I’ve recently added a list to my website that has links to book sellers that aren’t Amazon or other large conglomerates, and I thought it might be appreciated here. This includes both eBooks (most DRM-free), and physical ones as well.
I found most of these by coming across books I wanted (usually via the fediverse or LibraryThing), and searching up the author’s website. Usually they’ll have the ubiquitous Amazon & Kobo links, but sometimes they also link to the publisher directly, who often have their own shops as well. Basically I do a lot of link hopping until I come across small indie places that are much nicer to buy from.
If you have any favorites that I haven’t included here, please let me know! I’d love to add more.
UPDATE: Thank you all for the additional recommendations! I’ve added them to the page along with summaries of what they offer.
They’ve been big since before amazon got started and have survived and thrived as an independent company since. It’s the darling of Portland and it shows, every time I’ve been there it’s just packed with people, but I usually buy from their website.
Last Christmas I was having a hard time tracking down a book I wanted to gift. It was out of stock at all the big stores, but I found it at https://www.summerbeambooks.com/, a small bookstore down in Oregon.
Here in the UK, I often end up getting books from World of Books, who are fairly ethical as for-profit companies go
I have found Biblio is a great way to buy used books affordably, just make sure to search the ISBN of books you want (I use amazon for that usually lol).
Biblio is NOT owned by Amazon unlike many of these “independent” companies that were bought up by Amazon.
Awesome, I love that you can get used books through them!
They are ostensibly focused on finding rare/specific editions or out of print books, but the network of independent book sellers they have is pretty huge so you can find almost any used book you want there, not just niche stuff, it is a great resource!
I have bought many ~$10 and under used paperbacks in good enough condition for me from them.
