Leslibraires
Leslibraires.fr is an online marketplace, operated by SAS Kamael, that aggregates 400+ independent French bookstores and offers readers access to approximately 4 million new, used, and digital titles via Click & Collect and home delivery, monetizing through marketplace commissions and an affiliate program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersTours, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Leslibraires does
Leslibraires.fr, operated by SAS Kamael and headquartered in Tours, France, is an online marketplace founded in 2011 that aggregates more than 400 independent French bookstores under a single digital portal, offering readers access to approximately 4 million titles (around 900,000 orderable) across new, used, and antiquarian books. The platform is built on a web-based e-commerce marketplace with geolocation-based bookstore finder, EAN13-coded affiliate tracking, and integrations with Colissimo (48-hour), Chronopost (24-hour), point relay, and 3D Secure payment processing. Distribution options include Click & Collect at partner bookstores, home delivery, and selective international shipping via partner stores.
The company operates a two-sided marketplace business model, charging commissions on transactions routed through the platform and earning fees from an affiliate program targeted at bloggers and reading communities. Revenue per unit is structurally constrained by France's Loi Lang (1981) fixed book price law, which prohibits online discounts on new books and limits the platform to competing on service, curation, and proximity rather than price. Product extensions include a multi-format eBooks platform (EPUB, PDF, Mobipocket with DRM), a curated editorial and newsletter service (Le Magazine, La lettre des libraires), and thematic book selections. The platform serves two primary customer segments: French individual readers seeking local bookstore expertise with e-commerce convenience, and independent bookstore owners (SMB) needing a digital sales channel. Institutional support from the Centre National du Livre (CNL) and partial compliance with WCAG 2.1 and RGAA accessibility standards indicate positioning within France's cultural policy ecosystem for independent booksellers. The company is privately held with 6 employees, €60,000 in capital, and no disclosed institutional investors or funding rounds.
Leslibraires firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Leslibraires
- Legal name
- SAS Kamael
- Website
- https://leslibraires.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Leslibraires.fr is an online marketplace, operated by SAS Kamael, that aggregates 400+ independent French bookstores and offers readers access to approximately 4 million new, used, and digital titles via Click & Collect and home delivery, monetizing through marketplace commissions and an affiliate program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Leslibraires industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Book Marketplace
- NAICS
- Book Retailers and News Dealers (4592), Used Merchandise Retailers (4595)
- SIC
- Retail-Catalog & Mail-Order Houses (5961)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Books, Media & Entertainment Inventory-led Online Retailers (CRAFADAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- eBook & Digital Reading Platforms (BPAMAJAK)
Keywords
Where Leslibraires is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tours
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Leslibraires business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Marketplace commission: Leslibraires.fr acts as a marketplace platform connecting buyers with independent bookstores. The platform earns revenue through royalties and commissions paid by the bookstores (Enterprises) on orders placed through the site. This remuneration is collected from the order price paid by customers and transferred to Kamael through a third-party payment service provider.
- Affiliate program fees: The platform offers an affiliation program where professionals and individuals can earn revenue by directing traffic to the site through unique affiliate links structured using book EAN13 codes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | New books - Fixed price per French law |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Used and antique books - Variable pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Shipping fees |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Leslibraires product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Leslibraires.fr operates an online marketplace that aggregates catalog and inventory from 400+ independent French bookstores, allowing individual readers to search, compare, and purchase over 4 million book titles (new, used, and antique) with options for home delivery or in-store pickup. The platform also offers a digital reading experience via EPUB, PDF, and Mobipocket formats with DRM protection, and provides curated librarian recommendations and thematic selections across the network.
Product overview
leslibraires.fr is a unified online marketplace and digital platform for independent French bookstores, combining an e-commerce marketplace (leslibraires.fr Marketplace), digital reading (eBooks Platform), and reader engagement tools (La lettre des libraires newsletter, Book Recommendations). The platform connects over 400 independent bookstores with readers nationwide, offering paper books (new, used, antiquarian) and digital formats (EPUB, PDF, Mobipocket), with multiple delivery options including Click & Collect. The affiliate program extends the platform's reach while maintaining the core marketplace functionality.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Leslibraires.fr Marketplace Online marketplace aggregating inventory from 400+ independent French bookstores, offering more than 4 million titles in new, used, and antique formats with options for home delivery or in-store pickup. Designed for individual readers seeking to purchase books online while supporting local independent bookstores.
- eBooks Platform Digital book platform offering EPUB, PDF, and Mobipocket formats with DRM protection, enabling readers to purchase and read digital books on computers, smartphones, tablets, and e-readers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 400+ independent bookstores united in one platform
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Leslibraires
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Leslibraires technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature3 records
Leslibraires partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, support and minor.
