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We recently interviewed Kevin Donaldson, Marketing Director for Biblio.com, to help our readers learn more about book-selling sites that are reliable and well run.
Q: How long has Biblio been in operation and how many sellers does it host?
A: Biblio has been around since October 2000, although our first two and a half years of operation were as a successful metasearch engine for used, rare, and out-of-print books (SearchBiblio.com), during which time we developed and refined the system that was to become Biblio.com as we now know it. We opened our "doors" as a listing service for Bookseller Members in February 2003, and currently host more than 2000 independent book dealers.
Q: What kind of uploads does it handle best?
A: We can handle nearly any type of upload with our custom filters in addition to standards such as UIEE, Homebase, Booktrakker, Bookmate, Booklist, etc. The only requirement for custom formats are that they are text delimited and include the following minimum fields: record id, author, title, description, and price. Our recommendation is usually some form of UIEE based software such as Booktrakker, simply because it is a more portable format for booksellers to use between Biblio.com, their own websites, and other online listing services.
Q: What marketing have you done or will you do to compete with the larger sites?
A: Our marketing strategies include search engine placement and keywords advertising, paid banner and text advertising, strategic partnerships, event sponsorships, print advertising, acquisitions, and a strong "grassroots" approach to building awareness and loyalty. After almost two years of operation as a company, we continue to realize month over month gains in sales of nearly 20%, and 200% year over year.
Q: How large a staff do you have, and where are you located?
A: Biblio.com has four full time employees and four part time employees. Among our small, but wonderfully talented and diverse staff, we have folks with backgrounds in IT management, software development, graphic arts, customer service, marketing and sales, executive management, bookselling, and publishing. Our offices are in the historic Bledsoe Building in West Asheville, North Carolina.
Q: I read about your plans to build a small library. Is philanthropic work one of the "attractions" of Biblio? How has the fundraising been going? What has been the response from customers and sellers?
A: Philanthropic work has been one of the cornerstone philosophies of Biblio.com Inc. since our beginning. This is for two reasons. First, and foremost, each of us at Biblio believes that we have a duty as individuals and as a company to serve our communities, and to create opportunities for people in less than fortunate circumstances. Secondly, from a business point of view, we see the future of successful business enterprise as belonging to those companies who go beyond charitable giving by assuming a direct responsibility and leadership role in building communities and reaching out to those in need.
Fundraising for La Biblioteca @ Morado K'asa (in rural Bolivia) has been enormously successful. We have now achieved more than 80% of our fundraising goal. Dozens of booksellers have volunteered their support and enthusiasm in everything from cash donations, books, to supplies. One of our Member Booksellers, Wally Keniston of usedBQQKS.com, has offered his skills as a professional videographer to compose a documentary film of the construction of the library.
At present, the library construction is underway, and about a month ahead of schedule. The walls of the library have now been completed (sans the stucco), and the roof will be erected in the next couple of weeks. The physical structure of the building is anticipated to be complete by the second week in December, at which time we will begin outfitting the inside of the library with bookshelves, furnishings, and, of course, books!
Q: I use Biblio myself and find it a reliable site. Can you tell me what you've done to make this a stable site?
A: From a technical point of view, credit for our reliability belongs with our IT staff and support personnel in closely coordinating with one another to not only address issues quickly as they occur, but to avert possible errors before they occur. In addition, in order to operate such a large scale site with such a small staff, our developers have also played a huge role in internal automation to allow the rest of our staff to focus their time on projects and initiatives they excel at, rather than the repetitive, mundane tasks which plague most small companies.
Our stability from a business standpoint is due in large part to our controlled growth philosophy as a company. We made a decision in our very earliest stages that we would become a completely self-sufficient company, without the need to rely on external venture capital or loans (or the "pressures" which accompany them). As such, we have been able to grow our revenue reliably without overextending our expenses, thus positioning ourselves to be a major player in the market for many years to come.
Q: Aside from the usual customer service promises, what can your site offer dealers? Do you do any special promotions to generate sales?
A: For our Member Booksellers, we offer a myriad of opportunities, not the least of which is our strong competitive position and continued growth in the marketplace.
In addition, we offer one of the best subject category systems available on any site, our entirely unique Bookseller Cashback Program, in which Biblio.com Member Booksellers can earn money back on every book purchase they or customers they refer make on Biblio.com. We are also developing our Rare Book Room for highlighting rare or unusual inventory, and our exclusive and highly successful Sale Books program which allows booksellers to easily highlight selected portions of their inventory for discounting to buyers.
http://www.biblio.com
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