Selling Books on Amazon?

[LovableGluttons]

Hi!


Thanks to a great post made a day ago about selling textbooks through Amazon.com, I sold all of my textbooks from last semester for more than I paid for them when I purchased them through Amazon.com!

So, I was contemplating listing books off the bookshelf. I have two large bookshelves in our den full of books we have read. Now they collect dust. The books I would read more thna once, I already have loaded on my Kindle.

DH and I want to redo that room so getting rid of the books and shelving would be part of it.

I do not like selling books at garage sales, people just try to get the price lower and lower, my time is worth more than that.

I already have a big box of poly mailers I purchased on eBay when I sold my old scrubs on eBay. So I have the supplies. I'm home awaiting shoulder surgery and attending school until I'm well enough to return to work. So, I have the time.

Have any of you done this? Any tips?


Thansk in advance!

 

[HeatherFeather]

I sold some textbooks and did great as well. Like you, I then thought maybe I would go through the books on my bookshelves and make some extra money AND clean up some space. Sadly, I found that most of the books I had to sell were worth a dollar or less on Amazon. Yours may be more valuable, but for now I am sticking to selling back the college kids textbooks.

Good luck!

 

[debbiemomto4]

I also sold my dd textbooks and get return but any other book seems to sit. If you have series books lot them up but them on eBay.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Look them up on Amazon first. Just enter the ISBN number and you can see what others like it are going for right now.

We woke up to our first non-textbook sale on Amazon this morning. They do sell eventually but unless it is going to sell for at least $5 then I don't even bother listing it. We have a box of books out in our garage that I will either donate or sell at a yard sale because they just don't sell for enough on Amazon to make it worth it.

If you have several of the same type of book then you can always lot them up and put them on ebay. Children's books do VERY well in lots - check completed listings on ebay to get an idea what to charge.

Good luck!

 

[ksloane]

You wouldn't make money, but I have been cleaning out my books around the house with the site, www.paperbackswap.com. You mail off your books for credits (you pay shipping), and you can request others books and they send them to you (and they pay shipping).

I was able to get all of my daughter's literature books she needed for college last semester and a couple other college books by using the credits I had accumulated. I also have been able to pick up books I wanted to read. And after I read them, I just relist them and send them to the next reader to keep them from being on my shelf. I've even got young adult books for my classroom that I know students are interested in.... I love the site.

 

[LovableGluttons]

You wouldn't make money, but I have been cleaning out my books around the house with the site, www.paperbackswap.com. You mail off your books for credits (you pay shipping), and you can request others books and they send them to you (and they pay shipping).

I was able to get all of my daughter's literature books she needed for college last semester and a couple other college books by using the credits I had accumulated. I also have been able to pick up books I wanted to read. And after I read them, I just relist them and send them to the next reader to keep them from being on my shelf. I've even got young adult books for my classroom that I know students are interested in.... I love the site.

I love your idea, except I worry that site wouldn't have the books I need for my grad degree.

I have a bunch of Anne McAffrey books, most first editions. I think I'll go prowl around eBay and see what complete sets of each series goes for. Maybe I will bundle those up.

My goal wasn't so much to make a ton of money, but driving them anywhere special sucks gas, if I can just print off the shipping label and pop them in my mailbox for the mail carrier to pick up.

I just want those bookshelves emptied so I can get rid of them. LOL

I want to get a beautiful lateral file, a couple of club chairs and ottomans, and two nice secretary desks with cabinets and Queene Anne chairs. I want nice lamps too. I want to turn that area into a quiet room for reading, studying, homework. Right now it just holds a messy art desk, printer cabinet, and those full bookshelves. Ggrrr!

 

[ksloane]

I love your idea, except I worry that site wouldn't have the books I need for my grad degree.

I have a bunch of Anne McAffrey books, most first editions. I think I'll go prowl around eBay and see what complete sets of each series goes for. Maybe I will bundle those up.

My goal wasn't so much to make a ton of money, but driving them anywhere special sucks gas, if I can just print off the shipping label and pop them in my mailbox for the mail carrier to pick up.

I just want those bookshelves emptied so I can get rid of them. LOL

I want to get a beautiful lateral file, a couple of club chairs and ottomans, and two nice secretary desks with cabinets and Queene Anne chairs. I want nice lamps too. I want to turn that area into a quiet room for reading, studying, homework. Right now it just holds a messy art desk, printer cabinet, and those full bookshelves. Ggrrr!

