# Barnes & Noble Scraper (`crawlerbros/barnes-noble-scraper`) Actor

Scrape Barnes & Noble for books, eBooks, and toys. Search by keyword, browse bestseller lists, or fetch individual product pages. Returns title, author, price, rating, ISBN, description, and more.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/crawlerbros/barnes-noble-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Crawler Bros](https://apify.com/crawlerbros) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation, E-commerce, Developer tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $3.00 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#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

## Barnes & Noble Scraper

Scrape **barnesandnoble.com** — the largest US brick-and-mortar bookseller — for books, eBooks, audiobooks, and toys. Search by keyword, browse bestseller lists by category, or fetch specific product pages by URL, with price, rating, availability, and format filters. No login or API key required.

### What this actor does

- **Three modes:** `search` (keyword search), `bestsellers` (top-selling books by category), `byUrl` (specific product/listing pages)
- **22 bestseller categories:** fiction, nonfiction, mystery/crime/thriller, sci-fi/fantasy, romance, young adult, children's, ebooks, audiobooks, toys & games, and more
- **Filters:** language, age range, product format, minimum rating, price range, in-stock only
- **Sort order:** relevance, bestsellers, newest/oldest, price low-to-high/high-to-low, title A-Z
- **Empty fields are omitted** — only fields that could be reliably extracted are included in each record

### Output per product

- `title` — full product title
- `url` — canonical product URL
- `ean` — EAN-13 product identifier
- `isbn13`, `isbn10` — ISBN identifiers (books/eBooks)
- `author` — author(s) name(s)
- `publisher`, `publishDate`
- `format` — Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook, Toy, etc.
- `availableFormats[]` — all formats/editions this title is offered in (`mode=byUrl` only)
- `price`, `originalPrice`, `discountPercent`
- `rating`, `reviewCount`
- `pageCount`
- `genre`, `subgenre` — primary/secondary category (`mode=byUrl` only)
- `availability` — In Stock, Out of Stock, Preorder, Backordered, Discontinued, etc.
- `narrator` — narrator name(s), audiobooks only
- `series` — book series name, when part of one (`mode=byUrl` only)
- `ageRange` — recommended reader age range, e.g. "8 - 18 years" (`mode=byUrl` only)
- `productDimensions` — physical product dimensions, w × h × d in inches (`mode=byUrl` only)
- `language` — edition language, when other than English (`mode=byUrl` only)
- `imageUrl` — product cover/image URL
- `description` — product description/synopsis
- `scrapedAt` — ISO 8601 timestamp of scrape

> `series`, `ageRange`, `productDimensions`, `language`, `genre`, `subgenre`, and `availableFormats` are sourced from the product page itself and are only populated in `mode=byUrl` — search and bestseller listing cards don't carry this level of detail.

### Input

| Field | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `mode` | string | `bestsellers` | `search` / `bestsellers` / `byUrl` |
| `searchQuery` | string | – | Keyword query (mode=search), e.g. `"stephen king"` |
| `startUrls` | array | – | barnesandnoble.com product or category URLs (mode=byUrl) |
| `bestsellerCategory` | string | `books` | Category to browse (mode=bestsellers) — e.g. `fiction`, `romance`, `ebooks`, `audiobooks`, `toys-games` |
| `sortBy` | string | `relevance` | Result order: `relevance`, `bestsellers`, `newest`, `oldest`, `priceLowToHigh`, `priceHighToLow`, `titleAZ` (applies to search/bestsellers) |
| `language` | string | `all` | Edition language facet, e.g. `english`, `spanish`, `french` (mode=search only) |
| `ageRange` | string | `all` | Recommended reader age facet: `0-2`, `3-5`, `6-8`, `9-12`, `teens` (mode=search only) |
| `productFormat` | string | `all` | Format filter: `hardcover`, `paperback`, `ebook`, `audiobook`, `toy`, `largePrint`, `signed`, `boardBook`, `bnExclusive` |
| `minRating` | number | – | Only emit products rated at or above this value (1–5) |
| `minPrice` | number | – | Only emit products priced at or above this amount (USD) |
| `maxPrice` | number | – | Only emit products priced at or below this amount (USD) |
| `inStockOnly` | boolean | `false` | Only emit products currently marked "In Stock" |
| `maxItems` | integer | `20` | Maximum number of products to return (1–500) |

#### Example: browse bestselling fiction

```json
{
  "mode": "bestsellers",
  "bestsellerCategory": "fiction",
  "maxItems": 20
}
```

#### Example: keyword search with filters

```json
{
  "mode": "search",
  "searchQuery": "stephen king",
  "productFormat": "hardcover",
  "minRating": 4,
  "inStockOnly": true,
  "maxItems": 50
}
```

#### Example: fetch specific product pages

```json
{
  "mode": "byUrl",
  "startUrls": [
    "https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-great-gatsby-f-scott-fitzgerald/1116668135?ean=9780743273565"
  ]
}
```

