What Alibris does

Alibris is a privately held online marketplace founded in 1998 and headquartered in Berkeley, California (operating address at 2560 Ninth St, Suite 215). The company operates a two-sided platform connecting buyers with thousands of independent sellers of new, used, rare, and collectible books, as well as music and movies, listing over 270 million items globally. Alibris runs dedicated storefronts at alibris.com (U.S.) and alibris.co.uk (UK), plus a sub-brand called Alibris for Libraries serving institutional buyers, and syndicates seller inventory across a partner network that includes eBay, Half Price Books, Books-A-Million, and Better World Books. A November 2025 partnership extended the catalog onto SHEIN's U.S. platform with over 100,000 titles targeting Gen Z consumers.

The platform's core technology is an e-commerce marketplace with advanced search across Title, Author, Subject, and ISBN criteria, supplemented by features including Wishlist, Book Fetch, Community discussions and reviews, and an Author Personalities tool powered by IBM Watson. Product verticals span Books, eBooks, Textbooks (with savings up to 80% off retail), Music (Rock, Pop, Jazz, Classical, Hip-Hop, Country), and Movies, alongside specialty sections for Rare and Collectible Books, Bargain Books, and Kids & Young Adult.

Alibris generates revenue through marketplace commissions on buyer-seller transactions, recurring seller subscriptions (Basic Plan at $19.99/year for up to 1,000 listings; Gold Professional Plan with $19.99 setup plus inventory-based monthly fees), and textbook buyback transaction fees. Customer segments include college students and lifelong learners (textbook affordability), general consumers seeking variety and competitive pricing, and rare-book collectors. The company operates with 51–100 employees and has been privately held since founding, with no parent company or recent institutional funding rounds disclosed.

Name

Alibris

Legal name

Alibris, Inc.

Website

https://alibris.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Alibris is a privately held online marketplace, founded in 1998 and based in Berkeley, California, connecting buyers with thousands of independent sellers of new, used, rare, and collectible books, music, and movies across 270 million+ listed items.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Book and Media Marketplace

NAICS

Book Retailers and News Dealers (4592), Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)

SIC

Retail-Catalog & Mail-Order Houses (5961)

akta.pro primary industry

Books, Media, Collectibles & Hobby Marketplaces (CRAFABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online Collectibles Marketplaces & Auction Retail (CRALAGAO), Peer-to-Peer (C2C) Resale Marketplaces (CRAFAGAM), E-books, Digital Content & Licensing Distribution (CRAOALAE)

Keywords

• Online book marketplace
• Used book marketplace
• Rare books platform
• Textbook buyback
• Media resale marketplace

Headquarters

HQ city

Emeryville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marketplace Commission: Alibris takes a commission on sales between buyers and independent sellers through its marketplace platform
2. Seller Subscription Plans: Basic Plan at $19.99 annual fee with up to 1,000 item listings; Gold Professional Plan with unlimited listings, one-time $19.99 setup fee, and low monthly fee based on inventory level
3. Textbook Buyback: Alibris buys back used textbooks from students at competitive prices through its buyback portal

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Alibris operates an online marketplace that connects buyers with thousands of independent sellers worldwide, offering over 270 million new and used books, eBooks, textbooks, music, and movies. The platform also runs a textbook buyback program, a rare and collectible books section, the Alibris for Libraries institutional offering, and a seller subscription service that distributes listings across partner channels including eBay, Half Price Books, Books-A-Million, and Better World Books.

Product overview

Alibris is a multi-channel media marketplace operating as a unified platform connecting buyers with thousands of independent sellers worldwide. The core offering consists of the Alibris Books Marketplace (with over 270 million items), complemented by dedicated verticals for eBooks, Textbooks, Music, and Movies. Key sub-products and features include Rare and Collectible Books, Textbook Buyback service, Bargain Books, Kids & Young Adult section, and the Seller Marketplace platform with Basic and Gold Professional plans. The ecosystem is enhanced by supporting features like Advanced Search, Wishlist, Book Fetch, Community forums, and the Alibris Blog. Alibris for Libraries extends the marketplace to institutional buyers, while the Partner Network enables sellers to distribute across multiple retail channels including eBay, Half Price Books, and Books-A-Million.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Alibris for Libraries: Library-specific platform operated by Alibris for lending and library services.

