How to Purchase Books Online

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 19, 2022 References

Buying books online is a fast, convenient, and affordable alternative to finding books in a bookstore. If you know where to look, you can find new books, used books, textbooks, and ebooks easily and often at reasonable prices. It’s simply a matter of knowing where to look for the particular types of books you need.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Getting Hard-Copy Books

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Search major online marketplaces for new books. If you’re looking for an unused copy of a book, major online retailers such as Amazon or the Barnes and Noble website are often your best bet. These retailers stock millions of titles and generally offer the widest selection of both hardcover and paperback books from most major publishing companies.^{[1]
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- When you purchase a title online, you will generally need a credit card to pay. Some retailers, such as Amazon, may have their own payment system that lets you link to your bank account. Others may also accept Paypal or Venmo, both of which also link directly to your bank account.
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Search resale sites like eBay for used books. Resale and consumer-to-consumer marketplace websites like eBay and Half.com allow you to purchase used books at competitive prices. These sites are also great places to find rare and out-of-print books that might not be available from major retailers.^{[2]
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- In most cases, you can simply enter the title you're looking for into the search bar. The results will populate with different offers from different sellers. Be sure to shop around, as sellers set their own price. This means prices can differ greatly between sellers.
- Pay attention to the descriptions as you shop, too. Used books come in all different conditions. Most books will be categorized as "like new," "very good," "good," "fair," or "poor" condition.
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Check the websites of your favorite independent bookstores. If you’re looking for books from independent publishers or otherwise limited-release books, check the website of your local indie bookstore. Independent retailers often sell books online as well as in-store.^{[3]
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- You can also check the website of independent publishers if you’re looking for a specific indie title. Publishers generally have their own online bookstore in addition to distributing to other retailers.
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Shop around using a search engine shopping platform. Sites like Google Books, Bing Shopping, and Book Butler compare prices on the same title from hundreds of websites. These platforms allow you to find the best price possible by looking at both major retailers and smaller sellers.^{[4]
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- You will still need to complete your transaction on the retailer’s website. The search engine allows you to compare prices, but it does not directly sell or distribute the books.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Finding Textbooks

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Check your school’s bookstore website. Even if you don’t plan on making your final purchase from your school’s bookstore, always check their site first. Generally, you can find your book lists here, make sure you get the right editions of your book, and easily search for used titles.^{[5]
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- If your bookstore still has used books available, you can often reserve these online and either have them delivered to you or pick them up from the store yourself.
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Look at online textbook marketplaces to find special prints and editions. If your course requires you to get a specific edition of a specific book, it’s worth looking on websites that specialize in selling textbooks. Sites like Chegg and AbeBooks can help you find the specific version or edition of the text that you need.^{[6]
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- Many of these sites offer both new and used books. Shopping the used sections may offer you a better deal if you’re looking to save money.
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Search resale marketplaces to find used books. Sites like eBay and Biblio.com are particularly useful for finding older editions of books, out-of-print books, and used copies of common texts. Most books found on these sites will be used, but you can find common books relatively cheap, often between $1 and $20 a piece.^{[7]
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- These sites work like any other resale marketplace. All you need to do is input the title you're looking for into the search bar, then select whatever copy of the book meets your needs. Different books will be in different conditions, so be sure to read the description of any given copy of a book before buying.
- Resale websites often have many editions of common textbooks. Be careful to select the right version for your class, as older versions may not have the same information or page numbers as newer versions.
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Try renting your textbooks online. Textbook rentals are a good way to save money compared to buying a book new. Sites like Chegg offer you the opportunity to rent your book online, have it delivered to you before the semester starts, and return it once the semester ends.^{[8]
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- For some higher-level and specialized classes, the required books may not be available through these sites.
- Often, these sites will impose restrictions on things like highlighting and writing in rented books. If you do so, you may have to pay a fee up to the price of the book, itself.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Downloading eBooks

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Download a reading app, if necessary. Some devices such as e-readers have a reading app built-in. If you plan on reading on your phone or tablet, however, you may need to download a reading app. Apps developed by e-reader producers, such as the Kindle app, are often available for many devices. However, these may restrict the file types you can read, so you may want to explore third-party apps.^{[9]
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- For Andriod users, you can search "ebook reader" in the Google Play store. Select an app that meets your needs, and press the "Install" button to download it and install it on your device. Depending on your device, Google Books may already be installed on your phone or tablet.
- For OS users, you can search "ebook reader" in the App Store. There are several apps you can choose to download and install, but many Apple products already come preloaded with iBooks.
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Search for ebooks through an online retailer. Sites like Amazon, Google Books, and the iTunes store allow you to search, purchase, and download books directly to your device. As you search, be sure the titles you intend to download come in a format that is compatible with your reader app.^{[10]
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- Some sites, like Scribd and Kindle Unlimited, offer monthly subscription plans instead of paying for each book. On these sites, you can pay a single monthly fee and read as many books as you’d like. The only restriction is what books are available through the site’s library.
- It is easy to cancel the Kindle Unlimited and Scribd subscriptions if you decide against keeping them.
Ebooks are becoming increasingly common with academic and independent publishers, but they aren’t always available through major retailers. Check directly with the publisher’s website to see if they offer an ebook version of the title you’re looking for.^{[11]
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Just as you can check out hard copies of books, some libraries are starting to offer ebook rentals. To access these books, you need a login issued to you by your local public library. You’ll be able to download the book for a given period of time. After that period expires, you may renew your rental. If you’re done with the book, your reading rights will simply end after the time period ends.^{[12]
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Generally, you need a credit card to purchase books online. Most retailers won’t accept virtual checks or offer a cash payment method.

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Your delivery time for textbooks and hard copy books will vary depending on where you purchase them. Larger retailers, such as Amazon, may deliver in a day or two, while smaller publishers may take 1-2 weeks to get your books to you.

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