# Recommend online used book sources, please? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 9, 2002, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-online-used-book-sources-please/118003 "2002-07-09T02:04:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-online-used-book-sources-please/118003/1 "2002-07-09T02:04:16Z")
Anybody know any good online used book stores? I’m looking for sources in addition to the obvious _Amazon_ and _B&N Online._ If possible, sources that you have had a positive experience with. Any and all suggestions will be appreciated. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-online-used-book-sources-please/118003/2 "2002-07-09T02:07:44Z")
I’ve used [www.abebooks.com](http://www.abebooks.com) over the last year to buy four books, all from different bookstores. Haven’t had a problem with it. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-online-used-book-sources-please/118003/3 "2002-07-09T02:14:12Z")
http:/www.bibliofind.com was the best, though it’s not a part of [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com). Still, it polls used bookstores and you’ll get the most hits. If you’re desperate, use [http://www.alibris.com](http://www.alibris.com), but be prepared to pay twice what you’d pay a bibliofind. ---
**Author:** ![Guy\_Incognito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guy_incognito/32/3920_2.png) [@Guy\_Incognito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guy_Incognito)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-online-used-book-sources-please/118003/4 "2002-07-09T02:19:45Z")
YMMV, but I’ve had good luck on [www.bookemporium.com](http://www.bookemporium.com) for finding both new and used trade books and textbooks. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-online-used-book-sources-please/118003/5 "2002-07-09T03:20:04Z")
Well, Powell’s ain’t bad. I like [half.com](http://half.com), too. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-online-used-book-sources-please/118003/6 "2002-07-09T03:56:18Z")
Thanks to all for the sites. Now to get started with the shopping… ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-online-used-book-sources-please/118003/7 "2002-07-09T13:31:24Z")
Best one I have ever used is [bookfinder.com](http://www.bookfinder.com/). Best selection, best comparison-shopping; I’ve found books I hadn’t even known existed, doing word- or author-searches. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-online-used-book-sources-please/118003/8 "2002-07-09T15:47:11Z")
Second that on [bookfinder.com](http://bookfinder.com). It’s a meta-search site that searches about 20 online databases, including abebooks and alibrus, although not [half.com](http://half.com). Alibrus used to be far more expensive for the identical book. You could tell they were identical because a bookfinder search would pull up the exact same wording on a listing from alibrus and from another site. Alibrus prices were always much higher. This no longer appears to be true. I recently did a huge amount of seaching on about 50 books on bookfinder. The Alibrus price was almost always five cents less than the other listing’s price. Its shipping fees are fixed and were often lower, especially lower than priority mail. Shipments were just as prompt from the Alibrus dealers. The advantage of Alibrus for me is that you can use a credit card with them even for bookstores that don’t accept credit cards on their own sites. This made it much more convenient for me. ---
**Author:** ![booklover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@booklover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booklover)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-online-used-book-sources-please/118003/9 "2002-07-09T17:17:54Z")
Here’s a third on the [bookfinder.com](http://bookfinder.com) . Also, check out [www.half.com](http://www.half.com) , which is a division of Ebay (set prices instead of bidding, though.). ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-online-used-book-sources-please/118003/10 "2002-07-09T17:38:23Z")
And a fourth for [Bookfinder.com](http://Bookfinder.com)…but sometimes, when the sites it checks are busy, it will skip them, so you only get a partial search. If that happens, I will also check [addall.com](http://addall.com) - it is basically the same as bookfinder, but sometimes, addall has listings that bookfinder doesn’t (and vice versa) Best of luck. ---
**Author:** ![jmpride62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@jmpride62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmpride62)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-online-used-book-sources-please/118003/11 "2002-07-09T23:37:54Z")
I love Hamilton Books, not used but overstocks, etc. I have had great experience with them. I have even found a textbook or two that I needed for class. > **[Books, DVDs and CDs - HamiltonBook.com](https://www.hamiltonbook.com/)** > > HamiltonBook.com saves you up to 80% on thousands of books, DVDs and CDs in a wide variety of subject areas. Low flat shipping rates and a 60-day money back satisfaction guarantee. ---
**Author:** ![jmpride62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@jmpride62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmpride62)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-online-used-book-sources-please/118003/12 "2002-07-09T23:39:54Z")
Sorry, that should be [www.hamiltonbook.com](http://www.hamiltonbook.com) ☹