Online Bookstores with Cheap New and Used Books
In addition to their very public battle with Hachette over book pricing and all of their futuristic but somehow creepy side projects (think delivery drones), there are many reasons why you might not want to buy books from Amazon. You can usually find a specific title on the web (such as a textbook) if you don't have access to a local bookstore. You can find cheap books online on a zillion websites, and if you're not sure where to start, you've come to the right place. Here are 15 of the best online bookstores where you can find deals on new books, used books, textbooks, and more.
1. Powell’s Books
Despite being online, Powells.com has the feel of what may be the world's coolest neighborhood bookstore. Aside from a wide selection of new and used books, you'll also find extra goodies on their blog, which features everything from staff picks to playlists of the music authors listen to while they write.
All orders of $50 and up ship free in the US, everything else ships for a flat $3.99. During their staff-curated sales, you'll find bargains on books that will widen your literary horizons.
2. Better World Books
A book is donated to someone in need for every purchase made on BetterWorldBooks.com (over 13 million books have been donated so far). Online booksellers partner with libraries and colleges to collect used books, many of which are donated to literacy nonprofits around the world. You can go paperless on Better World Books as well as reusing and recycling - it is one of the only discount sites that offers eBooks. Are you in a hurry? Using eDelivery, any physical book can be scanned and sent to you in digital format in as little as two hours.
Bonus: Free shipping worldwide - and they pay for carbon offsets to minimise the environmental impact of all those books traveling around the world.
3. BookMooch
This is why it's awesome: BookMooch.com is free. As soon as you sign up, you enter the books you wish to give away and your wish list of the books you would like to get. Whenever someone requests one of your books, you ship it to them (that's the only cost involved), which gives you one point. This point can then be used to request another book. As BookMooch is an international community, it's a good place to find books that are not available in the US or that are not in English.
Bonus: Want to organize your bookcase? The points you earn can also be donated to different charities that partner with the site.
4. Skyo
It's great because: Based near Coastal Carolina University, Skyo.com helps students save money on textbooks. If you need the text a little bit longer, you can extend the rental period through their rental program. Aside from the usual ISBN search, you can also search by school to find textbooks that are required for courses at your university or college.
Bonus: Tired of carrying around heavy texts? Check out Skye's digital textbook rental service.
5. Thrift Books
It's great: Washington-based ThriftBooks.com has a commitment to helping the environment by partnering with libraries and other vendors to ensure that used books don't end up in landfills. They recycle any items they cannot sell directly, and they also offer three-book deals that let you save even more on sets of books from bestselling authors.
Additional 50 cents off for every additional book you purchase from the same seller. All orders in the US are free!
6. Alibris
Alibris.com connects a large network of independent sellers in addition to its own book buying and selling operations. We will likely have the rare book you are looking for - whether it's a signed copy, a first edition, or it's been out of print for years. We've also started renting textbooks. If you are unable to commit to a class schedule, you can return your rentals for a full refund within 21 days. Also, as long as the book is in reasonable condition, you are allowed to make notes and highlight.
You get a lot of coupons if you sign up for their newsletter. In addition, many items ship for free.
7. The Strand
There are 18 miles of books on StrandBooks.com, a New York mainstay. As a result, even used books are in good (if not better than good) condition. There are even new books available at a discount, and their staff picks let you know what New York's hipster literati are reading. It's not exactly the same as browsing through their stacks in person, but it's close enough.
You can pre-order books that haven't come out yet (signed copies, sometimes) and all of them are discounted.
8. AbeBooks
Another great site is AbeBooks.com, which combines its own operation with those of a variety of independent sellers. Clicking around the site gives you the feeling of being in a virtual independent bookstore. There's a page where you can see photos and read bios of all the cats who live in the independent bookshops that sell via AbeBooks. Additionally, they offer curated lists, ranging from the Best New Books to the Funniest Books According to the British.
Bonus: The "Weird Book Room" is fantastic! It's like stumbling into a very strange library. Browse titles like Jurassic Towel Origami, Your Three-Year-Old: Friend or Enemy, and many more. Oh, and many of the books on the site ship for free.
9. Half
The site is owned by eBay and is sort of like a "buy it now," media-only version of the popular auction site (there are no bidding processes). Here, you can find all kinds of books (as well as music, games, and movies), but textbooks are particularly easy to find. Rentals and purchases are both available. When your semester ends, you can sell that Chem 101 textbook and get some money back.
You can rent textbooks for up to 125 days, and you can return them for free.
10. Biblio
With carefully curated collections from independent booksellers, Biblio.com provides one-stop shopping for true bibliophiles. These are often dealers who specialize in a particular niche, such as antiquarian books and rare books, and you can also browse by seller in addition to searching for titles and authors. There are various deals from independent shops in the "Exclusive Specials" section!
You help do good with your purchase! Carbon credits are used to offset shipping costs. The company also has a nonprofit arm, BiblioWorks, which uses profits from the site to build libraries in rural communities in South America.
