Each month AbeBooks promotes a group of sellers who have discounted their inventory. These sellers are promoted via a Sale page on our site, as well as through email, and other online marketing methods.

Our monthly sales last for a maximum of 27 days, usually beginning in the first week of the month. The exact start and end dates are dependent on weekends and holidays.

Participating sellers must be prepared to discount their entire inventory by at least 10%. Any type of seller can participate in a sale but sellers with a rating of 4-stars, their own images, and at least 1,000 listings for sale on AbeBooks are preferred.

Sellers are eligible to participate in up to three sale months per calendar year, so long as the months are not consecutive.

Sales are planned in advance and work on a first come, first serve basis. If you are interested in participating in a sale, please send an email to sales@abebooks.com

How will participating in a sale help me improve my sales?

1. Sales are promoted to hundreds of thousands of AbeBooks customers every month.
2. The Sale page promotes all on sale sellers with a link to their storefront.
3. The Sale page has a search box that allows customers to search exclusively for items that are on sale.
4. Sellers with their listings on sale have each of their items advertised with an ‘on sale’ sticker on the listing image and a ‘was’ price.

Can any seller offer a sale?

Any seller who has sold with AbeBooks for more than 6 months can participate. It is preferred if you have a rating of at least 4 stars and at least 1,000 listings on AbeBooks.

Can I choose to have just part of my inventory on sale?

All items listed on AbeBooks must be discounted. If you have items that you don’t wish to discount, you may choose to remove the listings from your online inventory for the duration of the sale.

Why are sales a maximum of 27 days?

Legally, sales may only last for a maximum of 27 days. However, some sale months are shorter due to scheduling complexities.

Why can’t I have a sale in consecutive months?

Legally, we cannot promote a seller’s inventory over consecutive months. Once a sale is over, sellers must return their online inventory to regular prices.

Why can I only have three sales per calendar year?

We allow a seller to stage three sales in a calendar year in order to ensure the Sales Program features a diverse range of sellers and items.

Am I able to upload new listings and update existing listings during a sale?

This will depend on your inventory management system. Please contact sales@abebooks.com to inquire about your specific inventory management system.

When a buyer views my individual listings, will they display as ‘on sale’?

Yes, buyers will see an ‘on sale’ savings sticker on the listing image and a ‘was’ price of the item.

What do I have to do at the beginning of a sale and at the end of a sale?

The process depends on your inventory management system. Email communications will be sent prior to the start of each sale and at the end of each sale that outline the instructions for your inventory management system. If you have any questions or require assistance, please email sales@abebooks.com.

Are there other ways to improve sales, in addition to participating in a sale?

Providing a detailed listing description and seller supplied photos are great ways to improve sales. Please take a look at this page for additional strategies.