[gavinsyancey]

For books, your local independent bookstore can order pretty much any book for you if you walk in and ask (if they don't already have what you want). They won't charge shipping, it'll just come with their next shipment from the publisher and then you can come pick it up. Or if you have to do things online, try https://bookshop.org

[cafard]

That can very much depend on your local independent store. I have had mixed results over the years.

[account42]

Having to physically go to a store just to you can at some point physically go to a store to buy something is quite a large amount of friction compared to pressing a button and having something show up at your door.

[monkeyelite]

And they will charge me $50 for making an online order.

Why are we romanizing middle-men between you and a web form?

[kbelder]

In my experience, gavinsyancey is correct. If the situation arises, you should give it a try. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised.

[_DeadFred_]

Bro, just email the bookstore. Going through a middle man designed/optimized to rip both you and the bookstore off (some SAAS bookstore site solution) of course jacks the price up.

At this point, if it's online, it's worse/crap/designed to screw you and whoever you are dealing with as much as it can get away with.

[monkeyelite]

> if it's online, it's worse/crap/designed to screw you

This doesn’t follow.