@Rusty @obtener Don't buy " hard cover" books as gifts thinking theyre more special than paperbacks. They're really just paperbacks slapped between two pieces of cheap cardboard with a wrapper*, and people prefer reading paperbacks anyway, bc they're not so heavy to hold. So don't throw your money away. (Retired bookseller).
* Very few publishers produce quality hardcover books these days, and they never print new release books.
@anne_twain @obtener I honestly haven't read a physical book in so long but even when I did I preferred paperback to hardcover Hardcover seems like it's meant to sit on your shelf and look pretty more than anything else. I know some people who buy the physical book after they've finished the ebook or audiobook just so they can have it on their shelf as a kind of trophy, which is probably one of the few times a hardcover might be justified.
@obtener Good reminder! Thanks!
Obviously, wandering down to your local independent bookshop is the best option. That said, a couple of other better-than-Amazon options:
Bookshop.org - Share a percentage of your purchases with a local bookshop of your choosing.
ThriftBooks.com - Reselling secondhand books for a lower environmental impact. Also a certified B corp.
@obtener All brick and mortar shops do. And they depend heavily on a good holiday sale. It’s what keep them afloat the next year.
If you still want to shop online, consider Bookshop. It connects you to independent book sellers. One way to get away from Amazon for your books.
@plasma4045
Bookshop just filled an order for me. Thanks
@obtener what if i need things that are not books?
@obtener does Walmart count if I go in person
@leifdavisson
https://www.under30ceo.com/walmart-impact/
This article linked above discusses the economic impact of a Walmart store. Not good for small businesses, and on average lower wages for employees. See if there are other shops that sell what you want.
@obtener I don't think I've ever ordered a book from Amazon