# ThriftBooks Scraper: Cheap Books, Sizing, Pricing & Stock (`getascraper/thriftbooks-scraper`) Actor Extract ThriftBooks.com catalog listings at super-fast speeds with 20+ columns including condition, pricing, and stock. Includes an automated block solver that works in the background. Stable design with easy downloads to Excel, CSV, and Google Sheets. $7.99 per 1,000 results. - **URL**: https://apify.com/getascraper/thriftbooks-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [GetAScraper](https://apify.com/getascraper) (community) - **Categories:** E-commerce, Automation - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: 5.00 out of 5 stars ## Pricing from $3.30 / 1,000 book records This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. - **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use). - **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`. - **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`. - **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`. - **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## 📚 ThriftBooks Scraper: Cheap books, conditions, pricing and inventory specs **Extract clean product listings and complete condition prices from ThriftBooks.com for any genre, keyword, or book list, with 20+ columns including formats, conditions, and stock.** Built for book dealers, collectors, price-comparison sites, and retail researchers who need real-world inventory details without manual copy-paste. Drop the data straight into n8n, Make, Zapier, Airtable, or Google Sheets. $7.99 per 1,000 results. ### 🔍 What does ThriftBooks Scraper do? ThriftBooks is the largest online independent used books seller, with millions of high-quality cheap titles. This Actor turns those public listing and search pages into clean, structured data you can analyze. Downloads up to 50 product listings per second (over 3,000 products per minute), pulling: - **Format & quality options**: Every paperback, hardcover, mass market, and board book variation. - **Pricing & condition details**: Detailed lists of available conditions (New, Like New, Very Good, Good, Acceptable) and their respective discount prices. - **Book specifications**: Original MSRP prices, publisher, publication year, page counts, star ratings, and ISBN codes. You can export everything as JSON, CSV, Excel, or HTML and load it into any spreadsheet, dashboard, or workflow tool. ### 💡 Why use ThriftBooks Scraper? Real inventory data is essential for competitive book dealing, pricing strategies, and catalog curation. ThriftBooks Scraper gives you the clean details automatically. - **Used book pricing strategies**: Track prices by format and condition in real time to spot profitable arbitrage or list-matching opportunities. - **Inventory monitoring**: Watch stock status (InStock, OutOfStock) to track the velocity of specific titles and authors. - **Price comparison sites**: Keep your listings and catalogs synchronized against ThriftBooks' large used books inventory. - **Academics and textbooks**: Find the most affordable textbooks and required course readings across multiple editions automatically. - **Rare book tracking**: Detect first editions, signed copies, or collectibles across the catalog on a schedule. ### 🚀 How to use ThriftBooks Scraper 1. Open the Actor in Apify Console and go to the **Input** tab. 2. Pick your filters: choose specific category genres (like `mystery-thriller-and-suspense`) and keywords (like `harry potter`), or paste direct book URLs. 3. Set your limit: choose the maximum total products you want to return. 4. Click **Start** and wait for the results. Most runs finish in under a minute. 5. Download your data as JSON, CSV, Excel, or HTML. Connect your account to n8n, Make, or Zapier for automated workflows. ### 📥 Input | Field | Type | Required | Description | |---|---|---|---| | `mode` | enum | Yes | How to browse: search by keyword, browse a category, or retrieve a specific book details page. | | `query` | string | No | Search keyword terms, title names, or authors (active in Search mode). | | `category` | enum | No | The book genre/category to browse (active in Category mode). | | `bookUrl` | string | No | Paste direct ThriftBooks book page links. | | `maxItems` | integer | Yes | Maximum number of products to return. | | `maxConcurrency` | integer | No | How many pages to download in parallel. | | `debugLogging` | boolean | No | Set to true to show detailed logging steps. | | `proxyConfiguration` | object | Yes | Automated proxy settings. Default uses residential proxies. | *** ### 📤 Output Each row in the dataset represents a single book variant. Here is a real-world example: ```json { "book_id": "249579", "url": "https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/harry-potter-and-the-chamber-of-secrets-by-jk-rowling/249579/", "scraped_at": "2026-06-19T10:31:04.414Z", "title": "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", "author": "J.K. Rowling", "publish_year": 1998, "publisher": "Scholastic", "page_count": 368, "language": "English", "format": "Paperback", "condition": "Good", "price": 4.39, "price_formatted": "$4.39", "lowest_price": 4.39, "price_new": 28.56, "price_likenew": 12.79, "price_verygood": 9.49, "price_good": 6.79, "price_acceptable": 4.39, "msrp": 17.99, "discount_percent": 76, "availability": "InStock", "isbn10": "0439064864", "isbn13": "9780439064866", "rating": 3.37, "review_count": 23, "image_url": "https://i.thriftbooks.com/api/imagehandler/m/81F48E44BF15719E1662C93AD9E71A644D9C1B2B.jpeg" } ``` ### 📊 Data table | Field | Type | Description | |---|---|---| | `book_id` | text | The product identification code. | | `url` | link | Direct link to the book page. | | `scraped_at` | date | The exact time this data was extracted. | | `title` | text | Full book title. | | `author` | text | Author or writer name. | | `category` | text | Genre or book category name. | | `description` | text | Full book summary copy. | | `publish_year` | integer | The year of publication. | | `publisher` | text | Publisher name. | | `page_count` | integer | Total page count. | | `format` | text | Format of the book edition (Paperback, Hardcover, Board Book). | | `condition` | text | Quality condition (New, Like New, Very Good, Good, Acceptable). | | `price` | number | Current active price in USD. | | `price_formatted` | text | Formatted price with the dollar sign. | | `msrp` | number | Original retail list price. | | `discount_percent` | number | Savings percentage off original list price. | | `availability` | text | Current stock status (InStock, OutOfStock). | | `rating` | number | Average star rating out of 5. | | `review_count` | number | Total number of customer reviews. | | `image_url` | image | Cover image link. | ### 💰 Pricing You pay only for product results successfully saved to your dataset. A typical run with 1,000 records costs exactly **$7.99** and finishes in 10 to 30 seconds. > 💰 **Cost-Saving Tip**: You can safely run this scraper on the lowest memory settings (512 MB or 1 GB) in your Apify settings. This is much cheaper to run than other tools on the market and will save you a lot of money! ### ⭐ Enjoying ThriftBooks Scraper?
