AbeBooks vs. Thriftbooks vs. Alibris vs. Amazon vs. Biblio: Which Makes the Best Second-Hand Book Website?

AbeBooks

While AbeBooks was purchased by Amazon in 2008, it still operates independently. AbeBooks is an online marketplace for books where you can search across the inventory of thousands of independent booksellers from more than 50 countries.  What sets it apart from other sites is that AbeBook also features a high number of individual sellers. Some of these books sell for as low as just $1!  It’s an excellent place to find vintage or rare books as well.

The choice of used books is massive on AbeBooks - thousands of classic novels and bestsellers, biographies and memoirs, self-help, cookbooks, children's books, affordable textbooks for school, and out-of-print titles. You can search the website for used books based on the author, title, or a keyword associated with the story. They even have categories on popular authors, such as Stephen King and Toni Morrison, ready to browse.

【The Number of Books】110 million books for sale from 13,500 sellers

【The Price of Books】start at just $1

【Coupons and Discounts】

1. Books under $10 with free shipping to the US.

2. Free Shipping on Millions of Books & Collectibles.

【Shipping Rate and Delivery Time】

There is no single, set shipping rate or speed. AbeBooks is an online marketplace so we do not ship any books ourselves. We connect you with independent booksellers around the world and those sellers ship the books directly to their customers. Each bookseller sets their own shipping rates and speeds for the books they are offering. Sellers also decide on the method of shipment. For these reasons, shipping costs and delivery speeds vary between sellers.Shipping costs also do not include taxes or duties for cross-border shipments, which are the responsibility of the buyer.

When you search for a book, their search results are ordered by lowest total price (book price + shipping price), although you can choose to sort by other criteria. The shipping price is displayed below the book price. It starts from a minimum of $5 for international addresses and can go all the way to $17-$18 or more. Some booksellers offer free shipping within the US and UK, or charge a nominal rate.

【Fee & Charges of Selling Used Books through AbeBooks】

For a low monthly subscription fee, calculated based on the number of books you have online, your books will be listed worldwide. Once your application has been processed and your bookseller account is activated, monthly subscription fees apply immediately. The minimum monthly fee of US $25.00 applies even if you do not have any books online. Review Subscription Rates.

An 8% commission fee is applied to all sales, including shipping and any extra charges. There is a minimum commission of US $0.50 per book and a maximum commission of US $40.00 per book.

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Thriftbooks

ThriftBooks started in 2003 with a pick-up truck of used books stashed in a storage unit, listing books solely on Amazon.com. Their first book sold was the beloved children's classic, Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. Today they are the world's largest online independent used book seller. The company salvages books from charity shops, libraries, schools and colleges, bringing in on average 15 semi-trailer trucks full of used books every day to his warehouses. The store has recycled more than 400 million books since its founding ten years ago, and currently stocks 7 million titles ready to sale.

ThriftBooks is one of the best places to buy used children's books, with beloved titles like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Charlotte’s Webb, Goodnight Moon, Green Eggs and Ham, and The Little Engine that Could available at super low prices. Their Reading Rewards program converts the dollars you spend in the online bookstore into points. You can redeem them for free books and free shipping vouchers. You also get points just for joining, for placing an order via their mobile app and for adding your birthday to your account.
【The Number of Books】There are more than 13 million titles to choose from, from the earliest board books to the all-time classics of literature.

【The Price of Books】True to its name, Thrift Books offers books at very competitive prices. You can grab most books for $4 or less. There are also book deals where you get two books for $7, three books for $10, four books for $12 and additional books are only $3 each.

【Coupons and Discounts】

1. ThriftBooks Deals：save up to 20% off any eligible item

2. New York Times Best Sellers: Get a FREE BOOK credit with select items.

【Shipping Rate and Delivery Time】

 ThriftBooks offer FREE Standard shipping on all U.S. orders of $15 or more (excluding taxes).

International shipping rates will calculated during checkout. Transit time is 10-20 business days.

