The last time I blogged about where I buy (or can potentially buy) books, I had focused on the physical locations. There is something special about going into a real store, browsing books, holding them, and looking through them. However, we live in different times, and there is something to be said for the convenience of online shopping. That’s what I would like to highlight here, friends. Now, there are hundreds of independently owned stores (some linked to a physical location and some not), so if you have a favorite site for purchasing books, keep using it! I am going to touch on some of the ones I myself use.

Walmart, Target, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million

All those physical locations I mentioned earlier? Hey man, they have websites where you can purchase those books, too, and have them sent straight to your door! Some of them even have same-day delivery (Walmart, Target, and BAM)! So if you’re feeling a bit lazy (I feel ya) and need a book, you could always have one of those places deliver a new story right to your door! There are standard shipping options as well. All I can say is, Barnes and Noble needs to catch up with BAM on the delivery front! Wassup with that, B&N? Why ya slackin’?

Amazon

Let’s get this one out of the way. Look, I get it. I really do. Amazon has…a lot of issues. I absolutely prefer to shop elsewhere for books, but there are some benefits to purchasing from Amazon. If a book is $30 at Barnes and you can’t justify the cost, Amazon is for sure going to have it cheaper. Maybe just a few dollars cheaper or maybe a good chunk of change cheaper, but cheaper. Also, there are so many indie authors that have their material exclusively at Amazon. I love finding authors (whose books I can only purchase on Amazon) who don’t have many reviews or ratings on Goodreads, so I can support them. Let me put it this way: I am more likely to purchase a book by a well-known author from Barnes & Noble or BAM, but I place an order on Amazon with nothing but books by authors I’ve never heard of before.

BookOutlet

This is easily one of my favorite places to shop for overstocked books, books that didn’t sell, and books that are way cheaper than going into any store. Is the catalog of books stable? No, if they sell out of a title, you may never see that book on the site again. Do they place a mark on the pages as a price protection measure? Yes, and rightly so. Is the box a bit of a bitch to open? Also, yes. Why do they do the things they do? I feel like I’m fighting a rabid squirrel whenever I get my order and try to get into that damned box. But this site is worth it. Free shipping if you spend $35 dollars. A few times a year, they have their $5.99 sale. Every time you make a purchase, you get points that add up to different dollar amounts off your order. Sometimes they even throw a coupon into the box your order is in to tempt you into another order. Which always works. Every. Single. Time. But it’s worth it!

Bookshop.org

I will admit that I have only used Bookshop.org a few times, and I really should use it more often. When you sign up, you can choose an independent bookstore. When you make a purchase, some of that profit goes back to that independent bookseller. If you don’t choose a store to support, profits from that sale will be split and shared at six-month intervals (I believe). That being said, why the hell don’t I use this site more often? What the hell is wrong with me? Siemelle must make a note to sit down this weekend and go through the site so she can put it into her regular book-buying rotation!

Friends, that is not the end of the list. Oh, I will be back to share more places to make bad financial decisions!

For now, go buy a book! Thems the rules.

Siemelle