posted on April 8, 2001 06:43:19 AM
The 24 auctions I mentioned in last week’s post about used bookstores have now closed. The books in these auctions were purchased at two stores one afternoon several weeks ago for a total of $60.34–an average of $2.41 per book--and were listed at starting bids of $9.99 each. Of the 24 items 21 closed with bids. The three that didn’t will be relisted (because I believe they will sell in time). Also, as an experiment, I had listed a book that ordinarily I would’ve tossed aside as a dog. Similar copies hadn’t sold at all (with one exception, and that one had sold for two or three dollars, I think) on eBay in the last month. For some mystifying reason my copy sold for $9.99. The buyer was fairly new to eBay, so I’m not ready to assume it was my “stunning” presentation that won the day, though I did take pains to include multiple images and emphasize what I felt were the collectible features of this title. The hits total was a respectable 56, higher than any other comparable I was able to locate. Anyway, the grand total came to $567.39--an average of $27.02 per book. The highest closing bid was over $100..
Frequently on these message boards I see booksellers lamenting the fact that they can’t find quality books to resell online. My contention (and I base this on months and months of experience) is that you can exploit used bookstores for buying at least part of your inventory. The trick, of course, is to recognize that eBay is a different market than brick & mortars and in some respects different from online book sources listed at ABE, Bibliofind, etc. Once you identify the differences, a whole new resource opens up. In the same thread I posted in last week, I also listed a few tips on what to look for. I’d now like to invite anyone else who’s had similar successes to contribute additional ideas, the more specific the better. Maybe we can make ourselves stronger in the process. It seems to me that far too many posts here exude a kind of negative energy that in the end is more destructive than otherwise. Thanks, Craig.
Excellent post. I am still learning the ropes of book selling on ebay.
I recently bought approximately 100 books for $4.00 at a used book store that was closing. I have only listed a few so far. The most successful was one that ended at $32.00. I figured not bad for less than a nickel investment. This was a 1975 reprint of a 1925 book about Ireland and it was in excellent condition.
By checking completed sales, I can see that some of the titles I bought are duds. But I don't think I was super selective when picking them out just because they were so inexpensive.
[ edited by mapledr1216 on Apr 8, 2001 07:00 AM ]
posted on April 8, 2001 07:20:42 AM
I’m a bit new to book selling although I sell hundreds of books a week on half.com. I just started around Thanksgiving. I’m kind of learning as I go. Identifying authors and titles that sell and trying to locate the ones that bring in the “better money”.
For the first time last week I decided to try selling a few books on eBay. One was a coffee table book that sells at Tony Bennett concerts for $35.00. Two were audio books and one was The Complete Sherlock Holmes 2 HB Volumes.
To my amazement (only because I have not listed books on eBay before) all my books sold. The coffee table book sold for $20.51 the audio books both went for more than $15.00 each and the two-volume set of Sherlock Holmes books sold for $25.00.
All these books were purchased at a used book store for almost nothing. I didn’t think eBay would bring anything for them since the so-called professional store had such low prices I figured they couldn’t be worth anything. The audio books were in a basket marked $1.00 each. The coffee table book was in a section of books that were on sale and I picked up it up for $3.00 and the two-volume Sherlock Holmes set for $5.00. If I had listed these books on Half.com I might have made a little money or broken even.
I just listed another book on the History of Smith & Wesson. I don’t know why I picked that one other than I bought it at a yard sale for .50 it is currently at $13.03.
So Craig is correct. You can buy from bookstores and re-sell them on eBay. You just have to know what books bring in the money and I guess unless someone is courageous enough to know there is plenty of business to be had by all and offer a list of titles and authors you just have to learn for yourself as I am doing. Taking it a book at a time and do some homework. I’m going to start looking for the titles and authors that have sold like the ones recently on eBay and before I list on Half.com I’m going to check other auction venues.
