Do you have any rules of thumb for managing your inventory on half.com? I've been inconsistent. I've taken some things off and discarded them...then in at least two cases when I meant to do this and didn't get around to it, the books sold!
I also consider going back and dropping my prices, but in many cases my prices are higher than what I'd take for a minimum on ebay, because I know I'll be spending more to ship the book than half.com will reinburse me for.
I also find that I'll go for days with no sales, then I'll get two or more at the same time. And it's never the newest I've listed or anything like that. Just random.
posted on October 8, 2000 12:36:14 PM
Hi Keziak: I have over 500 books listed on Half.com. A few weeks ago something sold and I couldn't find it. I had to order it from Borders and have it shipped to the buyer. Luckily it was a paperback that was available. Whenever I sell something I get tense because I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to locate it.
I have shelves devoted just to Half.com and the books are shelved by category but with all the coming and going of books things do get mixed up occasionally.
I've found that my sales have dropped about 50% during the last 2 week period. I have some nice things listed which I may be taking off Half.com and putting on eBay.
As far as eBay goes I think I am going to be selling some books in lots just to make room. I feel like I'm drowning in books. They're everywhere!
posted on October 8, 2000 01:29:49 PM
I have a special section of my ebay room just for half.com books. I haven't taken anything off of half.com unless I am going to auction it on ebay.
You never know when someone is going to want a book on golden retrievers and look at half.com! Although I suppose I should consider taking off the ones that have 50+ copies and donating them to the library sale.
posted on October 8, 2000 04:16:09 PM
I have over 500 books on half.com, and ran out of shelf space, so I have them in boxes. I have an inventory program that I downloaded from ABE (homebase 2), so I note there what box the book is in and where I'm selling it at (eBay, amazon, half.com, etc). I cut and paste when I list on half.com, which is a pain, but it still saves the hassle of misplacing the book. I only delete from half.com when it sells somewhere else - if I'm listing it somewhere else, I just suspend the item from my listings.
And yes, my sales at half have also dropped. Not quite sure why, but I am making up for it in auction sales by grouping some.
I also had my first over half sale - it was a new book that I was listing (planned on setting at $1.50, and the window popped up saying someone had pre-ordered it for $9). I sold it to her, then went to the UBS and picked up another copy of the same book which is now at $9.50 on eBay. I figured the half buyer alerted me that it was a collectible, so she deserved the first one.
