Rare Book Monthly

Articles - January - 2006 Issue

BISG Study Shows Rapid Growth of Online Book Sales

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The BISG also asked booksellers what percent of their books were sold through the major online sites, such as Abebooks, Alibris, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and eBay. For those who did not have storefronts, the total was around 70%. They sold another 15% through their own websites. For those dealers with used book stores, 30% of their sales were through the major online sites, 3% through their own websites. When it came to "collectible books," those with stores said this segment constituted 20% of their business, while those without stores said it comprised 30% of their sales.

What conclusions can the used book seller draw from this study? Well, not to belabor the obvious, but if you are not yet selling online, you are missing a large market, and evidently, the only one that is still growing. New technologies can be unsettling, but if you don't jump on this train very soon, you will likely be left behind. Many traditional stores already have been forced to close their doors. You evolve or you die. Bibliophilic Darwinism is brutal and unfeeling.

You can download a copy of the BISG report from their site. Go to http://www.bisg.org and click on "Preview a summary of the findings" under "Used Books: A New BISG Study."

Rare Book Monthly

  • Sotheby’s
    10 September 2024
    The Shem Tov Bible
  • Koller Auctions
    Books & Autographs
    18 September 2024
    Koller, Sep. 18: Cowper, William. Anatomia corporum humanorum ab excellentissimis… Utrecht, 1750. CHF 25,000 to 40,000
    Koller, Sep. 18: Bell, Thomas. A Monograph of the Testudinata. London [1836-1842]. CHF 20,000 to 30,000.
    Koller, Sep. 18: Gould, John. A monograph of the Trochilidae, or family of humming-birds [and] Supplement completed after the authors death…, London [1849-]1861 and [1880-]1887. CHF 50,000 to 80,000.
    Koller Auctions
    Books & Autographs
    18 September 2024
    Koller, Sep. 18: Gould, John. The birds of New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan Islands, including many new species recently discovered in Australia. CHF 50,000 to 80,000.
    Koller, Sep. 18: Levaillant, François. Histoire naturelle des oiseaux de paradis et des rolliers, suivie de celle des toucans et des barbus. Paris [1801-]1806. CHF 40,000 to 60,000.
    Koller, Sep. 18: Pfinzing, Melchior. Die geverlicheiten und einsteils der geschichten des loblichen streytparen…, Nürnberg, 1517. CHF 40,000 to 60,000.
  • Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: HAMILTON, Sir William - Campi Phlegraei. Napoli: 1779. € 50,000 - 80,000
    Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: KIRCHER, Athanasius - Turris Babel. Amsterdam: 1679. € 3,000 - 5,000
    Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: EDWARDS, George.London - Gleanings of Natural History. Londra: 1758-1764. € 7,000 - 10,000
    Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: HEVELIUS, Johannes - Cometographia. Danzica: 1668. € 20,000 - 30,000
    Il Ponte, Sep. 24-25: KUPKA, Frantisek - Quatre histoires de blanc et noir. Parigi: 1926. € 10,000 - 15,000

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