Breaking Up with Amazon: An Honest Guide to Canadian Bookstores

We’ve all done this. You hear about a new book, you want it tomorrow, you hit “Buy Now” on Amazon, and the next day it’s at your doorstep.

Why? It’s easy. Time is a factor and honestly, it’s super convenient and reliable. This is objectively true. Amazon is really good at the things Amazon does.

Article over, right? Well…no.

For many Canadians, lately there’s that nagging voice that wants to do better and keep more of our money in the local economy. The worry, of course, is that “shopping Canadian” means sacrificing convenience, paying way more, or waiting weeks for a package to arrive.

Here is the honest truth: if you just need a low-cost paperback and you need it in 24 hours with free shipping, Amazon is hard to beat. Impossible even, when every factor is weighed.

Here’s another truth: Amazon is actually not the best option for many Canadian book buyers.

If you’re a collector who cares about the condition your books arrive in (no bent corners, please!), or a bargain hunter looking to build a massive home library on a budget, Canadian retailers actually offer a superior experience.

We’ve spent years buying from these alternatives. Whether you are looking for a pristine, newly released hardcover or hunting for deep discounts on massive graphic novel omnibuses and heavy art books, here is how to use the three best Canadian alternatives: Indigo, Book Outlet, and BMV Books.

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The “Catch” with Cheap Books: What is a Remainder Mark?

Before we compare the stores, we need to talk about the “catch” with two of these options. Book Outlet and BMV Books are both discount Canadian bookstores. On their sites, you will often see the term “remainder mark.”

A remainder mark is simply a small dot or line made with a felt-tip marker on the top or bottom edge of the book’s pages. Publishers do this when they sell off excess stock to these discount retailers so the books can’t be returned to them for full credit later if they don’t sell. Remainder marks go on remainder books.

If you grew up with physical media, sometimes CDs or DVDs would have a little hole punch on the barcode for similar reasons.

The remainder mark size and colour may look different from book to book, but this often is truly the only difference between these discount books and brand new ones.

Why does this matter?

For most people, it really doesn’t. If you need a “pristine” copy for a fancy gift, these probably won’t do. That’s more than fair. But if you are buying a cookbook that will eventually get sauce on it, a Marvel or DC omnibus that you plan on reading and cracking that massive spine on anyways, or you just want to read a great story for $7 instead of $35, a tiny black dot is a very small price to pay for massive savings.

Decoding the “Condition” Lingo

When you step outside of big-box retail, you will see some new terms. Here is a quick guide to what they actually mean when you are browsing these sites:

• Bargain Book / Discount / Remainder: This usually means a brand new book that has a remainder mark. It hasn’t been owned by anyone else; it was just overstock. Sometimes these books may have very minor wear, probably from being moved around from place to place, but this seems rare.
• Used (BMV): These are books traded in by other customers. BMV is generally good about only accepting books in readable condition (no water damage or broken spines), but expect some wear and tear.
• New / Specialty Product: New books without a remainder mark.

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Indigo: The “Pristine Condition” King

Indigo is Canada’s answer to the big box bookstore. It is the easiest transition for someone used to Amazon’s speed and selection.

• Best For: New releases, gifts, and those who need absolutely perfect condition.
• The “Bulletproof” Advantage: This is where Indigo genuinely beats Amazon for us. If you order heavy items like hardcover reference tomes, art books, or graphic novel Omnibuses, Amazon is notorious for throwing them in thin bubble mailers. They often arrive with dinged corners or damaged spines. A “New” book arriving in bad shape instantly ruins the joy. Doubly so if it’s full price in a premium format. In our experience, Indigo’s packaging is nearly bulletproof. They use proper boxes or cardboard sleeves and sturdy packing materials. If you are buying an expensive book where condition matters, Indigo is worth the slight premium. We’ve read that some people here and there have had mixed results, but for us it’s always been great.
• The Trade-Off: You will often pay full retail price unless you catch a sale or are a Plum+ member.

Book Outlet: Thorold’s Online Bargain Giant

Many Ontarians remember browsing the aisles of the physical Book Outlet store in Thorold. While that physical location closed in 2023, they have transitioned into an absolute powerhouse for online bargain hunters across Canada.

• Best For: Stocking up on children’s books, filling your shelves on a budget, and those who don’t mind a remainder mark here and there.
• The Savings: The prices here are genuinely shocking. You can often find hardcovers that were $40+ in regular stores selling for $5 to $10 here because they are almost entirely “Bargain Books” (remainders).
• The Trade-Off: It can be a bit of a treasure hunt. Their stock is a little random. You can’t always find the specific new release you want, but with tens of thousands of books available there’s always a good chance you’ll find what you’re looking for.

BMV Books: Toronto’s Iconic Treasure Hunt

If you are in Toronto, you know BMV. It is perhaps the city’s most iconic independent mini-chain, with locations that are incredibly fun to browse in person.

The flagship location on Bloor St. is especially a place that you can lose yourself in for hours. With a whole floor devoted to graphic novels, two for books and gifts, and another for movies and other physical media, it’s worth making the trip.

Thankfully, if you can’t make it to Toronto, they also have an online storefront that ships across Canada.

• Best For: Graphic novels, Omnibuses, and eclectic reads you didn’t know you needed.
• The Vibe: While Book Outlet focuses on volume, BMV feels curated by people who love weird books. It’s the best place to find a rare sci-fi paperback from the 80s alongside a brand new art book.
• The Trade-Off: The online experience isn’t as slick as the others. It works, but it really is just a digital version of their chaotic, wonderful physical shelves. Depending on what you need you won’t get the full in-store experience and the selection is smaller than Book Outlet, but with thousands of books regardless, it is a joy to search and browse the site.

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The “Heavy Haul” Price Test

To give you an idea of how these three stack up, let’s look at a hypothetical “haul” for a reader who loves a variety of books.

(Note: Prices are examples based on typical listings we’ve seen and will vary day-to-day).

Book	Amazon	Indigo	Book Outlet	BMV
The Body Keeps the Score (Bessel van der Kolk M.D.) – Paperback	$17.85 (On Sale)	$25.00	N/A	$22.50 (New)
Spider-Man 2099 Omnibus Vol. 1 – Hardcover	$133.64 (On sale)	$187.50	N/A	$95.00 (Bargain)
How to Cook Everything: The Basics (Mark Bittman) – Hardcover	$50.00	$50.00	$16.79 (Bargain)	N/A
The Apollo Murders (Chris Hadfield) – Paperback	$13.99	$13.99	$7.99 (Bargain)	N/A
The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood) – Paperback	$22.00	$16.46 (On sale)	$7.99 (Bargain)	$19.80 (New)

Amazon and Indigo will have sales that vary, but generally, their pricing is similar. Indigo would probably ship the items in more secure packaging though. Book Outlet and BMV won’t always have every book in stock, but the price speaks for itself.

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The Final Verdict: Who Should You Choose?

Our advice? Next time you’re about to click “Buy Now,” take ten seconds to check one of these Canadian options.

• If you don’t mind a remainder mark and want to save a fortune, check Book Outlet or BMV first. Shipping may take 3-10 days to get to your doorstep (here in Toronto it tends to be on the lower end of the scale) but the price is worth it.
• If you need the newest release in perfect condition for your collection, go with Indigo. Shipping may take 3-5 days (here in Toronto it’s usually been around two days) but the packaging has generally been much better than Amazon’s.

By making that one small choice, you keep more value in our community and you might just end up with a better bookshelf because of it.

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