Where to buy books??

evil-monkey · 05-01-2009 4:50pm #1

Anyone know where the absolute cheapest place to buy books online is?? Recently put together a nice collection of 10 or so secondhand books on Amazon.co.uk. Total cost of books was about 12 pounds sterling - shipping was 50 pounds!! Are there any websites with the vast selection of Amazon, but with free shipping?? I know that sites like thebookdepository.co.uk have free shipping, but most of the stuff I'm after are out of stock, and they don't order from the publisher. Waterstones.co.uk, to their credit, will attempt to order the book from the publisher, but they don't have free shipping.

Any thoughts?? Book shops in Ireland, well Cork anyway, are, as far as my interests are concerned, a waste of time, so I'm forced to look online...

Thanks in advance for any tips

Eoin · 05-01-2009 5:59pm

I buy a good few second hand books from www.abesbooks.com

There are some very big shops on that site (it's a portal rather than one shop), so I try and buy as many books as possible from the one place. Shipping isn't free though, but with lots of books at $1 and shipping per book at $3-$4 you can do quite well.

BossArky · 09-01-2009 5:44pm

ebay is great. You can find some excellent deals if you spend a few minutes looking.

Often people are looking to off load stuff as they are moving house etc... so you can pick up some books in almost perfect condition for very little. Buy 2 or 3 from them and the postage can be cheap too.

Manach · 11-01-2009 3:30pm

I've found play.com to be good value. Free postage and they have a used book section as well.

evil-monkey · 15-01-2009 2:08pm

Manach wrote: »

I've found play.com to be good value. Free postage and they have a used book section as well.

Really?? Hmmm...didn't know that. Will take a look.

Thanks for all the replies.

Shryke · 16-01-2009 11:00pm

www.bookdepository.co.uk/

...Is the best place to buy. They give price comparissions with Amazon, they have a massive selection, they have free delivery. They mail things in brilliant time. I've ordered dozens and dozens of books from the place and I've never been let down.

gogo · 17-01-2009 2:38am

Manach wrote: »

I've found play.com to be good value. Free postage and they have a used book section as well.

I'll second play, buy nearly all my books there, no postage is great so i know what i'm spending and they are quick too , usually within the week.

eVeNtInE · 21-01-2009 6:22pm

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turgon · 22-01-2009 11:20pm

I went on to the book depository two nights ago and made out a six book list that came to 28 pounds. Today I look and its gone up to 48 pounds. Me nì comprehende!

eVeNtInE · 22-01-2009 11:36pm

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turgon · 23-01-2009 12:09am

eVeNtInE wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

I have a load of books already bought yet to be read, I was just merely fantasizing!!

The thing I found with Amazon other sellers is that postage bites you in the behind. I went on and found penguin popular classics for 1 penny a go. Add in £3.99 for postage and your gone overboard. And you couldnt combine postage items for cheaper rates. I think the sellar was intentionally moving some of his profits over to the postage to look good.

orangecake · 23-01-2009 10:51am

Manach wrote: »

I've found play.com to be good value. Free postage and they have a used book section as well.

Just wondering about the used book section you mentioned? Is that the PlayTrade option that comes up when you search for a book or am I missing something else? Thanks...

turgon · 24-01-2009 4:42pm

turgon wrote: »

I went on to the book depository two nights ago and made out a six book list that came to 28 pounds. Today I look and its gone up to 48 pounds. Me nì comprehende!

Ok now theyve reverted to the original prices. If ordering books here it might be worth waiting a few days!

CSC · 24-01-2009 4:45pm

I like Amazon as a site but their postage charges can be expensive.

Like another poster I find Ebay great for books.

ixoy · 24-01-2009 7:36pm

Recently tried bookdepository.co.uk and found them very easy to use, swift, and efficient. I also like the fact you can buy in Sterling and aren't forced to use a crappy Euro conversion, like on Play.com. Chuck in free shipping and it's the best of both Amazon and play.com, albeit with a smaller range of titles.

eVeNtInE · 24-01-2009 7:42pm

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Paddy Samurai · 25-01-2009 5:07pm

:cool:Try websites abebooks.com or play.com.
I like play.com cos the price includes post & packing (no hidden extras) and is in euros.I find amazon to be a lot more expensive,although at the moment with the weak pound it might be ok.
If you are up in dublin try chapters near parnell square,their bargain tables have a great selection.I have often gone in and come out with 5 or 6 books for 30euro.

turgon · 15-02-2009 7:49pm

Ok I know its 3 weeks since a post here, but this is worth mentioning.

It seems the Book Depository recently had a website change, bit of a facelift, as it were. The website moderately better but heres the catch: they've jacked up all of their prices by what was basically the margin that made them cheap.

I had a list of 5 books in my "wishlist" that went from 31 euro to 40 euro, thats about 30%, which is ridiculous.

In the end, there website isnt that great, so theyve eroded one of the two things theyve got going for them: the good prices.

evil-monkey · 16-02-2009 1:03am

turgon wrote: »

Ok I know its 3 weeks since a post here, but this is worth mentioning.

It seems the Book Depository recently had a website change, bit of a facelift, as it were. The website moderately better but heres the catch: they've jacked up all of their prices by what was basically the margin that made them cheap.

I had a list of 5 books in my "wishlist" that went from 31 euro to 40 euro, thats about 30%, which is ridiculous.

In the end, there website isnt that great, so theyve eroded one of the two things theyve got going for them: the good prices.

Really?? Haven't bought from them in a while, been able to find what I wanted on Amazon, so I hadn't seen this. Looks like Play.com might be the way to go so...

treefingers · 16-02-2009 9:44pm

if you are ordering a few books from amazon, just make sure they are all sold by amazon themselves. you will only be charged one relatively small postage fee then. if your books are sold by various different sellers, then there will be a seperate postage charge on each book because they are coming from different places..

eclectichoney · 16-02-2009 10:51pm

turgon wrote: »

Ok I know its 3 weeks since a post here, but this is worth mentioning.

It seems the Book Depository recently had a website change, bit of a facelift, as it were. The website moderately better but heres the catch: they've jacked up all of their prices by what was basically the margin that made them cheap.

I had a list of 5 books in my "wishlist" that went from 31 euro to 40 euro, thats about 30%, which is ridiculous.

In the end, there website isnt that great, so theyve eroded one of the two things theyve got going for them: the good prices.

Yeah i noticed that

Very disappointing. Amazon is probably now a better bet if you're getting more than 1 book.

Blush_01 · 16-02-2009 11:36pm

I find lots of stuff on e-bay.

turgon · 28-02-2009 7:31pm

Prices going down on the book depository...

Lillylilly · 28-02-2009 7:42pm

Bookmooch.com is a deadly website where people donate their old books, which means that you only have to pay postage.
It's also a good way of getting rid of books you're unlikely to read again.
And if the book you want isn't on the site when you check it out first, they'll email you when/ if it does get donated!!!

Where to buy books??

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