Ingram, Alibris Link for New Online Book Service

Dec 13, 1999

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Ingram, Alibris Link for New Online Book Service -- 12/13/99 The contest to offer used, hard-to-find and out-of-print titles gained another entrant last week when Ingram and Alibris announced that they have formed an alliance that will become operational in the first quarter of 2000. Under the joint venture, titles listed on Alibris, which sells millions of used, antiquarian and out-of-print titles from its warehouse and dealer network, will be available on iPage, Ingram's e-commerce and database Web site for its retail and library customers. In addition, Alibris will offer titles from Ingram's on-demand printing subsidiary, Lightning Print, at www.alibris.com. Jim Chandler, Ingram's chief commercial officer, said the wholesaler decided to team with Alibris "because they have a good business model on how to serve the market for used, rare and hard-to-find titles." Chandler noted that the alliance means "that whatever has been in print will now always be available. There will be no more out-of-print books." Alibris, based in San Francisco, drew some unwanted publicity to itself earlier this fall when it pleaded guilty to intercepting e-mail from Amazon. com, Bibliofind.com and Advanced Book Exchange to its own bookseller clients. Chandler told PW Ingram is convinced that Alibris has procedures in place to prevent a repeat of the e-mail incident.

News

Ingram, Alibris Link for New Online Book Service
-- 12/13/99

The contest to offer used, hard-to-find and out-of-print titles gained another entrant last week when Ingram and Alibris announced that they have formed an alliance that will become operational in the first quarter of 2000.

Under the joint venture, titles listed on Alibris, which sells millions of used, antiquarian and out-of-print titles from its warehouse and dealer network, will be available on iPage, Ingram's e-commerce and database Web site for its retail and library customers. In addition, Alibris will offer titles from Ingram's on-demand printing subsidiary, Lightning Print, at www.alibris.com.

Jim Chandler, Ingram's chief commercial officer, said the wholesaler decided to team with Alibris "because they have a good business model on how to serve the market for used, rare and hard-to-find titles." Chandler noted that the alliance means "that whatever has been in print will now always be available. There will be no more out-of-print books."

Alibris, based in San Francisco, drew some unwanted publicity to itself earlier this fall when it pleaded guilty to intercepting e-mail from Amazon. com, Bibliofind.com and Advanced Book Exchange to its own bookseller clients. Chandler told PW Ingram is convinced that Alibris has procedures in place to prevent a repeat of the e-mail incident.

A version of this article appeared in the 12/13/1999 issue of Publishers Weekly under the headline: