I have to confess, I like Amazon, and spend way more there than I’d like to admit to. It has certain benefits to recommend it. But many people are looking for alternatives to Amazon for books to buy online, for a variety of reasons. Whether that’s because you’re not a fan of the part they play in censorship (or in not censoring certain things), because you prefer to support less massive companies, or just want to spread the love, I’ve got you covered.
I do shop at Amazon, but I have several other favorite book sources, as well — especially for used books.
1. Bookshop
Okay, I have to admit this is the one on this list I haven’t actually purchased from yet — because I keep forgetting. Bookshop (note that it’s a .org, not .com) allows you to shop online but support small local bookstores.
If your local bookstore is connected with the site, you can choose to support them specifically. If it isn’t, your purchase will support a sort of “general fund” that’s then distributed among the various bookstores represented. They have gift cards, too, so this is just an all-around awesome way to support local book shops even if you don’t have the ability to shop in person.
2. ThriftBooks
I shop at ThriftBooks all. the. time. They’re primarily a secondhand source, although you’ll occasionally find new books there, too.
They have a surprisingly large selection, and I get great deals. Plus, with their ReaderRewards program, you earn points for each purchase, which add up and can then be redeemed for free books. Win-win!
3. Abe Books
Abe Books is the other source I purchase from with reasonable frequency. This, too, is primarily a used book source. I find the search feature at Abe Books a little less user-friendly than the one at ThriftBooks, but the selection here is also excellent — and sometimes even better if I’m looking for less-common books, especially British ones.
BONUS: Better World Books
Although I don’t shop at Better World Books very often, they are a legitimate source for used books, and I’ve shopped with them on occasion. They don’t make my personal top three — particularly because I can usually find what I need at one of the other three sites — but they’re worth having up your sleeve.
BookFinder
Although not a book seller, this site is an amazing tool to keep bookmarked. BookFinder is an aggregate search engine that helps you track down books and compare their prices. It’s especially useful if you’re trying to locate a copy of something that’s out-of-print and rather obscure. It searches Amazon, all the sites listed above (I think), eBay, and more.
Book Swap Sites
If you’re not necessarily in a hurry for a specific title, don’t overlook trading your books. PaperBackSwap and BookMooch allow you to give away books you no longer need, earning credits you can “cash in” for others to send you books in exchange.
Both of these sites are legit, and I’ve used them both before, but PaperBackSwap seems to have more active membership and higher book inventory/turnover. (Neither one is as active as they were a few years ago, but they’re still a handy “bonus” source.
Fun Stuff for Book Lovers
Other miscellaneous goodies and gifts for book lovers:
- If you’re trying to avoid Amazon, you might also be looking to avoid GoodReads (which Amazon bought). In that case, The StoryGraph is likely to be the most similar alternative option. (That link goes to my profile, so you can see what it looks like, but bear in mind that I do not have my account up-to-date because I mostly signed up to poke around and try it out.)
- LibraryThing is a huge money-saver at my house, because it keeps me from buying books we already own! (Once you look at a book on a wish list for a while, it becomes difficult to remember what you actually bought and what you just looked at a lot.) LibraryThing enables you to catalog your books.If you have a lot of books, you might want to invest in an inexpensive scanner, which can speed up the process of entering titles. (My kids also think it’s fun this way.)
- Frostbeard Studio produces soy candles with scents inspired by books and bookish things. (I have a review of one here.)
- Out of Print produces t-shirts, totes, and other goodies featuring famous book covers and similar themes.
- StoriArts products scarves, shirts, and more, featuring text from famous works of literature. No one in my household has ever bought anything from them, but they have such a unique aesthetic, I wanted to be sure to include it for those readers who love the look.
- Levenger is…a little hard for me to describe. I would consider this something of a “luxury” company, featuring fine home office products and gifts for readers. If you picture a classic study (like from a Regency novel), that’s kind of the idea. They carry things like wooden book stands, reading lamps & magnifiers, page nibs, leather book weights, etc.
If you have other favorite bibliophile gift sellers or tools, please leave a comment and share!