【Fee & Charges of Selling Used Books through ThriftBooks】You can't sell second hand books on ThriftBooks.

【Cashback from Extrabux】Up to 3% cashback

Alibris

Established in 1998, Alibris is an online bookstore where you can find books on just about anything. But, it doesn’t just sell books. You’ll find movies and music on there too. It describes itself as a “media marketplace”. where you can shop over 175 million new & used books, used textbooks, rare, out-of-print books, plus music & movies from independent sellers worldwide. You won’t struggle to find cheap books among all those more expensive collector’s items. Just head to the “Bargains” tab and browse by genre, or select the “Used” filter when browsing their book categories. Prices start at $0.99.

In addition to its own book buying-and-selling operations, Alibris.com also connects a large network of independent sellers. This means that if you simply have to have a particular rare book — whether it’s a signed copy, a first edition, or it’s just been out of print for years, you’re likely to find it here. The company also has a rental program so that you can return textbook rentals for a full refund within 21 days as long as you don’t do anything besides taking a few notes or highlighting in the text.

【The Number of Books】over 175 million new & used books, used textbooks, rare, out-of-print books, plus music & movies

【The Price of Books】Cheap, Discounted Books as Low as ¢99.

【Coupons and Discounts】

1. Sign up at Alibris and get $5 coupon.

2. Free Shipping on orders of $39+.

3. Save up to 80% on new releases and old classics.

【Shipping Rate and Delivery Time】

Alibris has thousands of new, out-of-print, rare, and used books that are eligible for Free Shipping! Just order $39 worth of books displaying the Alibris truck icon, and your books will ship for free in the US!

【Fee & Charges of Selling Used Books through Alibris】

Alibris offers two programs for sellers: Basic and Gold. Under the Basic program, you pay a $19.99 annual fee for up to 1,000 listings. Once an item sells, you’ll be charged a $1 transaction fee plus 15% commission, with a minimum commission of 50 cents and a maximum of $60 per item.

The Gold program, designed for professional sellers, lets you sell an unlimited number of books and includes a customized storefront. Setup fees are $19.99, and a flat monthly fee is charged based on your average number of listings per month (starting at $20 for up to 2,000 listings and capping at $400 for more than 500,000 listings). There are no transaction fees, but commissions are the same as the Basic program: 15%, with a minimum of 50 cents and a maximum of $60 per item.

【Cashback from Extrabux】Up to 5% cashback

Amazon

Amazon might be known for its large selection of home goods, electronics, and, well, everything, but it’s also one of the best places to buy used books. After all, this is how it all started in 1995 — as an online marketplace for books. What’s great about Amazon is the sheer number of choices thanks to the number of individual sellers that use the platform to sell used textbooks, fictions, nonfiction and everything in between. You can find any type of book on Amazon, and even the most uncommon book usually has several copies in stock.

The genres of used books in Amazon includes text books and examination books (MBA, medical, civil services, banking, engineering), in addition to books on business & economics, self-help, romance, literature and fiction, and crime thrillers.Used paperback books on Amazon can cost as low as a tenth of the original price when it comes to best sellers. You can find an impressive selection of popular books along with indie authors at great prices. Besides used books, you can also get a lot of free audiobooks from Amazon if you sign up for a 30-day Audible trial. E-books are also available for free and you can read them in your browser via the free Kindle cloud reader.

【The Number of Books】over 33 million titles.

【The Price of Books】Up to 50% off.

【Coupons and Discounts】

1. Free two-day shipping for Prime members.

2. Get free e-books with a Kindle Unlimited membership.

3. Up to 50% off sale books.

【Shipping Rate and Delivery Time】

Shipping rates and times depend on the shipping speed and the weight/size of the items. Amazon offers free two-day shipping for their Prime members($14.99 per month; $139 per year).