Bottom line is I won’t be afraid to buy from the so-called professional’s at a bookstore thinking they know their prices and I can’t re-sell books when purchased there. I can because as Craig said “The trick, of course, is to recognize that eBay is a different market than brick & mortars and in some respects different from online book sources".
posted on April 8, 2001 07:54:37 AM
MAPLEDR1216: I’d be interested to know if the reprint was a facsimile edition–in other words, if it was a near duplication of the original in form. The reason I ask is that I’ve had good luck with facsimiles. It often seems that the book that’s copied is nearly unobtainable, not to mention highly collectible, and the facsimile printing, in turn, is deliberately limited by the publisher, having the effect of sustaining a strong value for the title in _any_ edition.
KOLONEL22: Thanks for the specifics, Colonel. One of the best ways I’ve discovered to learn which books do well is to research completed auctions on eBay. I go to Smart Search, type in, for example, the letter “A” in the title box and $50 to $500 in the price range box and look at what comes up. From that information I keep lists. I realize this advice may seem obvious, but I know I sometimes forget that the most valuable experience comes from nothing more mysterious than hard work. Also, I’m not sure that it’s a lack of courage that prevents me from simply posting these lists here. I just happen to believe that the best help you can offer another takes the form of pointing another to a fishing hole rather than inviting him to a trout dinner. I don’t mind competition in the least. I do mind thieves. When I asked for specifics in my first post here, I was indeed asking for fish, but only in the sense that these fish might display markings that enable them to function as pointers.
posted on April 8, 2001 08:09:09 AM
I have a question for you book sellers. I have been thinking about changing toward that direction, but have the fear (as most) of losing money buy getting the wrong books. Can you tell me if hardcovers seem to move better than softcovers, or is it jsut proportionate to their price?
Your suggestion on how to check for books on eBay is EXCELLENT! "I go to Smart Search, type in, for example, the letter "A"¨ in the title box and $50 to $500 in the price range box and look at what comes up. From that information I keep lists."
I know how to do this but forgot all about it. Dah..... Sometimes getting back to basics really helps
posted on April 8, 2001 08:21:33 AM
Craig, no the book was not facsimile, but the 1925 editions are very hard to find and would go for considerably more than $30.00.
posted on April 8, 2001 09:46:22 AM
I am not knowlegable about books. I have to be careful when listing because I do not have a good handle on telling the difference between specialty first edition/trade first editions and book club items.
The biggest lesson I have learned by obtaining books in storage locker auctions is not to use my persoanl tastes to select books. There are plenty of people who will bid very nicely on books that I would never bother to take if they were offered free.
Showing more than one imaige of the book seems to make a big difference in getting bids.
posted on April 8, 2001 10:09:40 AM
Craig - Just wanted to thank you again for your generous posts. You remind me of mommybird...OTOH look what happened to her.
It may also be difficult for you now to gauge the amount of expertise you carry in your head compared to the average person. It's extremely easy to make expensive mistakes with books, which is why after a year of doing this, I am still reluctant to make much of a dive into the business of paying "real" money for my stock. Not while I can still easily find good books for $1-2.
I've given the remainder book world a try, though, and while I've made money, too many other people know that market. I've found some good-sellers, but mostly that market is saturated. That's where used bookstores differ. You just never know what you'll find in them! My hesitation comes from not being able to thoroughly research the books before I buy, the way I can when searching remainder catalogs. Compiling lists, like you suggest, could be a solution to that problem. I also sometimes make lists in the stores and go back if my research suggests any of the items might be winners, but that would be impossible to do on trips out of town.
BUT..I still want to contribute to the positive energy and say books are GREAT. I love the fact that an ordinary person like myself can be a bookseller on the internet, give excellent service, and help my buyers connect with a book they need for their projects or hobbies. Their glowing feedback makes my day. I also think there is just so much room for growth in this business, irregardless of economic downturns.
posted on April 8, 2001 10:55:09 AM
Craig, thank you, I took your advice and found a couple dozen books that could fetch some decent money. While you may face a little more competition by handing out your secrets, this is a sellers corner that requires more work and research so that will limit how many people who will put out that effort.
cabledoggii, I wouldn't worry too much about buying the wrong books. See it as a learning experience. Take Craigs advice and browse through completed sales to get a feel for what sells.
I passed up on several things only to check their going rate on ebay and seeing it is pretty valuable then having to run back and see if it's still there.
