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Images from Early Online bookselling

We received information about BookQuest in 1988, when we had our shop in Littleton, NH. At the time we were relatively new to bookselling, and although we did have a computer the thought of actually selling online was a bit challenging, not the least to say expensive. So we did not save any of the early brochures, or at least if we did, I haven't stumbled across them yet.

(Click on the lower right corner to expand these images)

We purchased BookMaster 3 in February 1991, and after moving down to Virginia in September, 1991 and opening up our shop in October we got introduced to BookBytes: http://www.booktrakker.com/Wayback/BookBytes1.jpg

We joined up immediately, and started selling within a few days. We did so well that when Karen asked for a testimonial we were more than willing to give one: http://www.booktrakker.com/Wayback/BookBytes2.jpg

In between BookBytes and Interloc I did technical support for Tom Sawyer's BookMaster program. This must have been how I came to the attention of Richard Weatherford.

Dick sent out a couple of letters to the dealers in 1993:

http://www.booktrakker.com/Wayback/Interloc1.jpg

http://www.booktrakker.com/Wayback/Interloc2.jpg

In September 1993, I received a phone call from Richard Weatherford about doing beta testing of the new Interloc service he and Tom Sawyer were planning on launching. I agreed to become a beta tester: http://www.booktrakker.com/Wayback/InterlocBeta.jpg

Interloc announced Interloc in January 1994, and started a monthly newsletter as well:

http://www.booktrakker.com/Wayback/InterlocNews.jpg

Interloc launched in mid-March, 1994. We were the second dealer to formally list our stock, and Dick sent us an email: http://www.booktrakker.com/Wayback/InterlocMsg.jpg

And another one to tell us how much we were going to have to spend to continue listing on Interloc: http://www.booktrakker.com/Wayback/InterlocCost.jpg

Interloc was not cheap. Especially if you spent a lot of time connected to it. Which is why I volunteered to not only contact new users but to do support for the East Coast users. I did that for a couple of years, in exchange for my time online with Interloc.
http://www.booktrakker.com/Wayback/ColdCalling.jpg

Some of these booksellers might remember me calling them up to expound on the benefits of Interloc.

Version 1 of the Interloc operator's manual:

http://www.booktrakker.com/Wayback/InterlocV1.jpg

And finally, an abbreviated Status report with a list of dealers who volunteered to do support, dealer names deleted: http://www.booktrakker.com/Wayback/InterlocStatus.jpg

Sixteen dealers volunteered their time to promote and explain the new Interloc online listing system.

Here are a couple of failures from the 90's:

They should have owned the market, but could not make the transition from paper to bytes:

http://www.booktrakker.com/Wayback/AB.jpg

Then the most spectacular failure of all, which contributed to the development of BookTrakker. Thank you, Richard!

http://www.booktrakker.com/Wayback/ByeBye.jpg

We started development of BookTrakker in January, 1996 when we found out from Interloc that their new Bookmate program was going to have fewer features than the BookMaster or Record Manager program currently in use:

BookMaster III February 5 1996

BookMaster III Professional is by far the most popular computer program for out-of-print booksellers, book stores, collectors, and people working in other fields, such as stamps, coins, antiques, maps, and prints. More than 1000 copies have been sold since the program first was released by TAS Software in 1986.

Interloc purchased BookMaster III in late 1994 in order to provide long-term support and development for BookMaster III. At the present time, the software is being revised and a Windows version (Bookmate) is also being planned.

Pricing: $345.00. This price includes a subscription to Interloc at no extra cost and includes shipping in the US. (Shipping outside the US is extra.) BookMaster III is available for purchase through Interloc, Inc.