The commands and features of four selected online document ordering systems are compared, and potentially useful features lacking in these systems are suggested. Three advantages of such systems are examined: referral to efficient document suppliers, convenience, and speed. Despite this, a telephone survey of German users shows very low usage, and reasons for this are suggested — primarily cost, and the ability to supply requests from in‐house or local sources. For very urgent orders cost is a minor factor but for normal ones it is the most important. The users surveyed also comment on the features available in current ordering systems.