As for hardcover or paperback, it will vary on the subject. The how to's I sell in paperback sell very well. The romance books do better in hardcover. In the collectible market, most likely hardcovers since they are the first copies.
posted on April 8, 2001 11:00:00 AM
Thank you for the nice note, Madam Librarian. You make some good points about taking pride in what you do and offering a service to your buyers. I know I sometimes forget that there’s a person on the other end, and if you can give something of value to another, you know, apart from the bloodless exchange of money for product, that can be even more rewarding than filling your pockets. I agree that the book biz is somewhat insulated from the day-to-day economic climate, maybe because knowledge is always in demand? Who knows. In any case, you know best what you need to buy and sell at this point in the life of your business, and I try to keep in mind that what works well for me may not be best for another.
As long as we’re passing out thank you’s today, I’d like to thank you for your consistently positive presence on this board, both in your willingness to help others and your guileless search to grow. It’s pretty refreshing. Oh–and let’s not forget the cichlids tip. I owe you. I passed by those damn books several times in the last month, thinking they were bottom feeders, and you know what? Under both of them was a crisp copy of Fishes Of Lake Kariba, Africa. Three winners, I believe, in one swipe of the hand. Maybe it’s the combination of FISH and AFRICA that creates the mystique. I think I’ll start a new list: AFRICAN FISHES. Onward!
PS: That former poster you referred to met her demise, I think, because she was employing a buying technique available to all eBayers that was readily traced, then observed, and finally copied and undermined. The bird, in other words, made herself a sitting duck.
posted on April 8, 2001 11:01:49 AM
Great post again! I have found that several of my books that sell high ( and they are not in good shape and are sometimes ex library books ) and high for me is in the $ 30.00 to $60.00 range~ are children's books. I have several people write and say I bought it because the book reminded me of my childhood or I read it in my childhood and wanted it for my children. I am always shocked at how much some people will pay even for an ex library book .
I had many many of these books left over from my teaching days. High sellers of these are:
Heinlein with d/j p/c and sometimes are offered at library sales ~ so will come under 2 headings~ childrens and s/f can can bring in upwards of $60.00 ~ $ 70.00 even ex library which I clearly state and these are not first edition. so s/f and of course the ones you might have read like anne books ~ sold one of those Emily I believe that was in terrible shape for me ie no pictures , spine split but even in my limited knowledge I knew that the printing date was in error and stated this and it went for $ 40.00 ~ a collector wanted it as an error in printing history. Enough said as I tend to ramble so:
science fiction of Andre Norton / heinlein etc ex library from 1950's and other childrens like Arthur Ransome and of course your horse books like author c w anderson! exlibrary books that appeal to the buyer's childhood! suz 23 here and oh how I miss the good old days of Amazon when every book I listed sold high! Where did the auctions scene go from my favourite auction site! Hi Keziak~ I remember your posts from my favourite but lost site! Opps another thread for another day.
posted on April 8, 2001 11:23:29 AM
Turning e-mail on because I have much to learn. I thank all of you for sharing your time & expertise.
The only tip I can share is to tell you to keep your eyes out for Trixie Belden books that are numbered #36 to #39. Those bring about $40 to $50 each and are hard to find in good condition. The lower numbers are more common, but still fetch decent prices.
posted on April 8, 2001 11:34:01 AM
I wish you luck on your purchases, quickdraw. If they don’t sell, you won’t be staging a bookburning on my lawn, will you? By the way, I think competition is a widely misunderstood phenomenon, even though it permeates our society in ways that simply don’t exist in other parts of the world. Many people seem to fear it, but the truth is, without it I think we at best stagnate and at worst wither and die. If Tiger Woods, for example, didn’t have a dozen or so talented golfers breathing down his neck every week, he’d soon become a spent force. Competition made this man from the ground up. He desperately needs to play against others who have the capacity to beat him on any given day. The same is true in business, I think. It’s a good–a necessary--thing to have strong competition because this is what stimulates the use of one’s imagination.
posted on April 8, 2001 12:13:02 PM
This ongoing dialog and several other recent threads on books are really outstanding examples of the online seller community sharing at its' "best".
