Alibris Improves New and Used Textbook Sales for Sellers and Savings for Shoppers

Online Book, Music, and Movie Marketplace Helps Back-to-School
Students Avoid the Traditionally High Prices of College Textbooks,
High School Texts, and Homeschool Books
EMERYVILLE, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
Alibris, the premier online marketplace for new and used books,
CDs, and DVDs, announced today the launch of new Web site features
that make it easier to find and save on new and used textbooks,
recognizing that the sluggish economy and exorbitant textbook prices
are especially hard on students and parents. The launch of the site
enhancements resonated with consumers and resulted in a dramatic
increase in textbook sales, reported the marketplace for independent
book, music, and movie sellers.

Part of a strategic plan to build on record-setting back-to-school
sales in January, 2008, Alibris's new features aid textbook buyers in
their search for more affordable textbooks at a time when education
expenses are at an all-time high and rising gas and food prices are
forcing consumers to make the most of every dollar. The average
student spends USD 900 on textbooks each year, according to the
College Board's "Trends in College Pricing 2007" and "Trends in
Student Aid 2007" reports. "When you're enrolled in a four-year public
college and siphoning 17.5% of your tuition and fees into textbook
costs, you're eager to stop wasting money," said Brian Elliott,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Alibris. "We were eager to
help students do just that."

Alibris (www.alibris.com) premiered the following enhancements on
their parent Web site as well as on Alibris U.K. (www.alibris.co.uk)
and Borders Marketplace (which they host in partnership with
Borders.com):

-- Multiple-ISBN search boxes: Students and other customers can
now search Alibris's 90 million new and used books for up to
25 ISBNs at a single time. This ability gives shoppers a quick
and easy way to seamlessly locate books by groupings that are
convenient to them--for instance, all textbooks listed on the
syllabus for a particular course.

-- Best-price bundles: The results of multi-ISBN searches are
grouped by Alibris's powerful search engine into bundles
comprising the most economical combination of available items,
consolidating shipping where multiple items are available from
the same independent seller. Shoppers are then able to add all
or part of a bundle to their shopping cart, saving valuable
time and money.

-- Suite of school-specific information pages: Students,
educators, parents, and others are now provided with Web pages
focused on the type of education that interests them most:
college, high school, middle school, elementary school, and
homeshool. The new pages contain recommended books, shopping
tips, and helpful answers to educational questions.

-- Textbook tips: With the goal of improving each back-to-school
shopper's experience from beginning to when their books are
delivered, a prominent section featuring helpful tips now
follows shoppers throughout Alibris, from the homepage to
their search results and then into their shopping cart.

Interested parties may experience these new features, beginning
with the school-specific information pages, by visiting
http://www.alibris.com/books/textbooks.

"We're thrilled that we have been able to enhance our Web sites in
a way that benefits the sellers on our online marketplace with
increased sales," said Elliott. "And, at the same time, we're able to
make customers happier with a better overall shopping experience and
savings on new and used textbooks of up to 90% over campus bookstore
prices." The improvements seem to be a resounding success among
back-to-school shoppers seeking relief from high textbook prices.

About Alibris

Alibris is the premiere online destination for new and used books,
music items, and movies, as well as rare and out-of-print titles. We
connect people who love books, music, and movies to the best
independent sellers from 45 countries around the world. Our
proprietary technology and advanced logistics allow us to offer more
than 90 million used, new, and out-of-print titles to consumers,
libraries, and retailers, which include Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble,
Books-A-Million, Borders, Chapters/Indigo, and Half.com. Founded in
1998 and acquired by Oak Hill Capital Partners in 2006, Alibris was
named a "Fast 50" and a "Technology Fast 500" growth business by
Deloitte in 2005. Alibris is a registered trademark.

Alibris
Cara Holbrook, Communications Manager, 510-594-4552
Fax: 510-550-6051
or
Media inquires
pr@alibris.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008