Products and services

• Alibris Books Marketplace A marketplace connecting buyers with independent sellers worldwide offering over 270 million new and used book titles across all genres, including rare, collectible, and out-of-print editions.
• Alibris eBooks Digital textbook, tradebook, and fiction titles available for purchase and reading on laptops, tablets, or smartphones, offering convenience and portability for college students and readers.
• Alibris Textbooks New and used college textbooks across 35+ subjects including Accounting, Biology, Computer Science, Mathematics, and more, with savings up to 80% off retail prices.
• Alibris Music Music marketplace offering new releases and classic albums across genres including Rock, Pop, Jazz, Classical, Hip-Hop, Country, and more from independent sellers worldwide.
• Alibris Movies Movies and TV shows available across genres including Action, Comedy, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, and critically acclaimed award-winning films from thousands of sellers.
• Alibris for Libraries A platform connecting libraries with rare and collectible books from Alibris's network of sellers, expanding library collections with hard-to-find titles.
• Rare and Collectible Books Premier destination for rare books, first editions, signed books, and antiquarian books, featuring thousands of collectible items from verified sellers.
• Textbook Buyback Service allowing students to sell their used textbooks back to Alibris for cash, providing competitive buyback prices and an easy 1-2-3 process.
• Bargain Books Discount books section offering millions of titles at significantly reduced prices, including 99 cent books and items with up to 80% savings.
• Kids and Young Adult Specialized section for children's books organized by age groups (0-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 years) and young adult titles featuring popular series like Harry Potter, Twilight, and Hunger Games.
• Seller Marketplace Platform enabling individuals and businesses to sell books, music, and movies through Alibris and its partner network, including Basic Plan (up to 1,000 listings, $19.99/year) and Gold Professional Plan (unlimited listings, advanced tools).
• Partner Network Distribution Distribution network allowing sellers to list on multiple platforms including Alibris, Alibris for Libraries, eBay, Half Price Books, Books-A-Million, and Better World Books for maximum exposure.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SHEINcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 November 2025SHEIN launched a new book category through partnership with Alibris, expanding its product offerings to include books for U.S. customers. The expansion features over 100,000 book titles in various genres, targeting growing demand from Gen Z consumers. SHEIN plans to further develop its selection and seller network as part of its growth strategy.
• eBaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPart of Alibris's Partner Network where sellers' inventory is listed across multiple platforms including eBay, providing maximum exposure for sellers' items.
• Half Price BookscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner network listing items through Half Price Books, one of the major independent bookstores in the U.S.
• Books-A-MillioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner network listing items through Books-A-Million, expanding reach to their customer base.
• Better World BookscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner network listing items through Better World Books, a bookseller with a charitable mission.
• Better World BookscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner network listing items through Better World Books, expanding reach to their customer base.
• Alibris for LibrariescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLibrary-focused platform allowing sellers to reach library customers and libraries to source materials.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Biblio.com: Online marketplace aggregating independent booksellers, with a strong focus on rare, antiquarian, and out-of-print books. Direct competitor to Alibris in the rare book niche.
• AbeBooks: Online marketplace for new, used, rare, and out-of-print books connecting independent sellers with buyers worldwide. Now owned by Amazon, it is Alibris's closest direct competitor in used and rare books.
• Better World Books: Online used-book seller with a social mission that funds literacy programs. Operates both retail and library channels and is both a competitor and Alibris partner network member.
• ThriftBooks: Large online seller of used books operating its own inventory and marketplace. Competes directly with Alibris for value-conscious book buyers and textbook purchasers.

Broad incumbents

• Chegg: Education-focused platform offering textbook rental, eTextbooks, and study tools. Competes with Alibris's textbook and eBook offerings in the college student segment.
• Half Price Books: National chain of new and used book, music, and movie retailers with both physical stores and an online storefront. Competes with Alibris across the same categories and is also an Alibris Partner Network member.
• Books-A-Million: Largest retail bookstore chain in the U.S. after Barnes & Noble, selling new books and media with an online storefront. Overlaps with Alibris's general consumer book and media categories and is also a Partner Network member.
• AbeBooks (via Amazon): Amazon's broader retail platform competes across all of Alibris's categories — books, music, movies, and textbooks — with unmatched scale, Prime logistics, and recommendation infrastructure.

Regional players

• Powell's City of Books: Iconic independent bookstore famous for its used and rare book inventory, with an online storefront. A regional competitor in used and rare books with a loyal collector following.

Emerging players

• eBay: General online marketplace where many independent sellers also list books and media. Both a Partner Network distributor for Alibris and an indirect competitor for seller inventory and buyer attention.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/alibris
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Alibris/shorts
• Facebookfacebook.com/alibris
• Instagraminstagram.com/alibrisbooks
• TikToktiktok.com/@alibrisbooks
• Pinterestpinterest.com/alibrisbooks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alibris

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alibris