If you desire to buy books online, Amazon is the biggest name in the industry. Just information technology is far from perfect. Other online bookstores are oft cheaper and have more expertise in niche genres.

So, to give you more options when you're looking to buy books, nosotros have compiled a list of the best Amazon alternatives...

ane. Powell's Books

powells books

Based in Portland, Oregon, this bookseller has both a physical presence in various locations effectually the city, and a website that caters to those of u.s.a. who don't live in Portland.

The website is easy to use and well-organized. Y'all can find both new and used books there, too every bit various pieces of software, CDs, and DVDs. To help you choose wisely, under "Staff Picks" you can find various recommendations to help you decide which books to read next, including some picks of the calendar month, and bucket listing books. Powell's as well provides a style for you to sell your own books online and in-store.

Powell's is peculiarly notable for regularly offering unique editions of books signed by authors. However, be sure to keep an eye on aircraft costs. They are more than expensive than some of their competitors.

The visitor'southward return policy is also surprisingly strict; you cannot get a refund on orders for books in quantities of 10 or more (of the aforementioned title), nor on opened games, DVDs, or books that come with electronic media.

two. Books-A-Million

bam books

Books-A-1000000 (BAM) started life way dorsum in 1917 in Alabama. It is now the second-largest book retailer in the United states. It has concrete stores, and in contempo years, has also become an online bookseller.

BAM offers a various inventory that includes new, used, and deal books—often with attractive price tags. You'll as well find toys, games, and magazines listed on the website, equally well as ebooks.

The biggest downside of BAM is the lack of back up for selling your ain books. If you're the blazon of person who likes to merchandise titles with other readers, you'll demand to look elsewhere.

Find Your Adjacent Great Read on Books-A-Million

3. Alibris

alibris

This online bookstore operates merely through tertiary-party booksellers. That means that when you buy a book from Alibris, you're buying it from an independent bookstore. This makes the platform perfect for those who are looking for used, rare, or collectible titles such every bit showtime editions, antiquarian titles, and signed copies.

The website often offers various discounts on books in the form of coupons, student discounts, and even a whole section of $0.99 titles. Alibris also offers free shipping on all items.

In add-on to fiction and non-fiction, you will as well find textbooks, cookbooks, books about hobbies, and kids' books.

Unfortunately, you are once once again faced with a complicated returns policy. Because y'all are ownership from dissimilar independent sellers, the policy differs on a seller-past-seller basis. Make sure you understand the policy for your seller earlier committing to a purchase.

Buy Books With Alibris, Today

4. Peachpit

peachpit

Peachpit is a Pearson brand that specializes in selling books, ebooks, and other educational materials to those in creative professions. You'll find a wide range of photography-related titles, everything you demand to get started with Adobe Photoshop, academic resources for web blueprint and development, and video-making guides.

This bookstore doesn't just focus on printed books but offers online courses and digital materials for on-the-get learners. The website fifty-fifty hosts a blog where y'all can observe the community members' insights most using software, gadgets, and embracing a digital lifestyle.

The drawback is the price. Some titles feel a little pricey. However, Peachpit offers a system of discounts, including deals of the week, and promotional "bundles" to help you lot relieve coin.

v. Barnes & Noble

barnes and noble

Barnes & Noble is one of the largest online book retailers, with more than than 5 1000000 titles to choose from and hundreds of physical bookstores. It's also one of the best online bookstores that isn't Amazon.

You should check out Barnes and Noble if you're looking to buy a lot of items at once without overpaying for shipping; it's gratis once yous encounter the minimum order threshold of $35. And if you're not satisfied you have xiv days to return your books.

Check Out Barnes & Noble'southward All-encompassing Range of Books

6. Valore Books

valore books

Valore Books is an online bookstore that specializes in textbooks. Information technology presents a great opportunity to save money on textbooks by purchasing used copies and/or older editions.

The website also offers book rentals at an fifty-fifty lower cost, equally well as buybacks. The two features simultaneously let yous to salvage money and for the visitor to grow its inventory of rentable books for other users.

You won't discover whatever non-textbooks for sale. If you want to read fiction, give this store a pass.

7. BetterWorldBooks

betterworldbooks

BetterWorldBooks isn't just a bookstore, but also a clemency with a mission to alter the earth by improving literacy worldwide. Aside from buying and selling books, the visitor accepts book donations then it can either reuse them in global literacy initiatives or recycle them.

There'due south plenty of option in both new and used book categories, searchable by genre. You'll find many of the best new books to read as well equally the classics. The company also offers gratis aircraft and a flexible return policy (though go on in mind that refunds might take upwardly to 60 days to articulate into your business relationship).

8. ThriftBooks

thriftbooks

ThiftBooks is one of the best online bookstores for inexpensive and used books; it offers some of the well-nigh competitive prices anywhere on the web.

Indeed, the company is the world'southward largest independent bookseller. Every used book in the site's inventory is hand-graded so you'll accept a precise agreement of the quality of the book before you hit the buy push button.

The selection of books on ThirftBooks is impressive. In function, that's down to the large number of users who donate books. However, it is by and large due to the company's relationship with libraries. They send lots of ex-library books to ThirftBooks which it then passes onto the consumer at rock lesser prices.

Buy Cheap and Used Books With Thriftbooks

9. AbeBooks

abebooks

AbeBooks is ane of the best sites to purchase collectible and unusual books that you will not be able to find on Amazon.

At the acme of the site, y'all will as well find links to art and other forms of collectibles and used textbooks. As whatsoever American student volition know, the college textbook market is a massive ripoff, pregnant the power to get your hands on second-hand grade material is a large positive.

AbeBooks itself started life in 1996, and then you are dealing with a company that has well-nigh 25 years of experience. The independent sellers on the site come from all over the globe.

ten. Biblio

biblio

Our last recommendation for where to buy books besides Amazon is Biblio. It specializes in used, rare, and out-of-print books from independent booksellers, significant the titles you will observe on Biblio are very unlikely to pop up on Amazon'south bookstore.

The site offers a 30-day return guarantee and makes sure that all its global shipments are 100% first from a carbon standpoint.

What Are the All-time Online Bookstores?

Although all of the online bookstores mentioned higher up have their advantages, Amazon is however one of the best-known names in the industry. Its website is extremely user-friendly, information technology ships internationally, information technology has an all-encompassing selection of books of all types, and information technology makes it easy to observe a particular book in no time.

At the same time, more and more people are trying to avoid using Amazon, switching to using smaller, potentially more than ethical, companies. We're non going to tell you lot which approach is the right one; just make sure you lot find an online bookstore that meets your needs.

We hope you like the items we recommend and discuss! MUO has chapter and sponsored partnerships, so we receive a share of the revenue from some of your purchases. This won't touch on the price you pay and helps usa offer the best product recommendations.

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