ABAO
ABAO srl is a Belgian online antiquarian bookseller, founded 1990 in Brussels, that sells rare collectible bande dessinée, old books, antique postcards, prints, and original artworks exclusively via its e-commerce platform abao.be, serving individual European collectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What ABAO does
ABAO srl is a Belgian private limited company (Société à Responsabilité Limitée), founded in 1990 and headquartered at rue Middelbourg 40 in Brussels, Belgium. The company operates as an exclusively online antiquarian bookseller, selling rare and collectible bande dessinée, old and precious books, antique postcards, prints, engravings, and original artworks through its proprietary e-commerce storefront at abao.be. Distribution is entirely direct-to-consumer via the company's own PrestaShop-based platform; no physical retail presence exists, and the company explicitly positions internet-only sales as a means to guarantee accurate, detailed condition descriptions for collectors. The rare books catalog has been managed by expert Frédéric Deville since the company's founding.
The commercial proposition is built around deep specialization in a narrow European collecting niche. ABAO serves collectors of rare books and bande dessinée — including limited editions, first editions, original artworks, serigraphs, ex-libris, dedicated/dedicated-bound copies, and specialized periodicals — across seven product categories: Bandes dessinées (collectible comics), Livres anciens (old books), Cartes postales anciennes (old postcards), Collections, Estampes (prints), Art Gallery, and Occasions (second-hand). Items are sold at fixed unit prices, with documented price points ranging from approximately €5 to €50 and above, varying by rarity and condition. There is no subscription or licensing revenue; the business model is one-time unit sales of inventory sourced through the operator's specialized expertise.
The go-to-market is low-overhead and content-led. ABAO runs an editorial blog covering comics history, book culture, bibliographic topics, and the Brussels literary scene (with posts continuing into mid-2026), supplemented by an email newsletter offering special promotions. Marketing channels are organic (blog/SEO) and owned (email); no paid acquisition, partnerships, marketplaces, or institutional distribution are documented. The company is privately held with no disclosed outside investment, no subsidiaries, no parent company, and no public financial reporting, operating as a single-jurisdiction (Belgium) e-commerce retailer with what appears to be a very small team centered on the founding expert.
ABAO firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ABAO
- Legal name
- ABAO srl
- Website
- https://abao.be
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- ABAO srl is a Belgian online antiquarian bookseller, founded 1990 in Brussels, that sells rare collectible bande dessinée, old books, antique postcards, prints, and original artworks exclusively via its e-commerce platform abao.be, serving individual European collectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ABAO industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Antiquarian and Collectible Books Retail
- NAICS
- Used Merchandise Retailers (4595), Used Merchandise Retailers (45951), Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)
- SIC
- Retail-Miscellaneous Shopping Goods Stores (5940), Retail-Miscellaneous Retail (5900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Used, Rare & Antiquarian Bookstores (CRALAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Comic Books & Graphic Novel Collectibles Retail (CRALAGAH), Books, Media & Entertainment Inventory-led Online Retailers (CRAFADAM), Vintage & Antique Collectibles Retail (CRALAGAE)
Keywords
Where ABAO is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brussels
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
ABAO business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Product Sales: ABAO generates revenue through direct sales of rare collectible books, antique comics, old postcards, prints, art, and other collectible items via its e-commerce platform. Products are sold at fixed prices with detailed condition descriptions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual product sales with fixed pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
ABAO product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ABAO is an internet-only antiquarian bookseller specializing in rare and collectible bande dessin\u00e9e (comics/graphic novels), old and rare books, antique postcards, prints, and artworks. Items are sold exclusively via its e-commerce platform abao.be with detailed condition descriptions, and the company does not operate any physical store. The catalog spans limited editions, first editions, autographed copies, original artwork, serigraphs, periodicals, and pre-owned collectibles curated by expert Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Deville.
Product overview
ABAO is an online bookstore specializing in rare and collectible books and comics, operating exclusively via the internet since 1990. The company offers a diverse catalog organized into seven main categories: Bandes dessinées (collectible comics and graphic novels including rare BD, limited editions, original artwork, and periodicals), Livres anciens (old books covering rare literature, illustrated books, fine arts, history, and specialized subjects), Cartes postales anciennes (old postcards and papers), Collections (various collectibles), Estampes (prints and engravings), Art Gallery (artworks), and Occasions (pre-owned items). The business focuses on providing detailed condition descriptions for all items, with specialized expertise in comic book history and rare book collecting.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bandes dessin\u00e9es (Collectible Comics and Graphic Novels) Collectible comic books and graphic novels, including rare BD, limited editions, original editions, dedications, original artwork, serigraphs, ex-libris, merchandise, monographs, and periodicals. Sold exclusively online with detailed condition descriptions to collectors of antique and rare comics.
- Livres anciens (Rare and Old Books) Rare, ancient, and precious books covering literature (including grand papiers), illustrated books, bindings, inscribed books, artist's books, children's books, curiosa, fine arts, history, geography, travel, sciences and technologies, philosophy, freemasonry, and pataphysics. Sold to collectors and knowledgeable enthusiasts.
- Cartes postales anciennes (Old Postcards and Papers)
Companies that use ABAO
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
ABAO technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ABAO partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
ABAO competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ABAO social profiles
Digital presenceABAO financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ABAO leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
ABAO funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ABAO M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ABAO
What does ABAO do?
ABAO is an internet-only antiquarian bookseller specializing in rare and collectible bande dessin\u00e9e (comics/graphic novels), old and rare books, antique postcards, prints, and artworks. Items are sold exclusively via its e-commerce platform abao.be with detailed condition descriptions, and the company does not operate any physical store. The catalog spans limited editions, first editions, autographed copies, original artwork, serigraphs, periodicals, and pre-owned collectibles curated by expert Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Deville.
Is ABAO a public or private company?
ABAO is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ABAO founded?
ABAO was founded in 1990. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is ABAO based?
ABAO is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does ABAO make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Sales.
Does ABAO have an API?
No public API is recorded for ABAO.
What industry is ABAO in?
ABAO's product category is Antiquarian and Collectible Books Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAAAB, Used, Rare & Antiquarian Bookstores, with a secondary code of CRALAGAH, Comic Books & Graphic Novel Collectibles Retail. Its NAICS code is 4595 and its SIC code is 5940.