Where to buy books other than Amazon (and for cheaper)

Do you ever get tired of buying books off of Amazon? I know I do! At this point books don’t even show up two days after buying with prime so what exactly is the point? I know that a quick turnaround without having to go to a store is one of the main reasons I wanted to use them. But by this point, you’re not really getting them all that fast. But where to buy books that are a decent price?

Buying from local stores is the best place to buy at least for me. I understand that you guys probably don’t have time to go shopping at physical stores but there are other alternatives that you can do. This way you can spend money on a business that’s worth it.

It doesn’t help that I have heard really problematic things about them. Not only that but the rich are getting richer. I’m getting to the point where I would rather take my business elsewhere. If you’re here then I’m assuming you are feeling the same way. So where to buy books other than Amazon?

Why should you stop buying from Amazon?

So, I kind of explained this in the last paragraph but Amazon has become too much of a convenience. We rely too much on things that are online and it’s getting a little out of hand. Don’t get me wrong though because there is nothing wrong with buying things online. Sometimes our lives are so busy that we have to rely on online purchases more than we should. But I know that a lot of people are relying on it that actually have time to go and get it themselves. How do I know? Because I am one of those people!

I do want to change it though. I would rather have my money go to someone local or with a small business rather than someone who has everything he needs.

The exception to buying on Amazon

I know I know there is an exception to buying books through Amazon. There are a lot of indie authors who self-publish on there. The same goes with indie publishers. Quite a few authors rely on Amazon and this is the ONLY time Amazon is potentially worth it. But!! There is a chance that you can buy their book through their website and that’s even better for them because the entire amount will be going to them. Obviously, Amazon takes out a certain percentage if you do buy through there.

Where to buy books cheap?

Most of these are good options to go shopping for books. Some have cheap options whiles others don’t. I hope it helps you figure out where you can start buying books rather than buying them through Amazon. Let me know in the comments if I miss any!

Goodwill

I feel like a lot of people don’t really think about Goodwill. I’m one of those people that really never think about going there to buy books. This is a good option because books are getting more expensive now. It’s a little ridiculous even though I understand that pretty much everything is going up. But Goodwill is definitely a good option for those who want more of a cheaper option.

Ollies

Within the past two years, we actually got an Ollies where I live. I think a lot of them are popping up all over the United States (I’m not so sure about in other countries). Ollies is a very good option for cheap books! I know most of you probably think that they don’t have good options. When someone pointed it out to me I was probably one of those people. I didn’t think they would have a very good selection but they really do! Don’t get me wrong it doesn’t take up a good portion of the store but it does have its own good little section. The majority of their books are right around $2.99. Some of the books are a little bit more but not really by much. So, go check them out right now!

Thriftbooks

If there are some books that you are really wanting to get but are wanting for a cheaper price then make sure you check out Thriftbooks. This is a good option for those who would rather buy books online rather than go somewhere to buy them. The books at Thriftbooks aren’t necessarily as cheap as the Library or at Ollie’s but it’s very close in price. This is probably the first place I would check over Amazon because there’s a good chance that you will probably find the book a lot cheaper than most places online.

Library

So, I know that the library lets you borrow books for absolutely free. A lot of Libraries actually have their own little store where it’s full of books for very little. Through most of them, you can get a ton of books for less than five dollars. If your library is small and doesn’t have its own little store then I’m sure they have their own little yard sale at some point in the year so make sure you look out for that.

Even though the library might not have the book you really want for sale you might find other books you have wanted to read. On top of that, you’re supporting your local library where they can use that money to buy new books.

Abe Books

I just found out about Abe Books when doing research for this post! I’m so happy that I found out about it. It seems like Abe Books is comparable to Thriftbooks when it comes to the price and it is completely online as well. My only thing is that I like the setup a little better on Thriftbooks a little better than I do with this particular website only because it’s easier to navigate around. But who knows you may actually like Abe Books better than Thriftbooks.

Better World Books

This is the first time I’m hearing about Better World Books as well. I do like the setup for this one and it seems easy to navigate. The only thing with this one is that the used books are the cheaper ones while new books are around the same price that’s in store. It makes sense though! I just wanted to point that out before you went to the website and noticed books that are around $10. I still think it’s worth checking out though!

Half Price Books

So I didn’t realize that Half Price books had an actual physical store. Even though I live in the United States we don’t have any of the stores where I’m located. But you can buy the books online and it seems like a lot of them are at a decent price. I might actually start using them to buy books for my son because there are a lot of good options on there for a good price. Have you guys used them?

Bookshop

So I wanted to add bookshop even though it’s really not a cheap alternative. The perk about it though is that you can use it to buy books from local bookstores (that is if they are on there). But you can use them to buy from independent stores all over the United States. I’m not so sure about stores in different countries but if you know this then let me know! If you want to view my storefront for them you can find that here. I do want to put a disclaimer here. If you purchase books through the link that I have provided for you then I will earn a small commission from that!

Other Alternatives on where to buy books

Another alternative on where to buy books would be your local bookstore. I know a lot of them are pricey but they kind of have to be. Most of them bring up their prices because of the fact that there are so many people relying on Amazon. If you want the book that bad then save the money up and buy from your local bookstore. At least then you will be buying from “real” people who have kids and not someone who has more money than all of us combined. I am starting to notice that quite a bit of book on Amazon is right around the same price as those in bookstores. So you might as well support someone who is worth it.

Where do you buy your books? Are there any places that I missed? I’d like to hear from you so make sure to leave me a comment on what you think about trying to stop buying from Amazon?

If you enjoy this post then you might like my post about Kindle Unlimited.