There are a number of great on-line book retailers. Some are better than others. As with most businesses, it is mainly the brand-name recognised ones that people often buy from. However, if you are looking to buy a book you might like to consider these alternatives that sell either new or used books(*)
- Walmart.com – this was only a recent find. They are selling acoustic and vibration text books at reasonable prices, cheaper than some big name retailers.
- SuperBookDeals.com – this was also a recent find. They sell new and used books at great prices. Be sure to read the description of the book. If it says “Used” then it is a secondhand / used book and you should read the description of the book to see if it is damaged. Sometimes a missing dust jacket can mean a half price book! If it does not say “Used” then it is a new book.
- ABEBooks.com – they sell new and used books. ALWAYS read the description of the book, then read it again. If you are not sure about the appearance of the book then don’t buy it. Having said that, I know a company that has bought hundreds of books from them and have only had a couple of problems that were sorted out.
- American Institute of Physics (AIP) – If you are a member of the Acoustical Society of America, you can get many books on acoustics and vibration at really cheap prices. Membership to the society is really cheap plus you get the journal on CD-ROM.
- Amazon.com – say no more. I am sure you have heard, read about these guys. It is always a good place to first look for books because they have such a huge range. Check their price, and check other places as well. I have bought several things from them and was quite happy. They have a pretty good return policy as well if you are not happy with it for whatever reason.
- Best Book Buys – a search engine that compares the prices of books from dozens of bookstores. Use this to find the lowest price.
- AddALL – a search engine that compares the prices of books from more than 40 bookstores.
If you want some recommendations of great books on acoustics and vibrations, then look at our books list.
(*) I have bought books from some of these places and can give favorable reports. I have heard reports from other people about these website that have been pleased with purchases from them. As with all purchases from shops, make sure you that understand their return policies before buying.