From High Street To High Tech: Oxfam To Sell Secondhand Books Online Via AbeBooks.co.uk

(Oxford England & Victoria BC, Canada, March 12, 2004)--Oxfam has become Europe's biggest secondhand book retailer and is now to begin selling books online at www.oxfam.org.uk/books through a partnership with AbeBooks, the world's largest online market place for secondhand, rare and out of print books.

Oxfam shops across the UK are now able to list their secondhand books online with AbeBooks and reach an international market of book buyers. "It's like opening a window onto the bookshelves of an Oxfam bookshop," explains Hannes Blum, AbeBooks Chief Executive Officer. "Now the millions of booklovers who visit AbeBooks each day, whether they're in Idaho or Iceland will be able to buy the books carried by Oxfam shops in the UK."

Donated books have become a strong revenue source for Oxfam's work in the fight against poverty and suffering. In 2002 Oxfam sold over 12 million books raising over £13 million pounds. In 2004 Oxfam aims to raise £250,000 from online book sales.

Murray Winters, Oxfam's Business Development Manager describes how the partnership came about: "Oxfam bookshop staff have been using AbeBooks to value and price books for several years, so it was a natural progression for us to start selling books online through them. Some collectible books have a high value in countries other than the UK so this partnership means we can get the best price for a book and therefore raise the most money for Oxfam's work."

Lily Caswell, manager of the Oxford Oxfam bookshop, one of the first to take part in online book selling, said: "We can sell books online through AbeBooks that wouldn't have a market on the high street. Typically this would be a specialist, rare or highly sought after book, which can command a higher price online than if sold in a high street store. For example we've had buyers from Korea, Australia and the US."

Oxfam bookshops join good company: over 2,000 quality booksellers in the UK list their books on AbeBooks, ranging from collectible dealers such as Bernard Shapiro Fine Books and Simon Finch Books in London, to smaller booksellers who sell books as a part-time hobby.

About AbeBooks
AbeBooks is the world's largest online marketplace for secondhand, rare, and out-of-print books with over 50 million books listed by over 12,000 booksellers. AbeBooks is a global company with sites dedicated to book buyers in North America (AbeBooks.com), the UK (AbeBooks.co.uk), France (AbeBooks.fr) and Germany (AbeBooks.de). Through strategic partnerships AbeBooks has become the most important virtual supplier of used books while expanding selling avenues for booksellers. AbeBooks strives to be the world's best book source where book buyers and sellers find books they want at prices they love.

About Oxfam
Oxfam GB is a development, relief, and campaigning organisation dedicated to finding lasting solutions to poverty and suffering around the world. More information at www.oxfam.org.uk Oxfam's Trading Division has grown to be the largest charity network in the country, with over 750 shops, including 60 specialist bookshops. Oxfam is Europe's biggest retailer of second-hand books.

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Contacts
Richard Davies, PR & Publicity Mgr., AbeBooks.com
Ph: 250-412-3238
rdavies@abebooks.com

Katie Abbotts, Oxfam Media Unit Tel: + 44 1865 312334
E-Mail: kabbotts@oxfam.org.uk