- 400+ Independent bookstores (network)coreThe core of Leslibraires.fr is its network of 400+ independent bookstores across France. These bookstores list their inventory on the platform and fulfill orders for customers, receiving technical support and customer acquisition through the marketplace.
- Colissimo (La Poste)supportColissimo is the primary delivery partner for the platform, offering 48-hour delivery service. They are noted for limiting energy and CO2 consumption related to transportation as part of the company's environmental commitment.
- Centre National du Livre (CNL)supportThe National Book Center provides institutional support to Leslibraires.fr as part of France's cultural policy to support the book industry and independent bookstores.
- KamaelcoreKamael is the parent company that developed and operates the Leslibraires.fr platform. They also handle hosting and technical development, with their logo appearing as the developer of the website.
- Affiliate partnersminorThe platform has an affiliation program where blogs, reading communities, and individuals can sign up to earn revenue by directing traffic to the site through unique affiliate links using book EAN13 codes.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Leslibraires competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bookshop.org: US-based online bookstore marketplace that aggregates independent bookstores, with revenue shared back to local shops. Highly comparable business model to Leslibraires.fr — marketplace connecting indies to online shoppers — though operating in the US market.
- AbeBooks: Global online marketplace for new and used books connecting independent sellers with buyers worldwide. Operates a marketplace model analogous to Leslibraires.fr, with broad catalog including antiquarian titles, but serves an international rather than France-specific audience.
- Decitre: French bookstore chain with a strong online storefront offering Click & Collect, home delivery, and a broad book catalog. Competes directly with Leslibraires.fr for French online book shoppers, though Decitre is a vertically integrated chain rather than a marketplace aggregator.
- Place des Libraires: French online marketplace aggregating independent bookstores for online book sales and Click & Collect, operating in an essentially identical model and target market to Leslibraires.fr. The two platforms are the closest substitutes within the French indie bookstore aggregation niche.
Broad incumbents
- Amazon France: Dominant French e-commerce platform with the broadest book catalog, fast delivery, and strong recommendation engine. The primary competitive threat to Leslibraires.fr, though constrained by Loi Lang from discounting new books in the same way as in other markets.
- Cultura: French retail chain specializing in books, stationery, and creative supplies with both physical stores and e-commerce. Overlaps with Leslibraires.fr in book and stationery retail, though Cultura is a broader cultural-goods incumbent rather than an indie-bookstore marketplace.
- Fnac: Major French cultural and electronics retailer with extensive book catalog, Click & Collect network, and strong national brand. Overlaps with Leslibraires.fr in book retail and click-and-collect, but operates as a broad incumbent across multiple product categories.
Emerging players
- Rakuten Kobo: Global eBook and audiobook platform with strong European presence, including France. Comparable to Leslibraires.fr on the digital reading side of the business, though Kobo is a dedicated eReading platform rather than a multi-format marketplace.
- RecycLivre: French platform specializing in second-hand and recycled books, with both an online store and social/environmental mission. Competes with Leslibraires.fr on the used-book segment enabled by Loi Lang exemptions, though with a narrower focus.
Regional players
- Momox: European recommerce platform for used books, media, and clothing, with significant operations in Germany and other EU countries. Comparable to Leslibraires.fr on the used-book resale model, but primarily active outside France and structured as a recommerce buyer rather than bookstore marketplace.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Leslibraires social profiles
Digital presenceLeslibraires compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Leslibraires financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Leslibraires leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Leslibraires funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Leslibraires 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 Leslibraires
What does Leslibraires do?
Leslibraires.fr operates an online marketplace that aggregates catalog and inventory from 400+ independent French bookstores, allowing individual readers to search, compare, and purchase over 4 million book titles (new, used, and antique) with options for home delivery or in-store pickup. The platform also offers a digital reading experience via EPUB, PDF, and Mobipocket formats with DRM protection, and provides curated librarian recommendations and thematic selections across the network.
Is Leslibraires a public or private company?
Leslibraires is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Leslibraires founded?
Leslibraires was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Leslibraires based?
Leslibraires is headquartered in Tours, France, in the Europe region.
How does Leslibraires make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Marketplace commission is the primary driver. The others are affiliate program fees.
Who are Leslibraires's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bookshop.org, AbeBooks, Decitre and Place des Libraires. Broad incumbents are Amazon France, Cultura and Fnac. Emerging players are Rakuten Kobo and RecycLivre. Momox is listed as a regional player.
Does Leslibraires have an API?
No public API is recorded for Leslibraires.
What industry is Leslibraires in?
Leslibraires's product category is Online Book Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFADAM, Books, Media & Entertainment Inventory-led Online Retailers, with a secondary code of BPAMAJAK, eBook & Digital Reading Platforms. Its NAICS code is 4592 and its SIC code is 5961.