Question
This was previously discussed in here when the site was in beta:
In fact the site was in beta so long a lot of book dealers concluded it wasn't going anywhere. The site looks nice but does not have very many books yet. I think the theory behind the site is sound (that a lot of people have had negative experiences on eBay due to fraud and incompetent descriptions and would welcome an alternative which doesn't have these problems), but wonder if it can overcome the fundamental advantage of eBay (buyers go to eBay because of the wide selection of merchandise; sellers go there because that's where the buyers are).
Here is their press release
Subject: Press Release: Announcing the Launch of New Online Venue Collectors Book Market
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Announcing the Launch of Collectors Book Market, a Unique Book Auction/Mart Venue
Summary: Collectors Book Market (www.collectorsbookmarket.com), based on the antiquarian bookseller’s magazine, AB Bookman’s Weekly, opened to the public today. CBM is a new online venue, built and run by antiquarian booksellers, that focuses on the rare, collectible, and quality out-of-print book market. The site offers a suite of powerful tools for booksellers and collectors, including authenticated book auctions, a fine books mart, and books wanted ads and reverse auctions.
Stillwater, OK – February 11, 2005 – Collectors Book Market (CBM) launches a new era in online book buying and selling today, with a venue custom designed to meet the special needs of the rare, collectible, and quality out-of-print book market. “Unlike current fixed price bookselling sites and large auction venues, CBM is entirely focused on providing the features that collectible book buyers and sellers value most,” says Peter Thomas, the site’s originator and technical director. “These include powerful search and browse options, seller accountability, and cited references for first edition and signed books offered for sale.”
Currently, online booksellers have three main options for selling books: their own websites, fixed-price websites like ABE or Alibris, or big multi-category auction venues like eBay. “Booksellers’ own websites are often terrific, but it can be difficult for them to drive traffic there,” notes Thomas. “While both eBay and the large fixed-price sites were some of the earliest Internet success stories, they’ve grown so large that a new set of problems has emerged. They’re enormous, and far too many of their books are quite common – remainders, reprints, and readers’ copies. Plus, they have no requirements for sellers to authenticate or verify what they sell. Good sellers with high quality, collectible books are getting lost in the crowd – and buyers are frustrated at not being able to find them.”
Key features of Collectors Book Market designed to appeal to quality book sellers and buyers include:
* CBM Auctions, built specifically for quality out-of-print and collectible books, with tools that enable buyers to quickly find books based on a wide range of criteria.
* A Fine Book Mart designed to showcase fixed- price quality books (with a minimum price of $10).
* Nearly 40 major subject categories with more than 400 subcategories.
* Buyers can post Books Wanted ads, or have sellers bid down their “quoted prices” in reverse auctions.
* All books listed must be graded, citing standard condition guides, and books listed as first editions must be authenticated using approved standard reference guides.
* Unique advanced browse features to help buyers find books that match their interests.
* Sellers are held to strict standards of accountability and quality control; links on every listing allow users to immediately report a problem.
Collectors Book Market is launching today after a successful six-month beta, during which the site’s many book-oriented features were discussed, built, and tested. It will offer low listing fees, with many permanently free features. “We don’t want to ‘nickel and dime’ sellers to death,” says Thomas. Plus, fixed price listings will carry no commissions. CBM is featuring a special promotion for its first 90 days, with no fees for sellers for the first month (through March 13), and half price fees for 60 days thereafter (through May 13).
“A quality antiquarian/collectible book venue for the general public has always been a gap in the online bookselling market,” notes Thomas. “CBM was also designed to revive and extend the traditions of the original ABBookman's Weekly – for many decades the standard journal of the antiquarian book trade – which provided books for sale and wanted classifieds until it ceased publishing in 1999.”
Additionally, CBM offers forums where registered members can discuss collectible books, find answers to their book-related questions, and provide comments and suggestions to help set the future direction of the site.
Anyone interested in rare, collectible, and quality out-of-print books is invited to visit Collectors Book Market at www.collectorsbookmarket.com. Browse the auctions and mart, register to buy or sell, or come contribute to our forums!
About Collectors Book Market: CBM was formed in 2004 in affiliation with AB Bookman’s Weekly. Its mission is to provide a focused venue to buy, sell, and learn more about collectible books.
Contact Information
Peter Thomas, Collectors Book Market
Phone: 405-614-0626
Email: promotions*collectorsbookmarket.com
Url: http://www.collectorsbookmarket.com
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Answer
Its a stupid idea.
25 cents per month for auction, and for 3 months fixed price.
If I list 1000 best out of my 4600, thats $250 per month for auctions, or $83 per month for fixed price.
With no buyer recognition.
Throwing money away.
Especially when collectors know where to find the books of interest on the big sites....
Answer
All I can say is that it looks nothing like the site that was described on the Ebay Booksellers Board whilst in its beginning stages.
I don't think it will last.
Answer
So, I visited. Clicked one of the links (top row) on their homepage:
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Current Bid $99.99
A BOY'S TOWN, Described for "Harper's Young People", (William Dean Howells) 2nd State of the.....
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reached the listing page and read
http://www.collectorsbookmarket.com/...m.asp?ID=10328
and you find
Starting Bid: $75.00
Current Bid: --
High Bidder (Ratings): --
Purchase Now: $150.00
...shook my head & closed the browser window.
People who draft press releases are filthy, disgusting, literary geniuses.
Answer
Looking through only a few categories, it seemed the only bids were those at a dollar.
Not good.
It'll either be flooded with junk, or as in the Boys Town case, a $50 book will try to get an opening bid of $75.
Not in this lifetime....
Answer
thank you for the report guys, much appreciated.