ThriftBooks

ThriftBooks, founded in 2003 in Seattle, Washington, is the world's largest online independent used-book seller. The company buys, grades, lists and distributes used and collectible books through its own ecommerce platform and through third-party marketplace partnerships. It began with one storage unit and a single Amazon listing - the sale of E. B. White's "Charlotte's Web" - and now offers millions of titles at everyday low prices, including rare and out-of-print books.

The business runs on a combination of traditional buying expertise and technology. Its technical work spans automation, advanced analytics, ecommerce technology and quality grading systems that assess book condition individually. Tens of thousands of books move each day across multiple processing and fulfilment centres in the United States. Alongside its retail platform, the company operates the ReadingRewards loyalty programme and sells through marketplace partners.

ThriftBooks describes its mission as making books more accessible and affordable, with a sustainability emphasis on redirecting usable books from landfill and extending the useful life of physical volumes. It partners with schools and libraries to widen access to literature and offers employees free-book opportunities.