【Fee & Charges of Selling Used Books through Amazon】

Amazon offers two different ways to sell books: individual listings and professional seller listings. In addition, Amazon offers two order fulfillment models: individual fulfillment and Amazon fulfillment. Here will focus on fees associated with individual fees and fulfillment. When you list a book for sale, you will not be charged an immediate listing fee. Rather, you will be charged the total of three fees once your book has sold:

• Fixed per-item closing fee: $0.99;

• Variable closing fee: $1.80;

•  Referral fee: 15% of the retail price.

【Cashback from Extrabux】Cashback temporarily unavailable

Biblio

Biblio were founded by Brett Sherar in the US in 2000 where they first established as a search engine for books.Now their technology helps connect book lovers and independent booksellers in 50 countries. In 2005, they also launched their nonprofit foundation, Biblioworks, which assists in international book drives and distributes to hospitals, prisons, schools, and underfunded communities around the world.

Biblio specialize in carefully curated collections from independent booksellers around the world — many of which tailor to booklovers with niche interests, and those looking for rare, antiquarian books. But don’t worry: if you’re not into collectibles, you can also find a great selection of cheap second-hand titles by browsing the “Discount Books” section under the “Specials” tab. You can search for books by their author, title, or keyword or ISBN. You can even select if you want the books to be a first edition, or even signed by the author.

【The Number of Books】with more than 100 million used, rare and out-of-print books available.

【The Price of Books】Up to 60% off.

【Coupons and Discounts】

1. Sign up at Biblio & get 5% off your first order;

2. Take a stab at guessing and be entered to win a $50 Biblio gift certificate;

3. Join the Bibliophile's Club and save 10% on every purchase, every day — up to $25 savings per order;

4. Up to 60% off discount books.

【Shipping Rate and Delivery Time】

Each bookshop that lists on Biblio has its own terms of sale and determines its own shipping rates. Sellers make use of several shipping methods including USPS, UPS, DHL, as well as many other services for international delivery.Shipping costs will vary depending on:

• The location that the book is shipping from;

• The method of shipping used by that bookseller;

•  The number of books you are ordering;

• The number of different booksellers that you are ordering from.

To get an estimate on shipping costs and delivery times for a specific book, click on the link that says "More Shipping Options" under the book price on the book detail page. You will also be provided with shipping options in the checkout process where you will see the rates and estimated arrival times for Standard and Expedited shipping.

【Fee & Charges of Selling Used Books through Biblio】

Biblio sellers have the option to pay ZERO monthly listing fees for up to 150,000 books, OR a small monthly fee with a lower commission rate.  Maximum commission on any sale is $40, regardless of book price! COMMISSION FREE sales when you offer a Dealer Discount to other Biblio sellers.

【Cashback from Extrabux】No cashback!

Veridict

AbeBooks vs. Thriftbooks vs. Alibris vs. Amazon vs. Biblio: Which Makes the Best Second-Hand Book Website?

There is no dount that AbeBooks,Thriftbooks, Alibris , Amazon and Biblio are all great second-hand book website with their own brilliance.

Of these 5 second hand book sites, AbeBooks has the most books, so here you can find used books that you won't find anywhere else.

Thriftbooks are one of the few used book webstores that specializes in kid's and young adult books, and they always have things on sale.So, if you’re looking to buy cheap children’s books in bulk, then this could be the website for you.

With extensive selection in used textbooks, Alibris is best for peple who are looking for second-hand textbooks. It is worth mentioning that Alibris has also recently gotten into the textbook rental game. They allow you to return rentals for a full refund within 21 days.

The best part about buying used books on Amazon is how quickly your new books will arrive on your doorstep. Amazon offers free two-day shipping for Prime members, meaning you’ll have your next book in hand before you even have time to finish the one you’re currently reading.

Biblio.com styles itself as one-stop shopping for true bibliophiles, with carefully curated collections from independent booksellers. Many are dealers who focus on specific niche interests, antiquarian books, and rare books. If you're on the hunt for rare books and first editions, Biblio is the website for you.

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