Once you place an item in your shopping cart, a small seller contact link appears.
By Michael Stillman
Alibris recently conceded that the end has come to its reseller relationship with online book and everything else giant Amazon.com. Last month, Amazon announced that it would no longer accept listings from "aggregators," other book listing sites which provided them with bulk listings from their booksellers. Starting sometime in October, Amazon said, booksellers would have to set up their own individual accounts on Amazon and deal directly with that online seller.
Abebooks, the other aggregator, immediately notified its sellers that the relationship was over. Alibris, a pioneer in such programs, went back to Amazon in an attempt to change its mind. Ultimately, Alibris earned a one-month extension, but that was all Amazon would grant. The result is that the Alibris-Amazon program will come to an end in November. In their announcement to their booksellers, Alibris pointed out that Amazon was their first partner eight years ago, that they had made numerous investments in the relationship, and helped launched Amazon's zShops program. That, as they say, and a dime, will get Alibris a cup of coffee with Amazon. Alibris also noted that it maintains "partnerships with dozens of leading libraries, retailers, and distributors."
Alibris then added an act of goodwill for its sellers. They told their members that they will prepare some tools that will help those sellers who wish to continue to list on Amazon migrate those listings, and manage their Amazon accounts. "We understand the value and importance of this channel and will help transition sellers who can afford to pay Amazon.com fees," Alibris stated in their letter to members. The tools will be available in early November and are offered free to Alibris sellers.
We asked A.J. Kohn of Alibris whether Amazon's decision was based on problems they were having with the aggregators' sellers or a simple desire by Amazon to exclude the aggregators from their sales. His response was a neutral, "I can't comment on their motivation." However, he did go on to point out that Alibris' sellers maintained decent ratings. "What I do know", Kohn stated, "is that prior to their decision, other aggregators had some quality issues. This may have reflected poorly on all aggregators in general. Alibris maintained solid positive feedback (90%) and a decent rating (4.6) across our 20 regional accounts." Alibris attempted to alleviate quality issues by offering to restrict uploads to Amazon to "five star" dealers, but Amazon rejected this offer. "In addition, we were unable to reach agreement on proposals to restrict the program to five star sellers and other measures that would have improved performance," Kohn said.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 156: Cornelis de Jode, Americae pars Borealis, double-page engraved map of North America, Antwerp, 1593.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 206: John and Alexander Walker, Map of the United States, London and Liverpool, 1827.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 223: Abraham Ortelius, Typus Orbis Terrarum, hand-colored double-page engraved world map, Antwerp, 1575.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 233: Aaron Arrowsmith, Chart of the World, oversize engraved map on 8 sheets, London, 1790 (circa 1800).
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 239: Fielding Lucas, A General Atlas, 81 engraved maps and diagrams, Baltimore, 1823.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 240: Anthony Finley, A New American Atlas, 15 maps engraved by james hamilton young on 14 double-page sheets, Philadelphia, 1826.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 263: John Bachmann, Panorama of the Seat of War, portfolio of 4 double-page chromolithographed panoramic maps, New York, 1861.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 265: Sebastian Münster, Cosmographei, Basel: Sebastian Henricpetri, 1558.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 271: Abraham Ortelius, Epitome Theatri Orteliani, Antwerp: Johann Baptist Vrients, 1601.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 283: Joris van Spilbergen, Speculum Orientalis Occidentalisque Indiae, Leiden: Nicolaus van Geelkercken for Jodocus Hondius, 1619.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 285: Levinus Hulsius, Achtzehender Theil der Newen Welt, 14 engraved folding maps, Frankfurt: Johann Frederick Weiss, 1623.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 341: John James Audubon, Carolina Parrot, Plate 26, London, 1827.
Sotheby’s Book Week December 9-17, 2025
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue, inscribed by the author pre-publication. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Autograph sketchleaf including a probable draft for the E flat Piano Quartet, K.493, 1786. £150,000 to £200,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Hooke, Robert. Micrographia: or some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies made by Magnifying Glasses. London: James Allestry for the Royal Society, 1667. $12,000 to $15,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Chappuzeau, Samuel. The history of jewels, first edition in English. London: T.N. for Hobart Kemp, 1671. $12,000 to $18,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Sowerby, James. Exotic Mineralogy, containing his most realistic mineral depictions, London: Benjamin Meredith, 1811, Arding and Merrett, 1817. $5,000 to $7,000.
![<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/00d5fd41-2542-4a80-b119-4886d4b9925f.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.")
