Once upon a time, new books were printed in limited copies without any translations. If the closest bookshop was sold out, you'd have to resort to desperate means to get ahold of a copy or wait until a friend was willing to pawn one off. The internet, like it did with pretty much everything, changed the book-buying experience forever.
The joy of scanning shelves at your local bookstore is pretty much irreplaceable. But there’s only so much time and, well, an endless amount of books to read. Besides finding bestselling books on sale, you can save time for page-turning by checking out the best places to buy books online.
Biggest Online Book Sellers
The beast. The goliath. It’s what we were all thinking, so let’s just get it out of the way: Amazon has, for better or worse, made buying books from the comfort of your couch easier than ever. Whether you’re pre-ordering a new release or looking for a collected set of your favorite series, it’s more than likely you’ll find what you’re looking for on Amazon. Besides being the go-to for books you need delivered sooner rather than later, Amazon also owns Kindle and Audible, making Prime the destination for e-books and audiobooks.
As America’s largest book retailer, there’s never a Barnes & Noble location too far away, but the bookselling giant also offers free delivery on standard shipping. On top of a fairly limitless stock of paperbacks and hardcovers, Barnes & Noble also offers exclusive Special Editions, which include my favorite sci-fi series, Dune, as well as some iconic horror authors like Stephen King.
Books-a-Million (or BAM) also has extensive offerings, and, while Target doesn’t really have much you wouldn't find elsewhere, Target Circle Members get access to some of the lowest book prices on the market.
Other Places to Buy Books Online
If you’re looking for convenience without resorting to the online retailing giants, B Corp-certified Bookshop.org lets you pick a (partnering) independent bookseller to support as you order your books. ThriftBooks is about as close as you can get to, well, thrifting books online. While it does stock new copies, Thriftbooks' main selling point is serving as a platform for buying and selling used books.
Better World Books, like Thriftbooks, may not offer “straight off the shelves” quality, but it does offer the feeling of doing a bit of good for the world, as the company uses profits to support global literacy initiatives. The online vendor stocks mostly donated books (many of which are from libraries), with each listing rated on a condition scale from “Acceptable” to “New.”
Where Can I Read Books Online for Free?
If you’re less attached to the physical quality of reading, Libby is an online platform that lets you use an existing library card borrow digital copies of books, magazines, and more. While you may not be able to keep your books at home, and may occasionally have to wait for something to become available, joining a library program is one of the best ways to cut costs without resorting to online retailers. You can also check out our guide to the best free book sites and apps.
When Do Books Go on Sale?
In my experience, the best time to buy books is whenever I walk into a bookstore and see a cool cover. That said, there are certain times of year I’ve found are better for my wallet. When it comes to ordering books (or pretty much anything else) online, Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday are hard to beat. Barnes & Noble also slashes prices during its Annual Book Haul Sale toward the end of the summer.
Blythe (she/her) is an SEO Coordinator at IGN who is always looking for the next great horror story and fantasy RPG.
via Best Places to Buy Books Online in 2024
by Blythe Dujardin
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