Save Money Buy Used Books at Christmas

Books are always a welcome gift at Christmas. Used books are an affordable way to give books at Christmas regardless of your budget. Expect to pay somewhere between a third and a half of the new price for excellent copies of secondhand books.

Buying used books is also a great way to reduce the cost of your own reading. Why not stock up on some great summer reading for your vacation, lazy Sundays or a soak in the bath with a good book. Or even think ahead and buy in now for those cosy winter nights by the fire curled up with a book.

Kiwi Summer Reading 

Whatever the scenario buying used books instead of new ones is a great way to save some money and support the secondhand economy and the environment. Obviously you need to be much more careful with your selection if you are buying a book as a gift as opposed to buying secondhand for yourself. There are, however, a few important points when buying secondhand books that will help you decide whether to buy secondhand or new. Ask yourself these questions:

• How important is the condition of the book? If buying for someone else will they appreciate a used gift?
• What timeframe do I need the book in?
• How readily can I source the book I want?

Below I discuss how to assess the conditon of a used book and the range of marketplaces for buying used books and the timeframes you can expect.

How to Check the Condition of a Used Book

When choosing 2nd hand or used books especially as a gift look for an unbroken spine, no fading and copies without cover creasing and marks like coffee stains. Many people buy books and never read them so it is possible to pick up used books in virtually new condition. Obviously if you are selecting a vintage book then the quality of the copy will be governed by age and general wear but a loose binding is probably an indication not to buy it unless it is particularly rare or hard to find.

Also check inside any potential book buy for unusual smells like smoke or mustiness as storage in damp places or where there is a lot of smoke can damage books. With kids books especially check for ripped pages, staining, grubby finger marks and scribble.

Another place to check is the flyleaf as people often write their name on these and sometimes they even cut the flyleaf before passing it on. Sometimes used books will have inscriptions which isn't necessarily a bad thing depending on your point of view. Only you can decide if you can live it.

Where to Find Used Books

Secondhand Bookshops

Many second hand bookshops offer copies of mass market paperbacks in new or near new condition. It is often possible to pick up a recent bestseller for substantially less than the new price. These kind of bookstores often carry an extensive non-fiction collection of used books and usually a good stock of Australian and New Zealand books.

Being able to see the condition of the book in the shop prior to purchase is the biggest advantage to buying at a local bookshop. However these days there are fewer secondhand bookshops in existence and then only in the main centres so if are looking for something in particular and can't find it at the local bookshop then you may fare better by considering buying online.

Used Book Sales and Book Fairs

Used book sales are a great place to pick up quality used books in good condition. Most charity books sale occur earlier in the year or middle of the year so some planning ahead is required if you want to give used books as gifts for birthdays and Christmas or you simply want to stock up your own summer and winter reading. If you know what you are looking for you can get some great bargains at used book fairs but of course it is very hit and miss as there are no guarantees that you will find the book you are looking for in the condition you want.

Opportunity Shops / Thrift Stores / Charity Shops

Another option is to pick up good used books from opportunity shops. This is my favourite way to find books because I love op shopping and I like to support the secondhand economy. Many opshops have taken over from where secondhand bookshops left off and carry an extensive range of books at affordable prices. Of course the principle of caveat emptor ("let the buyer beware") applies here as you really do need to check the book throughly before purchasing.

Markets

Lots of people dispose of their unwanted books by donating them or selling them at fleamarkets and car boot sales. If you are buying produce at the farmers market anyway why not take a look at any book stalls you spot in the vicinity as well. I have found markets a good way to pick up specialist non-fiction books and definitely paperback novels for next to nothing as sellers oftentimes just want to get rid of their books.

Garage Sales / Yard Sales / Jumble Sales / School Galas

Buying used books from garage sales or jumble sales is pretty much luck of the draw however that doesn't mean you can't save money and pick up a good bargain. Do not underestimate how much people want to clear the clutter in their lives and are happy to let books go at well below their value just to create space.

Friends and Family and Acquaintances

Friends, family, workmates, neighbours, clubs etc can all be great sources of used books. Lots of times people you know will be happy to gift you a book if they know you are interested in reading it but also it doesn't hurt to offer to pay a few dollars towards the cost as a gesture. Consider swapping novels on a regular basis as this can help to keep the cost down especially if you like to read recently published books where the secondhand book market is still small.

Buying Used Books Online in Australia and New Zealand

Auction Sites

It is relatively easy to buy used books online these days on auction sites like Ebay, Gumtree and Trademe and the Facebook marketplace get a good bargain. If you want to buy in bulk one of these is likely to be a good option especially if the seller lives locally as you can avoid shipping costs. The downside is that you occasionally strike disreputable people who don't ship the goods or people who don't take any responsibility for lost or stolen purchases. Another pitfall of auction sites is that sellers don't always correctly describe the book they are selling so you might not always get what you think you were getting.

Facebook Marketplace

If you are on Facebook and keen to buy locally you are likely to find some good used book buys on the Facebook Marketplace. As with auction sites this is a good option for buying in bulk. People often sell book series or their entire Science Fiction collection on this marketplace so if you happen to get lucky you can definitely find a bargain. Competition is often stiff so items sell quickly so you need to go on there frequently.

Fishpond

Apart from the online auction sites it is also possible to buy secondhand books in Australia and New Zealand at reasonable prices on Fishpond. Fishpond markets both new and used books and have an extensive catalogue of second hand fiction by bestselling authors. Whether you like to read the latest thriller, historical novel, a good romance or science fiction and fantasy, Fishpond is likely to have you covered as there are hundreds of individuals selling their books on Fishpond

If your preference is for non-fiction rather than novels, Fishpond holds a large selection of biography, sport, self-help, and travel. Also well-stocked are books about New Zealand on a wide range of subject matter.

If you are a parent or grandparent and want to save some money you can pick up some very good used books for children on Fishpond. Picture books, early readers and young adult fiction are all available used. Educational books for children and young adults in good condition can also be bought at a fraction of the cost new on Fishpond.

Buying Used Books Online Internationally

For specialist used books not readily available in Australia and New Zealand buying internationally may be a good option. However it is important to be aware that the cost of shipping may make buying used books from overseas uneconomical. You will need to weigh up the cost benefit ratio to decide if it is worth it to you. Also wait times may be a factor depending on how quickly you want the book as books purchased may take several weeks to arrive.

If you would like to explore buying books online overseas there are a number of good websites to consider.

Amazon

Amazon may already be springing to mind as the first option to buy books and it is a great choice for speciality used books on any subject you can imagine. Remember if you are buying books published for the US market though they will have American spelling and formating. I suggest trying the UK Amazon as well as you may be able to pick up the same book at roughly the same price in a UK print version.

Better World Books

If the idea of buying used books and supporting charity is a concept you like the sound of consider buying from Better World Books who fund literacy around the world. Better World Books is a good option especially for used novels. Expected shipping time frames are 10-21 days when shipped internationally from either the UK or the US.

Abe Books

Abe Books has been selling used books online from independent retailers for many years and in 2008 became a subsidiary of Amazon. They are a good choice if you are looking for used books that are rare and collectible. They have an extensive range of non-fiction and out-of-print books and are definitely worth considering as they offer free shipping to Australia and New Zealand.

Give Someone You Love a Book Voucher this Christmas

As an alternative to buying new and secondhand books outright as gifts this Christmas why not consider giving a Book Voucher from an online retailer like Fishpond. All budgets are catered for at Fishpond and give access to an extensive range of books on a variety of subjects.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and of course that you can save money by buying used books this Christmas.