Search Web Services

Change Log

  • March 2025 — Updated accepted values for bookcondition. Updated currency parameter for supported payment currencies.
  • December 2024 — Updated sort order descriptions.
  • November 2024 — Added language parameter. Added Language to Short, Medium, and Long Book Record Formats.
  • June 2024 — Retired Subjects from Medium and Long Book Record Format returns. Field will be omitted from returned record.
  • January 2024 — Updated Vendor Image to N, Y, Y, Y
  • July 2023 — Updated Extra Book Ship Cost field to always return 0.0.
  • October 2019 — Added allvendorimageurls parameter.
  • December 2017 — Added pt (Product Type) parameter.
  • August 2015 — Added targetsite parameter. Added instructions for obtaining GZIP compressed results.
  • May 2015 — Updated formatting and layout. Added groupcode parameter and sortorder=20 (sort by relevance).

Introduction

AbeBooks is an online marketplace listing millions of new, used, rare and out-of-print books from thousands of sellers in over fifty countries worldwide. AbeBooks Search Web Services (SWS) puts real-time access to our inventory into your hands, allowing developers to build custom applications or re-create our search functionality on your own website. With millions of books in our database, including many international titles from our global seller base, you can promote books from all over the world, via any of our domains, using one simple process.

How it Works

Users can run search requests on various parameters such as ISBN, author, title, keyword, or publisher to obtain information about book prices, shipping prices, images, descriptions, and more. Users can also fine-tune their search results by applying filters such as new or used books, seller location, book condition and seller rating. Add affiliate network tracking to receive commission on sales you generate.

Getting Started

To gain access to Search Web Services, you must first join our Affiliate Program and then request a Client Key.

Step 1: Join Our Affiliate Program

AbeBooks SWS can only be used by members of our Affiliate Program, providing your users with the books they need, us with valuable traffic, and you with a great source of income. Up to 5% in commission can be earned. Find out more and join our Affiliate Program here: https://www.abebooks.com/books/AffiliateProgram/

Step 2: Request a Client Key

Once you have joined our Affiliate Program, please send an email to affiliate@abebooks.com containing the following information:

  1. The IP address you'll use to make the requests
  2. URL
  3. Email address
  4. Technical contact name
  5. Affiliate ID

We will evaluate your application and provide you with instructions for how to generate your Client Key.

Creating Search Requests

Each search request is a URL that contains request parameters. A typical search request looks like this:

https://search2.abebooks.com/search?clientkey=<your client key here>&title=things
  • https://search2.abebooks.com/search? — The URL where all search requests are performed.
  • clientkey=<your client key here> — Fill in your Client Key after the = sign. This tells our system that you are authorized to search our inventory. Note: the Client Key is case sensitive.
  • & — This sign separates the various parameters such as title, ISBN, author etc.
  • title= — This is a parameter name. Use this to tell our system which parameter to search. Note: parameter names are case sensitive.
  • things — This is a parameter value. Use this to tell our system which value to search.

Request Parameter Categories

  • Book Search Criteria (Primary and Secondary Parameters)
  • Output Value Parameters
  • Book Record Format
  • Sort Order