The world’s largest online retailer giant Amazon.com recently announced its plans to buy Victoria-based AbeBooks.com, a rare and out of print books specialist, for an unrevealed amount.

Though the financial details of the takeover remained sealed, Seattle-based Amazon said that the regulatory approvals subjected acquisition is expected to be completed during the fourth quarter this year.

Based in British Columbia, Canada, the privately held AbeBooks, which was founded 12 years back in 1996, features books from a number of independent sellers across the globe, said Amazon. The internet retailer sells above 110 million titles of rare, used and out-of-print books throughout the world.

In a statement, VP of books for Amazon.com, Russell Grandinetti said that AbeBooks brings added breadth and expanded selection to Amazon’s customers globally, as a leader in hard-to-find and rarely available books.

Grandinetti added that AbeBooks provides plethora of services to both sellers as well as customers, and hence Amazon looks forward to working with them to develop their business further. He said that the company is excited to present all of its customers with the widest choice of books available anywhere on Earth.

Back in the year 2002, the book firm started to trade some books via Amazon’s Marketplace program that allowed its 13,500 bookseller members, who pay subscription fee for ever month so as to list their inventory in the internet retailer’s catalog.

CEO of AbeBooks, Hannes Blum said that the agreement bridges connection between book lovers and book sellers from across the world, and also provides a great experience to both genres of customers. He also expressed excitement to join the Amazon family.

AbeBooks will continue to operate as a standalone function based in Victoria, British Columbia, as per Amazon.com. The company further said that AbeBooks will maintain all of its Web sites, which includes the ones Canada with Canadian content, like reviews of Canadian-authored books as well as interviews Canadian writers.

Hitherto, this acquisition is considered to be the third major takeover Amazon has made in the current year. Previously, it acquired digital book download Web site Audible for $300 million in the month of March. Moreover, in June, it acquired Georgia-based online fabric store Fabric.com, which further extends Amazon’s offerings in the booming hobby and craft market.