I was fortunate to first witness this attitude several years ago when it was more universal and sometimes forget it is alive and well but occasionally hidden among the noise and static of todays chat enviroment.
It's also timely for me as I've always offered some books for sale but just recently decided to expand these efforts.
I had been attempting to develop an ongoing market with LP's. It required selling high demand records on eBay and maintaining a large inventory of "waiting for the one right buyer" titles on YAHOO. The combined income made the effort worthwhile but YAHOO's recent introduction of weekly listing fees has negatively impacted my profits which were marginal at best.
I'm switching over to books and will be trying the following approach.
I don't have the expertise to pick profitable books off the shelf. I usually look for opportunities to purchase in volume at very low prices. The end of auctions, yardsales and booksales will often offer these opportunities. Sometimes people are almost willing to pay you to cart off quanities of misc. boxed books.
As I get better at the process I can sometimes choose good individual titles but my main source is still the leftovers.
The dollars spent are low but a real expense of time does exist in the effort expended in carting, storing and sorting.
The big difference I see between eBay and all other online and RL book selling venues is that we have the choice of which category to list in on eBay.
Everywhere else, with a few minor exceptions, we have to list/show our books and let the interested buyer come find it.
On eBay you can go find the potential buyers. A book on certain antiques can go right in among the actual items being offered. Horse book in with the saddles, cooking with pots and pans, sailing among the boat widgets.
This is no magic bullet and works best with a book that your willing to sell for the opening price/BIN. It should never be used where closed auction research shows a strong demand exist that may result in a bidding war if offered in the traditional book category.
Same/similar titles can relist forever in the book category with few sales because no one comes looking for these books while we can "bring it to them" and get sales by going and finding the buyer who have an interest in the topic.
I think books breakdown into three groups. First are books with a established demand, second group are books that can be sold profitably if properly presented and the third group are books that are not worth the effort to sell.
The first group is most profitable per book and the sooner we get better at finding them the more money we will make. But it takes work, time and smarts. Even then our victories may be few and far between.
The second group takes work, time and imagination but dosen't really require you know much about books. I fit in well here. The supply is endless and the profitable market is huge.
The third group is hardest for me. Most books should not be attempted to be sold because the time they require will not be compensated for with adequate profits. I constantly drag group three books into group two and waste hours on duds.
I'm dragging around a 1937 copy of the Herbalist Alamac which occasionally sells on eBay, in about six different categories with one bid sales. Every time I see that a sale was made I relist. I have become emotionally attached to the sale of this booklet and won't let go. Maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll sell it some day and get my listing fees back. Applying this attitude to very many books will make me my own worst ememy in book selling.
Ebay, Amazon Marketplace, Half.com and the other seemingly ever changing venues offer plenty of opportunities. TOO many maybe.
The generous sharing by other sellers has given me encouragement, which I appreciate, and books offer, unlike many other items, the opportunity to get some enjoyment by reading the backed-up inventory or at least thumbing thru and looking at the pictures.
posted on April 8, 2001 01:13:30 PM
I've just got a few thoughts....
First off - I appreciate everyone contributing to the book threads - it seems to prove something that I've always thought - booklovers seem to be great people all around - I have sold books for about 8 months now with only three deadbeats - which seems awful low compared to some of the threads I've read.
I'm still honing techniques on buying and selling - I have a tendency not to be able to pass up the cheap books. Although most paperback fiction does not go as high as some of the other books, I have an affinity for it - and several places around here where I can pick up paperback really cheap - a dime each - they have sales of a nickel a piece - these are thrift stores, so I can't always pass on a book with the thought that I'll come back later. They really move the books.
The other thing I've learned is to expand your horizens - I agree that if you stick to what you like, you really limit the potential sales (and end up with a stack of 'to read' books bigger than the 'for sale' stack). And suprisingly, every copy of a Nietzsche or Ayn Rand book that I've had has sold.
As far as sharing secrets and techniques here, I think most of the successes are from the 'not so common' books. I'm sitting here in the midwest and telling someone on the east coast that I've sold a copy of a book for x amount, chances are that I have already scoped my area for more copies and if someone else can find them, that's great! Most people are searching for specific books - if I don't have them, I don't mind that someone else does!
