I've known for years that there is a plethora of great books from Britain that either never reach the US market or do so long after are published and available for sale in Canada. I recognized here was a unique method to bring the best first editions of British non-fiction and fiction, and offer them to US readers. There was much more than offering fast low cost delivery from Canada, compared to air or sea post from Britain. I had a sense we could do something unique. The major US publishers like MacMillan, Prentice, Bantam etc., give excellent information, but usually refer you to their retailers for purchase arrangements.
Prices are generally 'full retail'.
The 'zillion titles' sites, while offering extraordinary choice, are rather boring. The buyer needs most or all the information about his desired book, before running a search to see if it is available. In all cases, these bookstores have actual retail locations from which they sell, and in varying degrees offer distant web-customers the opportunity of buying through cyberspace. My site has become the outgrowth of that first perusal in December '94. Now, the hardest part - how to bring our better mousetrap into the market.