Let viaLibri search your own website

In addition to searching all the world’s major multi-seller bookselling websites, viaLibri also searches the websites of numerous individual booksellers. If you are a bookseller with your own website you should consider the possibility of having it included in our search results. The benefits of doing this are described below.

Bibliophiles from around the world will discover your website

You have probably already spent a substantial sum to build and customize your online presence. But what is the value of having a website if your potential customers never know it exists? Every day, thousands of serious collectors and bibliophiles from around the world come to viaLibri looking for old and rare books. If one or more of your books appears in their search results then there is a good chance that you may also have other items in their areas of interest. A “Direct from Seller” link can bring those collectors through your digital door and give you a chance to present to them the totality of what you have to offer, both in merchandise and expertise.

Let Libribot sell your books

Over 120,000 active permanent wants are currently listed with viaLibri by over 3,600 of our registered users. Every day Libribot matches all of these wants against the latest listings of the booksellers whose websites we search. If you have something these buyers are looking for it will be reported to them very shortly after it appears on your site, and ahead of the books listed on the other larger multi-dealer sites that Libribot covers.

Many collectors use targeted keywords to hunt for rare books on subjects they collect. This can be especially productive for you if you regularly issue specialized catalogues and post the items to your website. A single interesting match is enough to entice one of these collectors to visit your site and discover the entire catalogue that you have just posted.

Deal directly with the buyers who want your books

A “Direct From Seller” link to your website, displayed as part of our search results, will allow you to connect directly with your customers. No intermediary is required. Purchases will go into your shopping cart. Contact emails and receipts will come only from you.

If it is important to your success as a bookseller to build and maintain a unique identity in the online marketplace for old and rare books then putting your own website into viaLibri search results can help you achieve the recognition and visibility you need.

How Does it Work?

To include your books in our search results we need to maintain an up-to-date mirror of your inventory on our own server. We do this by checking your site regularly and “harvesting” data from it whenever changes have been made. This process is automated and requires no action on your part other than what you would already do normally to add and delete books from your site. The only requirement is that your website be designed to generate a pair of standardized files that can be accessed by our harvesting software.

We have created a special protocol for this purpose and if your website is not already compliant it should not be difficult for your webmaster to make the needed modifications. Many booksellers have already had their existing websites updated to meet our requirements and some web developers who work regularly with booksellers already build this as a standard feature of their sites. Check with the person who built your own site and see if it isn’t already set-up for this purpose.

If you need to have an existing website updated you should show the protocol documentation to your web developer and ask him to contact us with any questions he might have. If you are thinking of building a new website and want it to comply with our harvesting protocol you should have your website developer contact us first so that we can explain to him how our harvesting software works. If you have not yet found someone to build your website we can recommend all the developers listed below. Each of them has already built at least two websites that meet our requirements:

How Much Does it Cost?

Adding your website to our search results is one of the benefits available to our Premium Services subscribers. A basic subscription, which includes listing up to 10,000 books from your website, costs only $25 USD per month. For each additional 10,000 books you list the charge is $5. Thus, your total cost can be as little as $25 per month, paid quarterly; and if you prefer to pay annually your last two months will be free, making for a total yearly charge of only $250. Moreover, if you are less than satisfied with your results you are free to cancel your subscription at any time and receive a full refund for the unused portion of your subscription term.

Additional value for ILAB/LILA affiliates

If you are a member of a bookselling association that is affiliated with the ILAB/LILA (International League of Antiquarian Booksellers) your “Direct From Sellers” links will also be included in results from searches on the ILAB/LILA website.

Do You Want To Know More?

If you have any questions about connecting your website to viaLibri please contact us.