7.1 ONLINE BOOK-LISTING MARKETPLACES
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Before uploading to a new online marketplace, you must notify them of BookHound's
upload file structure (Amazon is the exception — no notification needed).
To get the notification email content:
1. Go to Preferences > Web screen
2. Click the blue COPY link at top right
3. Paste the copied content into an email to your marketplace
4. Wait for confirmation before uploading your first file
Supported marketplaces include: Biblio.com, Antique Book, TomFolio, ABAA/ILAB,
Alibris, Advanced Book Exchange, Amazon Marketplace, and others.
7.2 UNDERSTANDING UPLOAD FILES
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BookHound creates tab-delimited text files containing:
- Newly entered stock (items not yet uploaded, with qty > 0)
- Recently sold stock (items to be removed from online listings)
You can create up to four upload files:
- a-books.txt (for most services: Biblio.com, Alibris, ABE, TomFolio, etc.)
- b-books.txt (optional; useful for price-adjusted listings for specific services)
- c-books.txt (optional; another price-adjusted variant)
- amz.txt (Amazon Marketplace — special format, separate from the others)
Most users only need the a-books file and, if applicable, the amz file.
All upload files are saved automatically in the "my_uploads" folder inside your
BookHound 8 folder. DO NOT MOVE OR RENAME THIS FOLDER.
HOW ITEMS ARE QUEUED:
- Every new item defaults to "yes" in its OK TO UPLOAD? field — automatically
queued for the next upload
- Items sold (via invoice or qty changed to 0) are automatically queued for removal
- Edited items: click RESEND THIS ITEM to re-queue them
CHANGING DEFAULTS:
- Go to Preferences > Web to set the default OK TO UPLOAD? value (yes/no) for all
new items across each of the four upload files
- Change individual items via the WEB button in the item's Sub Navigation Bar
IMPORTANT: Do NOT set an item to "No" after it has been sold. The removal record
needs to reach your marketplace so it can be delisted. Set to "No" only when you
never want the item uploaded in the first place.
Note: Items without titles or prices are never uploaded regardless of settings.
7.3 CREATING UPLOAD FILES
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1. From the home screen, click the blue UPLOADS button at bottom left
2. On the uploads screen, click the "create a-books-1.txt" button (or whichever
file you need)
3. A message confirms the file has been created and saved in "my_uploads"
The button name increments automatically with each new upload file created
(e.g., a-books-1.txt, a-books-2.txt, a-books-3.txt…).
7.4 UPLOADING YOUR FILE(S)
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Each online service has its own upload method — consult the Members section of
the marketplace website or the instructions emailed when you registered.
General process:
1. Log in to your online listing account
2. Use their upload/browse tool to locate your file in the "my_uploads" folder
3. Follow the service's upload directions
After upload:
- New items are added to your online listings
- Sold items are removed
- Re-sent items replace the existing record with the same ID number
7.5 PURGING YOUR ONLINE LISTINGS
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A "purge" creates an upload file containing ALL in-stock inventory with OK TO
UPLOAD? set to "Yes" — regardless of prior upload history.
Use a purge when you need to rebuild your online inventory from scratch.
Steps:
1. On the uploads screen, check the PURGE? box for the desired upload file
2. Click the corresponding "create a-books-1.txt" button
3. A message confirms the purge file is saved in "my_uploads"
4. Use your online service's PURGE function before uploading the file
Recommendation: A purge is useful every 6 months or so to ensure accuracy across
multiple listing services. It is NOT recommended as a routine procedure for large
inventories.
7.6 MANAGING AMAZON UPLOADS
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Amazon requires its own upload file (amz) with special Amazon-only fields.
- Most Amazon-specific fields are pre-set from Preferences > Web
- Edit fields for individual items via the WEB button in the Sub Navigation Bar
To prevent international shipping on an item:
Change the "will ship internationally" field from "Yes" to "No"
To upload to Amazon:
1. The amz file is saved in "my_uploads" just like other upload files
2. Log in to your Amazon Seller Account page and use the Amazon upload tool
3. Select "Standard Book Loader" in the "Select Your File Type" field
(IMPORTANT: if you don't select Standard Book Loader, the file will not load)
4. Follow Amazon's instructions for uploading multiple items
Note: No advance notification to Amazon is needed — their system automatically
understands BookHound's AMZ upload file format.
7.7 UPLOADING SELECTED ITEMS
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To override BookHound's automatic queue and upload only specific items:
1. Use BookHound's search screen to find the desired items
2. View them in the inventory list screen
3. Choose Records > Uploads > From Current List from the menu
4. Select the desired upload file name (a-books, b-books, c-books, or amz)
5. BookHound creates the upload file in "my_uploads"
6. Log in to your online account and upload the file
Note: Regular records already queued for upload are unaffected by this process
and will be included in the next normal upload as scheduled.