Books

When you are searching for books online you have a virtual bookshop at your fingertips. You can browse by author, title, category or keyword and if you are not sure which book to buy you can check out the bestsellers list that many sites provide for inspiration.

It is important to bear in mind that although the initial price you see online may look cheaper than a high street store, in most cases you will have to add charges for post and packing. Buying books online is not always the cheapest option so make sure that you have an idea of the RRP of a book before visiting an online bookshop.

Compare bookshops
Whether you are looking for the latest crime novel or want to stock up on academic books for a new term at university, shopping online can save you money if you take advantage of the many sites that offer a comparison search. This allows you to compare several bookshops at once, making sure that you get the most competitive price and that you are not missing out on the latest special offers. Most online bookshops often have special deals including three for two offers or 50% off. So it always worth comparing sites, even when it looks like you are getting a good deal.

Reviews
Many online bookshops feature a reviews section so that you can find out what other people think of the book you might buy. Although they have different opinions to you, it's still helpful to get a general idea of how well people think the book is written and whether it is worth buying.

Out of print / rare books
There are plenty of sites that specialise in this service; simply fill in a web form with details about the book that you are searching for including the title, author and if possible the ISBN number. You will then be contacted when your book has been located. The main advantage of this is that rather than just being confined to shopping in your home town and the UK , you can search internationally to find what you want. Be wise and search various different sites and get a measure of the price that you should expect to pay - as some sites charge extortionate rates for finding books.

Auctions
Many auction sites offer new books at very low prices simply because they are second hand. Lots of people auction off unwanted presents that are in mint condition. However, you are not entitled to the same consumer rights when you buy products from auctions so make sure that you use a secure site and be careful about which details you pass on.