Looking for the best alternatives to Amazon for books? There’s a lot of controversy surrounding Amazon these days, so if you’re looking for other places to buy books online that aren’t Amazon then this is the list for you!
From places you can support independent booksellers, to larger bookstores online, to the best places to get used books and support sustainability at the same time, here are eight places you should consider shopping that aren’t Amazon.
1. Your Local Indie Bookshops
Whenever possible, shopping at your local independent bookstores is the best alternative to buying books on Amazon. Supporting your local stores helps support your own local economy, helps small business owners in your area, and also more directly benefits you because local bookstores often have fun community events or bring in authors to provide extra value to you as the local book lovers!
Since it’s impossible to provide a complete list of indie bookstores for you, since Bona Fide Bookworm readers are based all around the world, we encourage you to search for local bookstores in your area and support them online or in person. Need a place to start or a recommendation? Check out the bookstores that stock Bona Fide Bookworm products to see if there’s a bookstore near you that you can support!
2. Bookshop
When looking for Amazon alternatives to buy books online, Bookshop is one of your best options as well.
Bookshop.org is an online bookstore that strives to financially support local, independent bookstores by giving 10%-30% of each sale to independent bookshops. When you shop here, you can allow the percentage of your sale to go into a general pool that is then distributed evenly among independent bookstores, or you can designate a specific local bookstore you want to support and they’ll get the whole percentage of the books you buy.
With a huge selection of books to choose from that rivals Amazon’s selection, Bookshop is a convenient place to shop online for books that also allows you to support local bookstores at the same time. So it is well worth shopping here when you’re looking for places to buy books that aren’t Amazon!
3. Barnes & Noble
Another place to shop for books that isn’t Amazon is Barnes & Noble, so if you’re looking for a good online selection then this might be a good store to check out!
Because Barnes & Noble is the world’s largest retail bookseller, you can be sure that you’ll find the books you want to buy whenever you visit their website or shop for books in store. So if you’re looking for a reliable place to buy books that isn’t Amazon, this is an excellent choice.
4. Books-A-Million
Books-A-Million (BAM!) is another good option when looking for non-Amazon bookstores to shop for books.
This bookstore was founded in 1917 as a street corner newsstand, and has since grown to become the second largest book retailer in the US. With an easy-to-use website as well as more than 260 stores in 32 states, you can be sure BAM! will have the books you’re looking for whether you want to shop in person or online.
5. Powell’s Books
If you’re looking for another independent bookstore to support, then Powell’s Books is one you should consider. Of course, if there’s a local independent bookstore near you then that might be your first choice to support…but if you’re looking for other options, this is a good one too.
Powell’s books is the world’s largest independent bookstore and is located in Portland, Oregon. But besides their local presence, they also have an online store where they sell new, used, and rare books to people all around the world. So if you need an Amazon alternative for books, this is a great site to choose!
6. Better World Books
When looking to buy books online not on Amazon, Better World Books is the perfect choice if you’re looking for used books.
Shopping at this online bookstore not only keeps used books in circulation and saves them from going to landfills, but also helps support reading and learning through funding Better World Book’s literacy grants, special projects, and more volunteer efforts to bring literacy to local communities. This shop’s goal is to “help those who supply [knowledge] and share [knowledge] with those who crave it,” so when you shop here you’re not only getting the books you want but also making a difference in the world!
Shop at Better World Books now!
7. ThriftBooks
Interested in another place to buy used books that isn’t Amazon? If so, ThriftBooks is a site you should check out!
This site originally started back in 2003 by listing books on Amazon.com, but as they grew over the years they became their own site (and they are not owned or operated by Amazon in any way, although they do still sell their books on Amazon and other e-commerce sites). They’re likely the world’s largest online independent used book seller, and many customers love and trust them to deliver quality used books!
8. Book Outlet
If you’re interested in a more unusual site to buy new books from (that isn’t Amazon), then Book Outlet should be on your list to check out!
At Book Outlet, they stock books that are excess inventory and store returns which means they can offer up to 90% off the original list price! All books on this site are new, but in most cases they will have a small dot or line on the edge of the book that signifies it’s a discounted title. They do have a very large selection, but there’s no guarantee they’ll have every book exactly when you want it…so you have to do a little looking around, and check back in from time to time as there are new arrivals daily!
9. Alibris
Another of the best Amazon alternatives to buy books online is Alibris, an online marketplace for used books, out-of-print books, textbook rentals, and more.
The purpose of Alibris is to help independent sellers find buyers through their marketplace, which means when you shop for books at Alibris you are supporting independent sellers and smaller businesses rather than a site like Amazon. They have tons of books to browse, so it’s nearly guaranteed you can find a used copy in the condition of your choice when you shop here…which makes it a great option if you’re looking to buy used books!
Love Alibris. Great selection and prices ( Alibris themselves constantly have coupons…I typically get around 10%-14% discount on top of the very low prices), and more importantly I enjoy supporting independent bookstores!
I’m happy to hear you’ve had such a good experience with Alibris!
Thanks so much. I have my reasons for not using Amazon. I very much appreciate this list and have been able to find must-have books with your list of alternative sites that I could not find at Barnes and Nobles, the only other Amazon competitor I knew about. This put me back in the game and made my whole week!
Yay, I’m so happy to hear this, Michael!