#### Example: audiobooks sorted by price

```json
{
  "mode": "bestsellers",
  "bestsellerCategory": "audiobooks",
  "sortBy": "priceLowToHigh",
  "maxPrice": 25,
  "maxItems": 30
}
```

### Use cases

- **Market research** — track bestseller rankings and pricing trends across genres
- **Price monitoring** — compare current vs. list price and discount percentage over time
- **Catalog enrichment** — bulk-fetch ISBNs, formats, and availability for a list of product URLs
- **Competitive intelligence** — monitor a competing bookseller's inventory, formats, and stock status
- **Recommendation engines** — feed genre, subgenre, and series data into a book recommender
- **Content curation** — build themed lists (age range, language, format) for newsletters or storefronts

### FAQ

**Does it require login or an API key?**
No. All scraped data is publicly accessible without an account.

**How current is the data?**
Data is fetched in real time when the actor runs.

**Does it return prices and ratings?**
Yes — current price, original list price, discount percentage, star rating, and review count, when available.

**Are eBooks and NOOK books included?**
Yes — filter to them with `productFormat: "ebook"`, or browse the `ebooks` bestseller category.

**Can I scrape a specific book page?**
Yes — use `mode: "byUrl"` with the direct barnesandnoble.com product URL.

**Does it show stock availability?**
Yes — the `availability` field reports In Stock, Out of Stock, Preorder, Backordered, etc., based on Barnes & Noble's own listing data. Use `inStockOnly: true` to filter to in-stock items only.

**Does it include the audiobook narrator?**
Yes, when available — the `narrator` field is populated for audiobook editions.

**Why might some fields be missing from a record?**
Barnes & Noble does not display every field for every product, and some fields (series, age range, dimensions, genre) are only present on the full product page, so they only appear in `mode=byUrl` results. The actor only includes fields it can reliably extract — no empty or placeholder values are emitted.

**Is this affiliated with Barnes & Noble?**
No, this is an independent third-party actor that reads publicly available pages on barnesandnoble.com.

# Actor input Schema

## `mode` (type: `string`):

What to fetch from Barnes & Noble.

## `searchQuery` (type: `string`):

Keyword search query, e.g. 'harry potter' or 'stephen king'.

## `startUrls` (type: `array`):

One or more barnesandnoble.com product or category URLs.

## `bestsellerCategory` (type: `string`):

Category of bestsellers to browse.

## `sortBy` (type: `string`):

Order in which results are returned by barnesandnoble.com (applies to search and bestseller/category listings).

## `language` (type: `string`):

Filter search results to a specific edition language, using barnesandnoble.com's own "Language" facet. Only applies to mode=search — the site does not expose this facet on bestseller/category listing pages.

## `ageRange` (type: `string`):

Filter search results to a specific recommended reader age range, using barnesandnoble.com's own "Age" facet. Only applies to mode=search — the site does not expose this facet on bestseller/category listing pages.

## `productFormat` (type: `string`):

Filter results to a specific product format.

## `minRating` (type: `number`):

Only emit products with rating >= this value (1–5).

## `minPrice` (type: `number`):

Only emit products priced at or above this amount (current sale price, USD). Products with an undetermined price are still included.

## `maxPrice` (type: `number`):

Only emit products priced at or below this amount (current sale price, USD). Products with an undetermined price are still included.

## `inStockOnly` (type: `boolean`):

Only emit products currently marked "In Stock" by barnesandnoble.com. Products where stock status could not be determined are still included.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of products to return.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "mode": "bestsellers",
  "startUrls": [],
  "bestsellerCategory": "books",
  "sortBy": "relevance",
  "language": "all",
  "ageRange": "all",
  "productFormat": "all",
  "inStockOnly": false,
  "maxItems": 20
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `products` (type: `string`):

Dataset containing all scraped product records.

# 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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "mode": "bestsellers",
    "startUrls": [],
    "bestsellerCategory": "books",
    "sortBy": "relevance",
    "language": "all",
    "ageRange": "all",
    "productFormat": "all",
    "inStockOnly": false,
    "maxItems": 20
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("crawlerbros/barnes-noble-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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "mode": "bestsellers",
    "startUrls": [],
    "bestsellerCategory": "books",
    "sortBy": "relevance",
    "language": "all",
    "ageRange": "all",
    "productFormat": "all",
    "inStockOnly": False,
    "maxItems": 20,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("crawlerbros/barnes-noble-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": "bestsellers",
  "startUrls": [],
  "bestsellerCategory": "books",
  "sortBy": "relevance",
  "language": "all",
  "ageRange": "all",
  "productFormat": "all",
  "inStockOnly": false,
  "maxItems": 20
}' |
apify call crawlerbros/barnes-noble-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,crawlerbros/barnes-noble-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 <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` 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/KYRzHiC9SdQ03OukH/builds/MYXgzTEtdTady2Lta/openapi.json