News Release: October 8, 2003

ABEBOOKS LAUNCHES ONLINE FORUMS WHERE BOOKLOVERS CHAT AND LOCATE LONG LOST BOOKS

New online discussion boards at AbeBooks lets booklovers and booksellers chat and help each other find long lost books

(Victoria, BC, October 8, 2003) -- AbeBooks, the world's largest online marketplace for used, rare and out-of-print books, recently launched a new Community Forum area on their English-language websites-AbeBooks.com and AbeBooks.co.uk-to make it possible for booklovers to discuss book collecting and help each other find long lost books.

Hannes Blum, AbeBooks President explains: "We created these forums so our community of book buyers and sellers can interact online. The participation has exceeded our expectations - in two weeks we have seen incredible activity. Our community is very close, and we are pleased to provide a place for our passionate customers to communicate."

The 12,000 booksellers that list books on AbeBooks can now chat and share selling ideas in their own private Bookseller Forum. They can also share their knowledge of books with people who visit the public Community Forum. The Community Forum is open to any AbeBooks user, and includes recent discussions on "What fictional place would you like to visit?" "What book-character would you like to marry" and "Are all book lovers cat lovers?"

A third forum was created to handle the three hundred BookSleuth queries that AbeBooks receives each day. (This process was previously handled manually.) These queries from people who have forgotten the title or author of a book are posted in a special BookSleuth Forum where booklovers from around the world solve them. BookSleuth participants explain: "I love the new forums, now I can thank folks who help me find childhood books in England." "BookSleuth-there's nothing like it. People helping each other find books. Unbelievably addictive." "The mere suggestion of going a week without BookSleuth has just left me cold, sweaty, and shaking."

About AbeBooks
AbeBooks is the online source for used, rare, and out-of-print books with over 45 million books listed by 12,000 booksellers. AbeBooks connects those who buy books with those who sell books, providing abundant selection at affordable prices. AbeBooks is a global company with websites dedicated to bookbuyers in North America (AbeBooks.com), the UK (AbeBooks.co.uk), France (AbeBooks.fr), and Germany (AbeBooks.de). Through strategic partnerships with Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and eBay/Half.com, AbeBooks has become the most important virtual supplier of used books while expanding sales avenues for booksellers.

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