Quote:Pioneer comparison shopping site Bookfinder.com has been purchased by Abebooks.com, one of the largest online sites for new and used books. Both companies started in 1996, about a year after Amazon.com burst onto the scene with a new way to purchase books online.
The deal was announced today, and the plan is for Berkeley, Calif.-based Bookfinder.com to continue operating as an independent entity.
Quote:...as Abebooks enters its second decade as a web retailer, the company is relying less on third-party reseller agreements and more on international expansion, organic growth and making site upgrades that make its web store more attractive to upscale book buyers...
To grow its present book business and stay ahead of bigger rivals, Abebooks continues to expand overseas. The company so far has signed up 35 independent booksellers in Italy and now has a major e-commerce presence in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. “There are expansion opportunities overseas and we will take advantage of them through organic product development and possible new acquisitions...
...the company is preparing its latest acquisition, BookFinder.com, a comparison shopping site, for a bigger European debut sometime in 2006...