The responses on all of these threads have really been great - I've been thinking that maybe we should consolidate some of the info somewhere. I know that yahoogroups has databases and links in their group sites - would anyone use it if I started one?
Please let me know!
As far as successes this week, it has been kind of slow for me - I'm trying to get rid of a bunch of books that I've had here for a while so that I can go searching again!
Another wonderful book thread. I've got hundreds of books that I want/need to catalog in some way. How do you all keep track of your stock, lists of what to keep an eye out for etc.
I've been thinking of building a database in Access that I could keep lists of pseudonyms, HTF, as well as keep my own inventory.
This is what I'd like to accomplish; let's say I come home with a couple of boxes of books and I key them into inventory, if two months ago I put it on my HTF list the program pops up and says 'AHA'check this out. Same thing by author.
I don't know about the rest of you but my memory is not what it used to be and I get out there with hundreds of books in front of me and some days my feeble brain goes blank.
But if I could go in, print out a current list, and keep it with me might help.
Does anyone else think this would work, or do you have something similar already?
What fields would be necessary? If I get it done I'll share with anyone who wants one?
posted on April 8, 2001 04:11:54 PM
Thanks ever so much for sharing. I don't have any good book advice, but must comment that the competition is fierce. I am amazed at the quality booksellers' offerings on ebaY.
posted on April 8, 2001 04:26:09 PM
Hi keziak: It was on amazon but perhaps I am mistaken. Amazon sellers board has always had some great suggestions for book sellers!. I too think it is nice to share ideas on a regular basis re books and selling books. I have tried other things but always come back to them. I can't figure out if selling for $5.00 ( really $7.00 in canadian!) and not put out a lot of money for the item is worth while or should I get rid of my usual 200 books I am looking at per month ( I only list 30 or so auctions per week) and only list the ones which go for over $10.00 us. and I could spend more time with layout/pictures. My husband would love it too if I could clean out books which really don't bring in a lot of money. It is easier to share when your competition lives miles away as compared to sharing with someone in the same town~ though with books , there is still quite a commodity of this item and though it takes time and effort it gives me practise and as I get better at it, I hope to retire and just have this as my fun job~ regardless of the amount of work~ it still beats working at a job where one is accountable to someone else. Cheers. Suz23
email
[email protected]
I don't know if you checked out readerware yet. You can scan books in with it - it will search internet sites to bring in info about the book - author, publisher, etc.
It also has a list of wants on it - I'm not sure if it matches to that or not - I will have to play with it to find out and let you know.
posted on April 8, 2001 04:52:12 PM
I have two friends who are training to run a marathon this summer. Part of doing so is raising $4K (each) for their sponsor charity, the national leukemia foundation. I decided to pitch in my soliciting everyone I know for used books, then sell them on ebay and donate the profits.
What's interesting about this is the types of books I received. various of my friends/associates gave books, and as you would imagine, their tastes are all over the map.
The goal is to find a buyer first time out. Those $0.30 fees add up. Items that did not sell the first time were a waste of time - I now put them on half - no relisting.
Straight fiction did so-so. General non-fiction was better, although biographies and books on politics were el-sucko.
What was suprising to me, however, was a bag of effectively obsolete computer books donated by one fellow. I know computers, so I knew that most of the books were out of date in one way or another. Still, they almost all sold for fairly good prices. I might have to sell a sci-fi or thriller for $2.00 (and be happy to move it), an oprah book (had lots) for $5 or $6, but these computer books went for $10-$15, and I could have probably gotten more. I did not need to describe them in any detail - just title, publisher, format, etc. If the book addressed a particular version of software or hardware I was sure to mention it, even though I didn't really know what it meant.