Yea. You don't find a lot of textbooks. For the McAffrey ones, I'd definitly look at Ebay.

You do get to print off shipping labels and just mail them if you like.

Sounds like a dreamy reading area...jealous!

 

[Jenn4615]

We recently did this with books in our storage room when we were clearing out to have our basement finished. I wanted to throw them all away.... but my DH insisted on the amazon bit...and BOY was I glad he did! we got a 500 dollar credit for amazon!! U simply add them into the account... print out the prepaid shipping label.. and throw them all in a box... we used several large boxes.. It was great couldn't have been easier!!
They also buy dvds...

 

[js]

Started ebaying in March and have been very successful selling stuff that has been sitting in my attic.
I've also sold my dd's HS school books. Can anyone tell me why you would sell on Amazon instead of ebay? Is that better for books?
Thanks.

 

[ellone]

Started ebaying in March and have been very successful selling stuff that has been sitting in my attic.
I've also sold my dd's HS school books. Can anyone tell me why you would sell on Amazon instead of ebay? Is that better for books?
Thanks.

For single books, I do better on Amazon than on ebay. I've had the exact same book up on both sites (priced higher on Amazon) and 9 times out of 10 the book will sell on Amazon.

For sets or lots of books, ebay is the way to go.

 

[Crazy Hakim]

OK, I have been selling Books & CD's on Amazon for maybe 6 years now. There are some things I like better about Amazon than eBay for these items.
1. You set your price based on the Condition and the other Seller's of the same item. Can you undercut them and make a quick sale?
2. The items is listed once, until it sells.
3. Amazon determines the shipping cost, so make sure you review this before you set your selling price. I have had some oversized books that cost more to ship than provided, so you have to add some padding to your selling price.

I wish Amazon would alert you when another seller adds an identical item in your group. It would save me the trouble of reviewing them manually.

I have found that most CD's and Popular Novels usually start off high, and drop drastically as time goes by, just like a new car, LOL. When I Garage Sale for books, I avoid blockbuster novels, unless I can find a First Edition or something very unique about the book. I looks for books that are a little more specific, but not Textbooks, or Outdated School Books. Old biographies, hard cover graphic novels, art books, and even some trade books. And over the years I have discovered some titles that I can buy on ebay and flip for a profit on Amazon.
Finally, I get a warm & fuzzy feeling that you get a more qualified buyer on Amazon, but that's just my opinion.

 

[LovableGluttons]

OK, I have been selling Books & CD's on Amazon for maybe 6 years now. There are some things I like better about Amazon than eBay for these items.
1. You set your price based on the Condition and the other Seller's of the same item. Can you undercut them and make a quick sale?
2. The items is listed once, until it sells.
3. Amazon determines the shipping cost, so make sure you review this before you set your selling price. I have had some oversized books that cost more to ship than provided, so you have to add some padding to your selling price.

I wish Amazon would alert you when another seller adds an identical item in your group. It would save me the trouble of reviewing them manually.

I have found that most CD's and Popular Novels usually start off high, and drop drastically as time goes by, just like a new car, LOL. When I Garage Sale for books, I avoid blockbuster novels, unless I can find a First Edition or something very unique about the book. I looks for books that are a little more specific, but not Textbooks, or Outdated School Books. Old biographies, hard cover graphic novels, art books, and even some trade books. And over the years I have discovered some titles that I can buy on ebay and flip for a profit on Amazon.
Finally, I get a warm & fuzzy feeling that you get a more qualified buyer on Amazon, but that's just my opinion.

I looked at listing books on eBay, but there is a fee, even if your book doesn't sell. At least with Amazon, I don't pay a fee until the item sells.

I'll list all those books on Amazon and see how they do. Whatever doesn't sell be the time I'm ready to redo that room will get donated to a local hospital whose volunteers wheel books to patient rooms.

 

[js]

I looked at listing books on eBay, but there is a fee, even if your book doesn't sell. At least with Amazon, I don't pay a fee until the item sells.

I'll list all those books on Amazon and see how they do. Whatever doesn't sell be the time I'm ready to redo that room will get donated to a local hospital whose volunteers wheel books to patient rooms.

I thought I had to pay a fee to join Amazon to sell my items?
Is that not correct? I first pay a fee to be able to use the site?
I'll go back and look.
I have quite a few books up for sale at ebay, and sometimes they sell and sometimes not. I usually do well when selling my dd's HS books she reads for school even if underlined or highlighted.

