‘Your favourite second hand bookstore from the comfort of your couch’


Books for Less is an online secondhand bookstore based in Kirikiriroa/Hamilton. While secondhand bookstores are not a new concept, our goal is to provide something different than your usual brick-and-mortar bookshop while reaching a new audience of readers. 

Owning a bookstore was always a dream - as it likely is for most readers! - but this particular dream became a reality much sooner when disability left me (Anne-Marie) no longer able to work.

Becoming housebound by illness/disability meant I could no longer access books - I couldn’t visit op shops or secondhand bookstores, or even visit my local library. The lack of options didn’t improve throughout the changing landscape of 2020 and subsequent lockdowns, when most businesses that could shift online, did so. 

When we opened in 2021, there were no online secondhand bookstores that operated outside of a third-party seller (e.g. TradeMe, Abe Books). There was no way for someone who couldn’t access a physical secondhand bookstore to access affordable books online.

As such, Books for Less became the first independent online secondhand bookstore targeting the average reader who reads for pleasure.

Our primary focus is good quality secondhand books, with an emphasis on recent releases and best-sellers across all ages and genres, shared through various “book drops” throughout the month.

Our website aims to provide an easy to navigate, cost effective and sustainable option for a meaningful hobby. 

We know it can be difficult shop ethically you can’t access shops or control the packaging, so our focus is on sustainability and re-purposing packaging where possible. All our packaging down to the courier labels and tape is paper and/or home compostable. 

The most zero waste option is using something that already exists, so please don’t be surprised if your order turns up in a box that has already been used multiple times! You can also request a reusable SWOP bag that can be used over and over to avoid single use packaging too. 

Our key aims are to Reduce, Reuse and Repurpose:

• Reduce waste - giving secondhand books a new home and preventing them from ending up in landfill (or wallowing away in op shops for years and years)
• Reuse where possible - repurposing boxes and packaging, and reusing packaging materials including our reusable SWOP shipping bags.
• Repurposing/upcycling old and damaged books into book crafts 

While we love supporting new authors (we’re also passionate library supporters too!) we also realise how many great books are already out there in print, and want to make it easier for people to access these.

In addition, each month we fundraise for a charity through our ‘Books for Good’ programme as a chance to support the mahi of incredible charities across NZ. To date (June 2024), we’ve raised over $6800 for 33 charities.

We know there’s no better time spent than browsing a book store, not knowing what you’ll discover, and leaving with an armful of new and old favourites ready to add to your shelves at home.

And we want to share that joy with you, regardless of access. Our website will be an evolving, ever changing thing - a bit like a normal secondhand bookstore. We hope you enjoy browsing, find some treasures, and spread the word!

Thanks,
Anne-Marie and Moses (and Brody!)