I should point out that none of them were the 2-inch thick "learn microsoft project 2.0" type of book. Their titles were a bit more obscure. The best price was for "Writing real programs in VAX/VMS DCL" - and that book was warped to boot. i.e., if it looks like a PC instructional book, you probably don't want it.
posted on April 8, 2001 04:52:28 PM
jmjones6061: Thanks for the readware information, I will have to look for it.
bibliophile: Another book thread...with idea exchanges!!! Thank you again for even more information, because though I have been into the book business for 10 years now, your insight never ceases to amaze me. One of my favorite places around here to go are the antique group shops because there is always someone who has a large lot (20-100 books) that I can get for under $100, and resale is always great. Since I have been selling on eBay, the best deal yet was a lot of books that had, believe it or not, a true first edition of "Uncle Tom's Cabin". It wasn't in the best of condition, but I sold it 5 weeks later for $399.89! Not bad for a $36.00 lot that included shipping. I have a question for you, though. Do you know of any good translation sites? I aquired a 1622 printing, and I believe it is of the early reformation time, but I cannot be sure because it seems to be in some sort of combo of greek/latin writing. Any suggestions?
mapledr1216; Your "duds", sell them in a group lot, and include a real "goodie" with them, it should move.
posted on April 8, 2001 05:00:13 PM
Dave - I always keep my eyes open for those old computer books! Just the other day I pulled one out of a freebie bin at the used bookstore [they dump anything over 10 years old, kid you not]. I put a BIN of $10 and it sold in a day or two. Here's the deal, it was practically self-published, Xerox-quality printing, paperback, but it was from 1978 and it was about hardware. It was fun to browse. I would have said that in 1978 there weren't any "personal" computers, but there was some neat stuff in there.
So what I look for are books about hardware that some vintage computer hobbyist could use. I don't know if there is any market in the 1993-era WordPerfect texts, but I tend to doubt it and steer clear.
Same with photography: books about how to use old cameras do great. Just plain old stale books on technique do not.
posted on April 8, 2001 06:39:59 PM
Thanks so much Craig, for sharing your wisdom. I love selling books, but I mostly stick to young adult and easy readers because my kids read SO much that I have plenty on hand.
I have sold a few other books, some first editions that did well and some popular authors (in lots). There is a great thrift shop here in town with TONS of books and I don't know which to buy to resell.
Does anyone know what type of travel, cookbooks or gardening sell best?
As far as competition goes, my feeling is that if word gets around that eBay is THE place to find books, then that will just attract more collectors. Also, it's not as if everyone has the same exact books accessible in their town
posted on April 8, 2001 06:48:23 PM
"So what I look for are books about hardware that some vintage computer hobbyist could use"...you are definately on the right track here...Books/manuals for computers and/or hardware are very desirable...the older the better...I recently came across a bunch of User Manuals and Technical Reference Manuals by the box full...237 to be exact...my investment was about .25 cents each...bid prices have averaged $11-12 dollars and I have gotten as much as $49.00 for one manual...this is what makes Ebay fun...heck, I would love to keep listing more this week and skip vacation. Seriously though, keep your eye out for these types of books, you will make money...the older the book the better...
Billy Johnson - iList4U
[ edited by ilist4u on Apr 8, 2001 07:27 PM ]
posted on April 8, 2001 07:25:53 PM
Some of the older computer books are really good, I've had 3 that brought over $100..., and lot's of 'em that brought $25 - $40.
Manuals for older equipment of all types are also good, even if not in good condition. $45.00 for NASTY looking (and described as such) repair manual from the 40's, over $50 for HALF (missing the first 80 pages, and descibed as such.) a parts catalog from the early 20's.
posted on April 8, 2001 08:40:12 PM
Okay, while we're talking about hobbyists etc., I have a question for all of you. Today at an auction I bought a hole-punched sort of bound notebook affair, about 3" thick. The cover says "National Schools, Los Angeles, Calif., Pioneers of Practical Training Since 1906" and a seal that says "Education Cooperation Service." Looks like about 50 lessons in "Practical Diesel Training," and each lesson is about 30 pages long. Typeface looks to be just plain typewriter typeface; each lesson has many illustration, and the whole thing has an old look to it. There are two punched holes and the lessons are bound together with plain string.
This appears to be a treasure trove of early 1900s technological information.
Would you sell each lesson individually? In groups of five or ten? In toto? And which category would you list them in?
[ edited by roadsmith on Apr 8, 2001 08:43 PM ]
Turning on e-mail!
