AbeBooks: Affiliate Program

Who are we?

AbeBooks is the world's largest online marketplace for new, used, rare, out-of-print books and textbooks. With millions of books listed by thousands pf independent booksellers worldwide visitors can easily find the books they want. This great selection provides value for all: avid readers find bestsellers, collectors find rare books, students find cheap textbooks, and treasure hunters find the books they've been seeking forever.

Why partner with us?

Join us and be a part of an expanding program with great offers. We offer:

Flat 5% commission
90 day cookie tracking
API availability
committed account management
access to more books than any other marketplace

Already a Google Affiliate Network Member?

If you are not already logged in to Google Affiliate Network, you'll be prompted to do so, after which you'll be redirected to the AbeBooks application page. After you've reviewed and consented to the program terms you can submit your application by selecting the checkbox next to AbeBooks and clicking the 'Apply to Selected' button.

Is there a program cost?

No. It is free to sign up for the AbeBooks affiliate program through Google Affiliate Network.

Are there any affiliate restrictions?

AbeBooks has a number of restrictions on PPC marketing:

PPC bidding on trademarked terms is prohibited. Trademarked terms include: abebook, abebooks, abe book, abe books, advanced book exchange, a b e books, abe com, abe's books, www.abebooks.com, abebooks.com, abe books, www.abebooks, etc.

Any word that contains the name AbeBooks or any misspellings is considered a trademark violation.

Direct linking to AbeBooks from search engine results is stricly prohibited.

Violation of these terms may result in reversal of commissions and/or commissions being set to zero and in some cases removal from the program.

Do you allow direct linking from search engines?

AbeBooks does not allow direct linking from search engines.

Does AbeBooks have coupons?

We are currently developing coupons and are limiting their release as we test them. So far we do not have coupons for affiliates. Therefore, we are not giving affiliates commission on orders where a coupon is used. We are aware, however, that there are special cases involved and want to be fair to all affiliates. Each coupon use where an affiliate is involved will be looked at carefully and as long as you aren't actively promoting our coupon codes there shouldn't be an issue.

The Free Shipping room and Best Buys room links are still commissionable and you are welcome to use them.

What does AbeBooks look for in an affiliate site?

AbeBooks allows a variety of sites and searchers in to our program including price comparisons, search engine marketers, blog or personal sites etc. However we do not allow objectionable material and sites (including pornography, racist or sexist sites etc.) to be a part of our program.

When do I get paid?

Affiliates are paid through Google Affiliate Network (formerly DoubleClick Performics) once a month around the 20th of each month. A minimum of $100 is required to be in the account before a payment is issued.

What is the commission structure?

There is a flat 5% commission. Visit our Overview of our Affiliate program for more detailed information on the commission structure.

How do you track purchases made by users from my web site?

When a visitor clicks on your link a cookie is placed in the visitor's browser that is tracked for 90 days after the click. When the visitor makes a purchase within those 90 days, the sale and commission will be attributed to you.

Remember that the sale is attributed to the last click the visitor made, so it is important for the visitor to click on your link last.

For example, if a visitor comes to Site A and clicks through to AbeBooks, but does not buy and leaves. Then if that same visitor goes to Site B and returns to AbeBooks through Site B, since Site B was the last referring click it will receive the commission and not Site A.

How do I add deep links?

Use our link generator and we'll generate to HTML code for you to link directly to the search results on AbeBooks. Click here for the link generator.

Will you provide me with graphics and banners?

Yes. Once you sign up on Google Affiliate Network, you will be able to choose the creatives that are right for you. We are continuously updating our creatives so be sure to come back often to view our new choices. Click here to view our sample creatives.

If you require other creatives than the ones provided, send us an email at affiliate@abebooks.com

What is Search Web Services?

The AbeBooks' Search Web Services (SWS) puts control over our catalogue, in your hands. Utilising our SWS allows you to build applications or re-create our search functions on your own website. You can easily gain access to our inventory prices in real time, plus much more. These projects can then be monetized using our affiliate program, providing your users with the books they need, us with valuable traffic and you with a great source of income.

Use of the SWS is restricted to users driving traffic to one of the AbeBooks sites. Feel free to contact us if you're unsure as to whether your project qualifies.

You can apply for our Search Web Services Program here.

How do I add affiliate tracking to my Search Web Services links using Google Affiliate Network?

When you submit a query to SWS, you will receive your search results in XML format. The redirect URL can be obtained from the appropriate element.
Encode the redirect URL. (To see an example of a free URL Decoder/Encoder, please see here: http://meyerweb.com/eric/tools/dencoder/).
Use the following link as a template: http://gan.doubleclick.net/gan_click?lid=41000000024810251&pubid=[GAN_ID]&redirect=[ENCODED_REDIRECT_LINK]
Replace [ENCODED_REDIRECT_LINK] with the redirect link created in steps 1 and 2.
Replace [GAN_ID] with your Google Affiliate Network ID (a 17 digit number starting with 2100. It can be found in the lower-right corner of the screen when you are logged into the Google Affiliate Network).

What if I live outside the U.S.A.?

AbeBooks.com has affiliates who live all over the world. However, if you are targeting a primarily non-U.S. audience you may want to check out our other affiliate programs as well.

What if I am marketing to a non-U.S. audience?

AbeBooks has a variety of affiliate programs for our different marketplaces. Check out our other affiliate programs for the one that best suits your target audience.

If you are promoting in Canada using the Canadian landing page may help to increase conversions.

What if I have multiple web sites or domains?

You can register as many sites as you choose with us.