Yes, Print-Only Book Platforms Still Exist (And Most Writers Don’t Know About Them)

Question:

Are there platforms that only focus on selling print books and not on selling ebooks? 

Answer:

Yes — there are online platforms that focus mainly or exclusively on selling print books (physical copies), rather than e-books. These sites are especially common in the used/rare book market or among independent book marketplaces. Here are some well-known examples:

🧾 Print-Focused Book Marketplaces

These platforms list physical books (new, used, rare) and don’t emphasize e-books as part of their core offerings:

1. Alibris
Focus: Marketplace for new, used, rare & out-of-print physical books sold by individual sellers and bookstores. (Alibris)

2. Biblio
Focus: Independent international marketplace specializing in used, rare, collectible, and out-of-print books — primarily physical copies. (Wikipedia)

3. AbeBooks (via Amazon)
Focus: Large global marketplace specializing in used, rare, and out-of-print physical books (booksellers list their inventories — mainly print copies). It’s not a big e-book marketplace. (Wikipedia)

4. Rare Book Hub
Focus: Marketplace and information portal centered on rare, antiquarian, and collectible print books and related materials (not e-books). (Wikipedia)

📚 Independent Print-Only / Print-First Retailers

Bookshop.org originally launched only for physical books as an ethical alternative to large online retailers (only print; no e-books initially) — though it recently expanded to include e-books via new features. (The Guardian) So today it still promotes physical books but no longer strictly excludes digital editions.

🧑‍💼 Print Distribution/Print-On-Demand Services (not ebook marketplaces)

These aren’t marketplaces in the traditional sense but are platforms that produce and distribute physical books for authors — without a necessary e-book component (unless the author chooses it):

• IngramSpark – Excellent print-on-demand and global print distribution service (authors can choose only print distribution if desired). (PublishingState.com)

• Lulu – Self-publishing and print-on-demand service that can be used strictly for print books. (Common choice for authors who don’t want to sell e-books.) (The Self-Publishing Advice Center)

🛍️ Online Marketplaces That Can Sell Print Books

These aren’t print-only, but many sellers use them primarily for physical books:

• eBay – Very popular place to sell used/collectible physical books. (Stopie)

• Etsy – Sellers list vintage and out-of-print physical books (not an ebook platform). (academicinsightpublishingllc.com)

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📌 Notes

• Most major book retailers (like Amazon or Barnes & Noble) sell both print books and e-books.

• Pure e-book platforms (e.g., Kindle Store, Apple Books) are the opposite — they don’t focus on print.

• A few author self-publishing services let you list only a print edition if you choose, but the platform itself supports digital formats too if you want them. (The Self-Publishing Advice Center)

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