash on delivery. The Payment is done online before receiving the delivery.
Is it safe to use credit card / debit card on bestilaya.net?
Yes. It is safe to use all payment options on bestilaya.net.
How do I use credit card / debit card to pay on bestilaya.net?
Please fill in your credit card or debit card details in the checkout process. It is safe to use your credit card/ debit card on bestilaya.net.
How do I use M-Pesa to pay on bestilaya.net?
Please fill select the M-Pesa option using the Safaricom number you want to transact using and you will be receive a push notification that you will be required to input your password to confirm the payment. Once you have made the payment, you will be redirected to Bestilaya website for order confirmation. This process only requires your Safaricom mobile number that has enough cash to pay for the transaction.
Can I happen to pay more on bestilaya.net?
No. The payment is designed to get the exact amount on the checkout. The customer cannot modify the payment amount while paying using our payment system.
How do I place a cash-on-delivery order ?
Bestilaya.net does not allow cash-on-delivery while ordering. This is to make the transactions very transparent on customers side as well as our side.
Does bestilaya.net provide Cash-on-Delivery ?
No. We do not provide Cash on Delivery services. We avoid this to make the transactions transparent.
What amount will be deducted from my initial payment ?
It will be as per the hire structure of the book based on the duration.
What is Paypal ?
It is a secure online payment system that is global accepts payment using email addresses.
How do I get my refund cash ?
You get refunds for all transactions made on books ordered to you upon returning the books you hired.
How do I get Reward Points?
You get Bonus Store Credit as Bonuses from Bestilaya as customer loyalty program. We can give you Bonus Store Credit via direct additions, coupons and by referrals. You can also get Store Credit by referrals. Invite your friends to join bestilaya.net and get Bonus Store Credits when they start hiring books.
How do I get cash refund?
The refund will be credited back to the account that made the transaction once the book has been returned.
How do I check my Store Reward Points Balance ?
You can check your reward points Balance by going to "Order History" Page. On the Order History page, you can check details of each transaction that you have made on the website and the portion of it from Direct Payment, Reward Points and Coupons used.
How do I redeem my reward points?
The reward points can be manually input every time you place an order from bestilaya.net.
Is there any expiry for reward points ?
No, there is no expiry date for reward points. You can use it whenever you want.
CORPORATE SERVICES
Does bestilaya.net provide corporate book hiring services ?
Bestilaya.net is Kenya’s Largest Online book hiring platform with services spanning across 20+ counties in Kenya. Its extensive book collection coupled with state-of-the-art customer service makes it an ideal online platform for hiring books and to be a part of. As a corporate book hiring service-provider the focus of bestilaya.net is its collection covering but not limited to Management, leadership, business innovation, corporate entrepreneurship, and business & finance.
How can my company avail bestilaya.net's book hiring services ?
Please ask your HR team to get in touch with bestilaya.net or connect us to the HR by writing to us at corporate@bestilaya.net
How do I get information of bestilaya.net's Corporate book hiring services ?
Please write your corporate book hiring query to corporate@bestilaya.net. You can find a brief description of bestilaya.net's Corporate Book Hiring Services at www.bestilaya.net.