- Amazon.com is perhaps the best-known name in online book shopping. With millions of titles, you can almost always find what you're looking for--and even some titles you didn't know existed--at Amazon. In addition to books, Amazon also sells subscriptions to magazines and newspapers, so you can find virtually all printed matter at this giant e-bookstore.
With the introduction of the Kindle device, Amazon is also taking books into the digital age, allowing customers to download e-books that can be read on this special hand-held device. Much like a Palm Pilot or Blackberry, the Kindle enables users to read books on the go, connecting to the Amazon website via any wi-fi connection for access to hundreds of titles. At $359 it's still a bit too pricey for the average consumer, but in the coming years the price is predicted to drop as more people venture into reading books, newspapers and magazines digitally. - With a special section devoted to rare books, Alibris.com is great for finding out-of-print and rare books, as well as collector's copies that have been signed by the author. Specify your price range, along with the title and author of the book you're looking for, and Alibris will do the digging for you. This site is a must for any serious collector of rare and collectible books.
- AbeBooks.com is a great place to find a variety of new, used, rare and out-of-print books. In addition to their book sales, however, AbeBooks also offers an online community for readers, with their "Avid Reader" e-newsletter and regularly posted articles on books, authors and assorted book culture.
- For book lovers living in Canada, the Chapters/Indigo chain has some great bargains for their on-line shoppers. iRewards program subscribers enjoy 40 percent off all bestsellers and 10 percent off all other books when purchasing items in-store, as well as 5 percent off all purchases on their website (chapters.indigo.ca). While it may save you more money to buy your books in the store, shopping online allows you the convenience of home delivery as well as the 5 percent discount. iRewards members are also regularly invited to participate in great contests and receive occasional perks from the bookstore, all for the low yearly membership fee of $25.
- While it's not technically an online bookstore, Bookfinder.com is an invaluable resource for those searching for specific books to purchase online. Just type in the name of the book or the author you're looking for, and Bookfinder will search the web to give you a list of all of the online bookstores that stock it along with the price, including shipping, the location of the book and the condition it's in. This makes for easy comparison shopping, as the search compiles both new and used offerings, allowing the savvy shopper to get exactly what he wants at the absolute best price.
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