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### ✨ Tips - **Start small**: Run a small query with 10 to 20 products first to verify the data shape matches your needs. - **Combine filters**: Search for specific keywords across different categories. The scraper automatically combines them to locate all products. - **Toggle proxy groups**: Use US residential proxies for maximum reliability during large catalog scans. ### ❓ FAQ, disclaimers, and support **Is scraping ThriftBooks legal?** This scraper retrieves publicly visible product information that is open to the public and search engines. You are responsible for ensuring your usage complies with local regulations and the target site's guidelines. Do not scrape private account details or pages behind a login screen. **Why do I need proxies?** The target site can use anti-bot screens to block automated visits. The scraper automatically manages rotating connections in the background to bypass these screens. No configuration is required. **What is the difference between price, sale\_price, and msrp?** - `price` is the current active price you pay. - `msrp` is the manufacturer suggested retail price (the original list price). - `discount_percent` is the calculation of your savings. **What if some fields are blank?** Some products do not have an original list price, reviews, or technical specifications. Optional fields are left blank, and the spreadsheet tables handle them gracefully. **Can I get a custom solution?** Open an issue in the Actor's Issues tab in Apify Console for feature requests, custom requirements, or integration help. ### 🔗 Other actors - [Woot Scraper](https://apify.com/getascraper/woot-scraper) ↗ - extracts flash-sale deal listings from Woot by Amazon. - [ShopGoodwill Scraper](https://apify.com/getascraper/shopgoodwill-scraper) ↗ - pulls active and sold charity auction listings. - [AuctionNinja Scraper](https://apify.com/getascraper/auctionninja-scraper) ↗ - collects estate sale and online auction listings. - [HiBid Scraper](https://apify.com/getascraper/hibid-scraper) ↗ - extracts real-time auction listings across categories. # Actor input Schema ## `mode` (type: `string`): Choose how to browse books: search by keyword, browse a category, or retrieve a specific book details page. ## `query` (type: `string`): Enter book titles, keyword terms, or author names (active in Search mode). ## `category` (type: `string`): Select the book genre to scrape (active in Category mode). ## `bookUrl` (type: `string`): Paste a direct ThriftBooks work/detail page link (active in URL mode). ## `maxItems` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of books to save before stopping. Lower numbers complete runs faster and cheaper. ## `maxConcurrency` (type: `integer`): How many pages the scraper visits simultaneously. Default of 3 is optimal and safe. ## `debugLogging` (type: `boolean`): Show system trace logs during scraper execution. ## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`): Proxies protect your scrapes from being blocked. Residential proxy is recommended. ## Actor input object example ```json { "mode": "searchBooks", "query": "harry potter", "category": "literature-and-fiction", "bookUrl": "https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone_j-k-rowling/245835/", "maxItems": 50, "maxConcurrency": 3, "debugLogging": false, "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [ "RESIDENTIAL" ] } } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `dataset` (type: `string`): No description # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "mode": "searchBooks", "query": "harry potter", "category": "literature-and-fiction", "bookUrl": "https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone_j-k-rowling/245835/", "maxItems": 50, "maxConcurrency": 3, "debugLogging": false, "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [ "RESIDENTIAL" ] } }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("getascraper/thriftbooks-scraper").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "mode": "searchBooks", "query": "harry potter", "category": "literature-and-fiction", "bookUrl": "https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone_j-k-rowling/245835/", "maxItems": 50, "maxConcurrency": 3, "debugLogging": False, "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": True, "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"], }, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("getascraper/thriftbooks-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}") for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "mode": "searchBooks", "query": "harry potter", "category": "literature-and-fiction", "bookUrl": "https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone_j-k-rowling/245835/", "maxItems": 50, "maxConcurrency": 3, "debugLogging": false, "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [ "RESIDENTIAL" ] } }' | apify call getascraper/thriftbooks-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "type": "http", "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,getascraper/thriftbooks-scraper" } } } ``` The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer ` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations). ## OpenAPI specification Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/EkG37M7An4Zz5DDlI/builds/hLKGjtxrkE8lvop8S/openapi.json