Is AbeBooks legit? It is quite common for new users to AbeBooks’ global art and book store. You might have concerns about authenticity, legal distribution, or delivery to your home country if you’re using the store for the first-time. It is also a great platform to promote rare or unique products.

We will answer any questions that you may have regarding this popular online store. 

What are AbeBooks and How Can They Help You?

AbeBooks It is an international marketplace that allows you to buy textbooks, books, fine art and collectibles. This company purchases its products directly from more than 50 sellers and distributes the products around the world.  You can open your own store and promote your goods through this platform. This allows you to sell these products worldwide.

You will find rare books and original artworks on this site. It also has rare collectible items. If you are looking to make a profit on rare books and other collectibles, this is the site for you. 

AbeBooks offers a wide range of products for sale at affordable prices.

You can search this website for just about every type of book. This includes books that help you succeed or books that help you make a fortune. 

The website provides buyers and sellers with a safe, secure and easy way to locate products often not available in their area. 

Is AbeBooks Legit?

AbeBooks does exist. In 1995, Rick and Vivian Pura founded the company. Keith and Cathy Waters also started it. The name AbeBooks is an abbreviation for “Advanced Book Exchange”. Originally, this website was developed to only include listings for four bookstores and they only achieved reseller agreements from eBay, Half, Barnes & Noble, BibliOz, and Amazon. The reseller agreements with these bookstores were disbanded in 2005. AbeBooks then renewed the reseller agreement with Amazon.com.

AbeBooks has acquired a number of online book markets over the years and slowly expanded its market to include products like collectibles original fine art. 

Amazon bought AbeBooks on December 8, 2008. Amazon purchased AbeBooks in December 2008. In 2010, the marketplace was again open to individual sellers, allowing them to distribute and list their books. 

AbeBooks’ current headquarters are located in Victoria, Canada. There are also offices located in Germany, Spain and France. The e-commerce site features websites from various regions, including the United States and France. 

How does AbeBooks work?

The online marketplace allows you to sell and buy various used, new, or collectible items. 

The goal of this platform at the moment is to bring together professional booksellers, from specific or different areas.

The platform offers millions of products. It works exactly like an e-commerce shop. Their vast selection of products makes it easy to shop. You can shop from their site directly after you have found what you need. After the items are shipped to you by the bookseller, the site will manage all the other tasks such as administrative procedures or payment of commissions.

AbeBooks can also be used by sellers. The platform is simple to use and can be used immediately for marketing your products and sales. After your products have been uploaded, anyone can find and purchase them. While the site will transfer the funds necessary to your account, each seller will have to ship the products directly. 

AbeBooks’ Advantages

AbeBooks is used by millions of people because it provides many great benefits. Let’s take a look at some of the key benefits this well-known online store offers.

It is easy to locate products

Search boxes allow buyers to quickly find specific books, artworks and collectibles. You can find almost anything on the website by using the search box at the top of this page. You can enter information such as author name, title or ISBN if you want to purchase from an independent seller.

Once you have entered the keyword, your screen will flood with products. You can refine your search by choosing specific categories from a separate tab. 

The home page also features additional tabs like Advanced Search, Browse Collections, Rare Books, Art & Collectibles, Textbooks, Sellers or Start Selling. These tabs can be used to guide you towards particular product types, so that you can view their products.

You don’t have to worry about making a purchase

The platform ships all products directly from the bookeller immediately after the order is complete. AbeBooks offers a range of verified payment options. They accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express as well as PayPal and direct transfers. 

Product Guarantee

All products come with a guarantee and each item can be checked by you.

You Can Get a Refund

If the product does not fulfill their expectations, buyers are entitled to a full refund. There may be different refund terms depending on the product and seller. 

Shop Secure

You can shop securely on the site. The site protects all sensitive information. Only sellers are allowed to view information, such as names and contact numbers, after the order has been completed. 

Simple Selling

This platform makes it easy for sellers to sell rare books, art and collectibles. You have little time to deal with because the platform handles most of your shipping and payments. 

Advantages and Disadvantages to AbeBooks

There are always some drawbacks to online shopping. Below are the main disadvantages of AbeBooks.

High Seller Fee

For every sale a seller makes, they are subject to a high commission rate. A monthly subscription fee of 13.5% is required for sellers. For every sale, sellers are required to pay an extra 5.5% processing fee.

Lacking customer service can be a problem

Buyers and sellers both feel the AbeBooks communication with buyers and sellers was lacking. Most common questions are about tracking numbers or business day problems. 

FAQs at AbeBooks

There might be additional questions for new users. Below is a list of frequently-asked questions from other users who tried this virtual store.

Amazon Owns AbeBooks?

Amazon.com owns AbeBooks. Before Amazon bought AbeBooks, you could purchase goods directly from Amazon via AbeBooks. They offered reseller agreements which allowed sites to sell various products through their site. Amazon acquired AbeBooks from them in December 2008. Since then, they have been sole owners of the business.

AbeBooks is reliable

Online shopping can be trusted for the majority of customers. It is possible to find genuine products. The website also protects you against identity theft and fraud. 

Like any other online marketplace that lets sellers market their products individually, scammers are always possible.

The best way to avoid scams or sales issues is by checking the seller ratings before you acquire products from the store and avoid sellers that don’t have any ratings.

Is AbeBooks Legit? Final Thoughts

Is AbeBooks legitimate? It is indeed a legitimate store used by thousands to search for books out of print at a reasonable price or rare goods. The site can also be used to sell goods by anyone. 

AbeBooks is a great platform for finding legitimate sellers. Its popularity is due to the ease of use and its convenience.

We trust that you found this guide helpful in answering some of your questions regarding AbeBooks. Bos Mag also has other helpful guides that will help you find other sites to purchase books. You can discover the most popular books and learn the best tips for reading on our website.