Second-hand Books: Online Sources

    Books can be expensive, hard to find or out of print, but you can buy books second-hand (and sometimes new, discounted books) from all over the world on the Internet. This is often a cheap option, but always remember to check postage costs before you close the deal.

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION ABOUT BUYING ON THE INTERNET

Always use a credit or debit card to make purchases online or send a cheque directly to the seller or set up an account with a reputable online payment service, such as PayPal or Nochex: never put bank account or card details in an e-mail.

A secure website will have a URL (webpage address) beginning https and show a locked padlock in the browser’s status bar (switch this on via the View dropdown menu): always check the address and the padlock before entering personal data.

Try these first…

abebooks.co.uk: a portal for many booksellers all over the world and a great place for rare or out-of-print items, as well as reasonably priced new and second-hand books. Prices and postage rates are shown; there is also an onsite currency converter. You can contact booksellers via the site before committing to a purchase if you have questions about any books shown. Check out the Advanced Search option to limit your search to a single country or by edition or price.

alibris.com: another portal for a large network of booksellers.