The London Stanfords? The most famous travel bookshop in the world?
The very same. For those familiar with Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles, Stanfords is the source of Sherlock Holmes' Ordnance map of the Devon moor where the beast roams. It is a delightful place to while away a Saturday afternoon, but unfortunately the only branches are in London and Bristol.

And now it has an online bookshop too. Didn't Amazon get there first?
Amazon certainly sells lots of maps and travel books, but their site doesn't provide the range and depth of helpful information that Stanfords does. What's more, the cost of postage is generally cheaper - folded maps sent first-class cost 30p to the UK and 50p by airmail, while paperbacks are £2. Globes and raised relief maps, understandably, cost a bit more to send, but items are usually dispatched within 48 hours.

An example, please.
Amazon has never heard of the Lofoten Islands in Norway, but Stanfords offers a driving map of the region as part of its regular stock. The excellent advice on buying maps also distinguishes Stanfords - the difference between small- and large-scale (which often confuses buyers) is explained simply.

But are there any discounts?
Just a few special promotions, including £20 off the concise Times Atlas of the World. But given that postage costs less and that Stanfords have provided a mail-order service since 1852, you may still think it worthwhile. The site also lists the names and contact details of its staff, so you don't have to rely on email to resolve any difficulties.