Best Used Book e-Store

Sailorman1249 · 19-09-2009, 12:26

IMHO, hands-down slam-dunk best place on the web to shop for used books:
www.abebooks.com

Got everything Moitessier, William A. Robinson, Smeeton, etc. wrote, good quality & inexpensive at Abebooks. Typically has a wider selection than the competition (Amazon), and a more reliable book condition rating scheme (again in my experience). Personally bought about 150 books over the last 10 years from this source. Still have most of them.

Highly recommend it. Welcome comments / other recommendations. Always looking for a good buy!

Solitude · 24-09-2009, 10:09

Thanks! Amazon doesn't ship used books to Canada!!!??? Found what I was looking for for a buck! +(6$) for shipping. Better than the 44 $ they wanted on Amazon.ca

Catamount · 24-09-2009, 10:24

bookfinder.com is the like the multiple-listing service of internet booksellers. It includes amazon, abebooks an many others.

Sailorman1249 · 24-09-2009, 14:55

Glad you had a good experience, Solitude. FWIW, Abebooks is a small programming shop in Victoria B.C., basically what a portal for used bookstores around the globe. When I was out there recently visting family, I was tempted to look them up and personally thank them for all the bargains I've obtained thru them over the years. Warms the cockles of this Canuck's heart (grew up in Toronto area) to see someone from Canada outdoing Amazon.
I tried bookfinder many years ago. Their business model at the time was to charge a fee for each month of searching, whether they found the book or not! Hope they found a better way ;-)

Kefaa · 24-09-2009, 15:27

I have had good luck with Alibris ( Alibris: Used Books, Used Textbooks, Rare & Out-of-Print Books ) they sell and aggregate from other sources as well. You can choose how "nice" the book has to be and I have been pleased with their service.

Cormorant · 24-09-2009, 16:04

Bookfinder.com doesn't charge a fee anymore. They aggregate Abebooks, Biblio, Alibris, Amazon, and many other sources. It's really the best place to go looking for used books.

I remember collecting all the various Arthur Ransome titles, with a couple of them coming halfway round the world from New Zealand, $2 for the book and $4 for shipping. Strange new world we live in. If I had to poke around in the musty old bookstores (that I love so well), it would have taken a lifetime to find them all.

Sailorman1249 · 26-09-2009, 02:18

Thanks Cormorant. I checked out Bookfinder, very cool. One note: a search for one of my favorite authors, William A. Robinson's Return to the Sea, turned up 17 books on Bookfinder, none of them listed as being on Abebooks. Hmmm. Abebooks has 34 copies available, many at less than the least expensive option on Bookfinder. I wonder if Abe & Bkf are really somewhat exclusive competitors. I'm going to remember to check both when looking for a used book!

Cormorant · 26-09-2009, 05:18

Thanks for the heads-up on missing Abebooks titles. That's unfortunate. I always assumed that since they listed some titles from ABE, they were including all available.

I wonder if it's a software glitch. Might be worth bringing it to Bookfinder's attention and seeing if they have an explanation.

19-09-2009, 12:26	#1
Sailorman1249 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Hilton Head SC, currently in Oriental NC Boat: Westsail 42 Varua Ti'ama Posts: 7	Best Used Book e-Store IMHO, hands-down slam-dunk best place on the web to shop for used books: www.abebooks.com Got everything Moitessier, William A. Robinson, Smeeton, etc. wrote, good quality & inexpensive at Abebooks. Typically has a wider selection than the competition (Amazon), and a more reliable book condition rating scheme (again in my experience). Personally bought about 150 books over the last 10 years from this source. Still have most of them. Highly recommend it. Welcome comments / other recommendations. Always looking for a good buy! __________________ Will s/v Varua Ti'ama Westsail 42

24-09-2009, 10:09	#2
Solitude Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: West Coast, BC , Canada Boat: Cascade Posts: 545	Thanks Thanks! Amazon doesn't ship used books to Canada!!!??? Found what I was looking for for a buck! +(6$) for shipping. Better than the 44 $ they wanted on Amazon.ca

24-09-2009, 10:24	#3
Catamount Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Keene, NH Boat: Island Yachts Peterson 34 GREYHAWK Posts: 284	bookfinder.com is the like the multiple-listing service of internet booksellers. It includes amazon, abebooks an many others. __________________ Tim Allen My Boat Projects and Sailing Stories Sailors for the Sea, a new voice for ocean conservation

24-09-2009, 14:55	#4
Sailorman1249 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Hilton Head SC, currently in Oriental NC Boat: Westsail 42 Varua Ti'ama Posts: 7	Glad you had a good experience, Solitude. FWIW, Abebooks is a small programming shop in Victoria B.C., basically what a portal for used bookstores around the globe. When I was out there recently visting family, I was tempted to look them up and personally thank them for all the bargains I've obtained thru them over the years. Warms the cockles of this Canuck's heart (grew up in Toronto area) to see someone from Canada outdoing Amazon. I tried bookfinder many years ago. Their business model at the time was to charge a fee for each month of searching, whether they found the book or not! Hope they found a better way ;-) __________________ Will s/v Varua Ti'ama Westsail 42

24-09-2009, 15:27	#5
Kefaa Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Eastern PA Boat: Island Packet 31 (35'), Black Squirrel Posts: 166	I have had good luck with Alibris ( Alibris: Used Books, Used Textbooks, Rare & Out-of-Print Books ) they sell and aggregate from other sources as well. You can choose how "nice" the book has to be and I have been pleased with their service. __________________

24-09-2009, 16:04	#6
Cormorant Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Catskill Mountains (too far from the sea) Boat: 31' homebuilt Michalak-designed Cormorant "Sea Fever" Posts: 91	Bookfinder.com doesn't charge a fee anymore. They aggregate Abebooks, Biblio, Alibris, Amazon, and many other sources. It's really the best place to go looking for used books. I remember collecting all the various Arthur Ransome titles, with a couple of them coming halfway round the world from New Zealand, $2 for the book and $4 for shipping. Strange new world we live in. If I had to poke around in the musty old bookstores (that I love so well), it would have taken a lifetime to find them all.

26-09-2009, 02:18	#7
Sailorman1249 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Hilton Head SC, currently in Oriental NC Boat: Westsail 42 Varua Ti'ama Posts: 7	Thanks Cormorant. I checked out Bookfinder, very cool. One note: a search for one of my favorite authors, William A. Robinson's Return to the Sea, turned up 17 books on Bookfinder, none of them listed as being on Abebooks. Hmmm. Abebooks has 34 copies available, many at less than the least expensive option on Bookfinder. I wonder if Abe & Bkf are really somewhat exclusive competitors. I'm going to remember to check both when looking for a used book! __________________ Will s/v Varua Ti'ama Westsail 42

26-09-2009, 05:18	#8
Cormorant Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Catskill Mountains (too far from the sea) Boat: 31' homebuilt Michalak-designed Cormorant "Sea Fever" Posts: 91	Thanks for the heads-up on missing Abebooks titles. That's unfortunate. I always assumed that since they listed some titles from ABE, they were including all available. I wonder if it's a software glitch. Might be worth bringing it to Bookfinder's attention and seeing if they have an explanation.

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