6 Alternatives to Buying Books From Amazon

Our little purchases add up.

Photo by Noralí Nayla on Unsplash

As a theologian (we all are), a homeschooling mom, a writer, and a general lover of all things story, I interact with a lot of books. Every time a new title ends up on my wish list or TBR, I’m faced with an important question: From where will I acquire this title?

The answer to this question has implications far beyond my personal budget and household bookcases. The ways that I choose to obtain books affects my community, booksellers, authors, and probably more. Over the years, I’ve worked to reconcile exactly how to be intentional in the way I manage my library. And by intentional, I mostly mean: not simply buying from Amazon* just because it’s cheaper and quicker.

Here are SIX alternatives to buying books from Amazon

1. Direct Support

Have you perused the websites of your favorite authors or publishers? They will post events in your area where you can meet authors and buy books in person. Or you can buy directly online. When I order from authors, the book copies often arrive signed or with a personal “thank you.” They get to literally send their books to their readers, making the process that much more meaningful. The packaging is even more fun when it’s part of a pre-order or release; how exciting to be part of that moment with them! When I buy from publisher websites, they usually ship in carefully packed boxes with special bookmarks, cards, or stickers. There is just more opportunity for a personal touch.

Will this cost a few more dollars than Amazon? Will we pay shipping? Maybe. Sometimes. Not always. However, we can keep our wish lists/TBR on the side and wait for sales or promotions to get lower prices (follow on social media for updates too).

Personally, I have come to the realization that even if my support of the bookselling world is just a drop in the bucket, I want it to be in the right bucket if I can help it. Sometimes that means spending a few more dollars. That’s a cost I’m willing to pay if it works against the dehumanization of our shopping efforts in the name of cheap.

2. Brick and Mortar

We can find our local independent bookstores through a search on IndieBound. Bookstores often host author talks, community events, and feature local artists and authors. If a store doesn’t have the books we’re looking for, they may carry it online or have ways of ordering it for us. We won’t know until we ask!

And let’s not sleep on a big chain store if that’s what we have! Barnes and Noble (and Borders, rest in peace) used to be the big bad box store (You’ve Got Mail, anyone?) but we’re cheering them on now. (For a relatable argument on why we want B&N to keep holding strong, read this piece.)

For me, the closest physical bookstore is Half Price Books. So I’ve gotten in the habit of calling them to ask if they have a book in stock. Sometimes they have it already and other times, they can order it for me to pick up in store (often it’s less $$ than Amazon). And of course when I go in to pick it up, I find other books to grab too (If You Give a Mouse a Cookie…).

One time an employee at my Half Price Books told me on the phone: “Oh cool! This book is in stock at the Houston store my girlfriend works at. I’ll just have her bring it home and I’ll have it here tomorrow morning for you.” Doesn’t get more personal than that.

3. Bookshop.org

What an incredible effort Bookshop.org is making to balance the fact that people want to buy online but don’t want to fuel the Amazon steamroller. They’re figuring out how to do the work of financially supporting independent bookstores to help them stay in the competition while connecting with customers who love community as much as they love reading. Read more about their work here and find a bookstore to support with your Bookshop.org purchases!

Also worth noting: Bookshop.org is a legit alternative to Amazon affiliates. Bookshop.org makes online space for people and organizations to set up storefronts and affiliate links for their book recommendations. This gives content creators an opportunity to be compensated for book recommendations without directing people to Amazon!   

4. Online Thrifting

Better World Books is clear enough about their mission: “Buy Books. Do Good.” According to their website, they’ve donated over 38 millions books, raised over $35 million for libraries and literacy efforts, and seen over 475 million books recycled.

Biblio says that they are “For books. For bibliophiles. For literacy.” They also champion connecting readers with booksellers while supporting searches for rare and collectors books. When you buy through Biblio, you’re also supporting their non-profit, BiblioWorks, to help communities in need have access to more books and literacy support.

Thriftbooks is not as mission forward as the above options, but they intentionally purchase from charities, donate to literacy efforts, and work hard to recycle any print materials they cannot use. While I have not sold books to them, their process appears to be straightforward, so that’s also worth trying when we need to make some room on our shelves and there are no local options for reselling.

5. Everand

eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers, podcasts, sheet music… What don’t they have? When I was looking for an alternative to Kindle Unlimited, I found Scribd and four years later, I can easily say that it has been well worth the subscription fee. It’s now branded as Everand and my family still gets so much use from it. I don’t think a day goes by that I’m not using this app/subscription and it really is one of the best options if you’re all about the eBooks and audiobooks.

Everand, still under the brand umbrella of Scribd, makes sure that authors and publishers are being supported with the subscription money. Their FAQ on this topic states, “Revenue that Scribd, Inc. earns from monthly subscription fees is paid to the original publishers or authors every time you read their work on Everand.”

6. Libraries

We cannot get more budget-friendly or community focused that this! Borrowing from our public libraries, including through the Libby or Overdrive apps, still supports our favorite authors because the libraries can see who and what readers want on the shelves. If our libraries don’t have the books we’re looking for, they can usually acquire it through inter-library loan programs. We can also fill out a request form to ask for our favorite authors’ titles to be ordered. (This has worked out for me several times!)

Public libraries also host events to feature authors, give space for writers clubs, encourage literacy programming, and organize community efforts to keep storytelling personal and accessible. And, y’all. BOOK SALES. Oh my goodness, the “Friends of the Library” book sales are everything. Get on your library’s e-mail list for the big sales and always bring cash when you go into your library because you never know when that wonderful metal book cart will be sitting there with $1 hardcovers and children’s books.

Private libraries, run by passionate book collectors, are another option for discovering beloved titles. We can search for local private libraries through Biblioguides. My family has a membership through the Meriadoc Homeschool Library where we get to borrow from thousands of titles neatly organized in Sherry Early’s family home. She carries on a lifelong habit of creating community around the good, true, and beautiful and we can read her seemingly endless book reviews and recommendations on her blog, Semicolon. Community makers like Sherry help ensure that we don’t lose the deeply communal nature of sharing stories and knowledge with one another.

Friends, this list could have been so much longer! I’m already working on lists of my other favorite ways to acquire homeschool (Rainbow Resource, I love you) and spiritual formation books (10ofThose, you are amazing). But we’ve got a starting point here to think about our own roles in keeping the book buying community flourishing in more personal, human ways.

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Notes, disclaimers, whatnot:

** There are independently and self-published authors who only sell through Amazon. I am not calling them out or telling you not to buy from them. What a gift that they can make some living telling stories and sharing their knowledge! Let’s support those artists however we can! I’m only here to say that when possible, we can prioritize being thoughtful with how we add to our reading lists and home libraries.

** I am also not calling out all the amazing book bloggers who do make a living through Amazon affiliate links and storefronts. Again, I am thankful we have so many options for valuing our own work monetarily. Keep up your good work if that’s what you’re doing! This is a conviction of intentionality for me personally. And I share these resources to benefit anyone else working through this question. If you do buy recommendations through Amazon anyway and I miss out on a little piece of the pie, then so be it. God is my provider, not Amazon.