Chapter 160 Of Chrislands, ABE, and Diversification

Last week, Chrislands, the small company that designs websites for booksellers who want their own on-line bookstore, was acquired by ABE, the much larger website which lists books for sale by all kinds of sellers. Chrislands designed my website and provides excellent technical support for a very reasonable fee.

ABE’s acquisition of Chrislands was discussed in great detail and with great passion on most of the bookseller lists and on the ABE seller forum and the Chrislands user forum. It remains to be seen exactly how this acquisition will benefit booksellers with a Chrislands site, which charges a monthly fee, and booksellers who choose to list books on ABE, which charges a monthly fee plus a commission on sales. Some booksellers both list books for sale on ABE and on their Chrislands website.

I’ve been very happy with Chrislands service and with my website for over a year now. Unlike many booksellers, I do not yet list my books for sale on ABE, so I can’t comment on their level of service and commitment to booksellers. Still, ABE’s purchase of Chrislands is making me take stock of my business and evaluate my options for selling books.

With only a few short days to consider the options, I have arrived at the preliminary conclusion that a good bookseller adapts to the market and sells books through the venues that produce the most sales, regardless of where or what that venue is. My job as a bookseller is to get books into the hands of the people who want them. I have often touted book fairs as great places to sell books (see the “Book Fair” category on the right sidebar). To date, book fairs have produced good sales for me. I’ve benefitted in other ways as well, by getting to meet other sellers and collectors in person.

Additionally, I think a nicely presented, well-written print catalogue is a hallmark of a good antiquarian bookseller. Catalogues are a lot of work (oh yes they are) but I think a catalogue has the potential to show a bookseller’s descriptive and bibliographic skill and his knowledge of books. These things go a long way in the cultivation of repeat customers.

At this time, I don’t plan to give up my Chrislands website, as some booksellers I know are choosing to do. But I will continue to be diverse in my choice of selling venues, and some selling venues which produce good sales for me (book fairs and — I hope — print catalogues) may also be more effective than the internet in terms of fostering repeat-customer relationships.

I don’t know what venues are best for every bookseller, but I do know what has worked for me so far. The important thing, it seems to me, is to offer books for sale in diverse ways that reach interested people.

See you in the stacks!