I'll take a look in a while.
Thanks.

 

[mafibisha]

You do get to print off shipping labels and just mail them if you like.

Can someone please explain how you do that, like what you need to buy first, ect? But don't you still have to stand in line at the P.O. for them to mail it?

 

[js]

Can someone please let me know the following:

On ebay, I list my dd's used HS books she needs to read for school. Sometimes they are underlined, highlighted, etc.
Therefore, I just want to get rid of them and list them for .99, which usually sell.
If I have to pay a price of .99 back to Amazon for the sale, I won't make out, is that correct? Do I need to list my used and underlined books at 1.99?

Also, is it correct that Amazon will tell me how much I charge for shipping?

Thank you all very much!

 

[js]

SOMEONE PLEASE help me.

I just tried to list a book on Amazon. I just have to hit Submit.

Is this correct, this is what it says from Amazon:

Your price: $2.75

Quantity: 1

Your shipping methods: Standard Shipping
Amazon commission (if sold): $2.75 for Standard Shipping
Shipping credit (if sold): $3.99 for Standard Shipping
Total you will receive (if sold): $3.99 for Standard Shipping

SO, if I list a book for $2.75 and have the shipping done on my own, which is what I want, for $3.99, I do not make any money? It says I will only receive my shipping money and most of that will be used up to ship with tracking.
Am I reading this correctly?
Thanks so much!

 

[jdjeffers]

Hello,
I've sold many books on Amazon over the past few years. I still do when the book has a value of $5.00. The problem is that postage has risen so high.

As to your question: the only thing you would make on the book sale mentioned would be whatever money was left over out of the $3.99 postage that the customer pays. Shipping by media mail is your lowest option unless the book is very light weight.

I've made some good money on Amazon, but ONLY when the product I offered was of high enough value that I could show a real profit.

Hope this helps.

 

[js]

Hello,
I've sold many books on Amazon over the past few years. I still do when the book has a value of $5.00. The problem is that postage has risen so high.

As to your question: the only thing you would make on the book sale mentioned would be whatever money was left over out of the $3.99 postage that the customer pays. Shipping by media mail is your lowest option unless the book is very light weight.

I've made some good money on Amazon, but ONLY when the product I offered was of high enough value that I could show a real profit.

Hope this helps.

Thanks so much. It helps a lot.

 

[annsteere]

SOMEONE PLEASE help me.

I just tried to list a book on Amazon. I just have to hit Submit.

Is this correct, this is what it says from Amazon:

Your price: $2.75

Quantity: 1

Your shipping methods: Standard Shipping
Amazon commission (if sold): $2.75 for Standard Shipping
Shipping credit (if sold): $3.99 for Standard Shipping
Total you will receive (if sold): $3.99 for Standard Shipping

SO, if I list a book for $2.75 and have the shipping done on my own, which is what I want, for $3.99, I do not make any money? It says I will only receive my shipping money and most of that will be used up to ship with tracking.
Am I reading this correctly?
Thanks so much!

You are correct. It costs $1 for the listing and a percentage of both the full selling price and the shipping price. People who sell books for 1 cent are power sellers who do not pay the $1 listing price and who ships LOTS of books so they make money on the $3.99 shipping.

If you sell on half.com you pay 15% of what the book sells for--no listing fee and no percentage of the shipping costs. That means that if I sell a book for 75 cents (their bottom price) I make 85% of 75 cents (65 cents) plus a profit on the shipping (most books ship for $2.50-$3).

It is also why lots of folks figure they need to sell a book for $8 on amazon to make it worth their while. If you need to make a special trip to the PO these days that really can eat into tiny profits.

 

[js]

You are correct. It costs $1 for the listing and a percentage of both the full selling price and the shipping price. People who sell books for 1 cent are power sellers who do not pay the $1 listing price and who ships LOTS of books so they make money on the $3.99 shipping.

If you sell on half.com you pay 15% of what the book sells for--no listing fee and no percentage of the shipping costs. That means that if I sell a book for 75 cents (their bottom price) I make 85% of 75 cents (65 cents) plus a profit on the shipping (most books ship for $2.50-$3).

It is also why lots of folks figure they need to sell a book for $8 on amazon to make it worth their while. If you need to make a special trip to the PO these days that really can eat into tiny profits.

aaahhhh, thank you very much!
Maybe I'll try that route too!
Thanks.