There are many types of bookcases in the stores and online and we normally consider several factors when we are looking to buy a bookcase: price, look, and strength/durability.
All of these factors will affect the price that you will have to pay, and while most people first look at the esthetic value of the piece, they want to know how it will fit in their home, often they find the perfect bookcase only to let it go because it is too expensive.
Solid Oak Bookcases
I once found a great bookcase for a kid's room, it was all I wanted a white bookcase with a winning whimsical design, but the several hundred dollars price sticker for a bookcase that would probably be abused by children made me think a little longer.
So what should we spend on a small bookcase?
I had heard that white bookcases were often less expensive than wood tone ones, because the wood could be of a lesser quality since it was painted. My experience tells me differently.
Yes you can buy inexpensive white or wood tone bookcases and the color is not what is affecting the price. The quality and the design are the true components of price. Strength and durability will often be linked to quality. Few professional furniture makers use expensive woods to produce furniture that will break easily. If you buy a good quality solid wood bookcase, you should expect to pay over a hundred dollars for a small one. Some exotic woods will cost more.
If a great looking bookcase that will last generation is what you want they are still available, but if you need a small bookcase that will serve the purpose of holding a few books for a couple of years, as in the case of college students for example, then you should look at a price below the 0 threshold. Many stores local and online sellers have large selections of these inexpensive bookcases. Home Depot, Walmart, and other well known chains come to mind.