My last task on this year’s 100 Little Things list is “Use Amazon as little as possible.” This wasn’t necessarily a “holier than thou” statement about big business, but more of a shorthand way to remind me to look toward other retail places first. Today I wanted to share six places I look for books before heading to the “Big A” – let me know your favorite little spots too!
1 // Better World Books
When I’m in the market for books, Better World Books is the first place I turn. Their used book selection is incredible and the prices are generally pretty great. I can often get hardcovers for less than $4! They have sales frequently and also have a rewards program for even more savings. Standard shipping is always free. In the off chance that my order got lost in the mail, they’ve quickly refunded my money. I’m a big, big fan of BWB.
Use my link to get $5 off your order of $30 or more!
2 // Ebay
If I can’t find the book I’m looking for at BWB or the price isn’t great, I head over to Ebay. This is a little hit or miss, but it never hurts to look! Since larger retailers often use ebay too, I especially like to search out the books that look like a regular person is selling them. (Typically, a retailer will just use a stock photo, where a “regular person” takes their own photo.) It means a lot when someone buys my used books and I like to share the love that way too.
3 // Book Outlet
Book Outlet is an awesome source of lower-cost new books. These are returns or overstock from publishers, discounted only because they usually have a small dot or marking on the edge. They also have sticker books, puzzles and other bookstore-type things for the kids. I love browsing their selection and it updates frequently. Shipping is free on orders over $35.
Use my link for a $10 coupon to use on your first purchase of $25 or more!
4 // Bookshop
A new for me option for book buying is through Bookshop. I became an affiliate last year and was excited to see some of my blogging friends do the same. When the price is right, I like to shop through their links A win/win situation: money is sent to small, independent bookshops and bloggers can get a little kickback too.
Check out some of my favorite books in a variety of topics in my shop!
5 // Directly From the Publishers
Another source I just started using was to shop directly through the publisher. Often, I’ll hear about a kind-of obscure book that isn’t readily available. And when I can find it, it costs a fortune! An example of this is a book I found on Pinterest that I thought would be perfect for my homemaking course called Home Economics. Checking across websites, I could only find it around $30, which is pretty steep for such a little book. On a whim, I checked directly on the publisher’s website and found it at a more reasonable price. I also like to do this with Catholic publishing companies – they sometimes have really great sales and they ship fast.
6 // Usborne
When I’m in the market for books for the kids or school, I often check out Usborne. Their books are colorful, educational and fun. Some of the beginner chapter books have been really helpful in getting my elementary kids sucked into independent reading. And bonus: you can financially help a consultant, who is often a mom.
Two of my favorite consultants are Rosie and Sarah!
** Honorable mentions are thrift stores and my local independent bookstore, although in-person shopping has been greatly reduced these days! **
I use AbeBooks a fair amount as well—they have a database of ALL the used book sellers on the internet, so it’s especially helpful for hard to find books!
I used AbeBooks to find our school books last summer! I recently heard that it was actually a subsidiary of Amazon, which is a little frustrating. That JB guy owns everything!