Another Great and Very Helpful Article for the Bookseller

I think this ought to be required reading for every online bookseller. It sure would have helped me in the beginning. Karin gave me permission to post this here. She is not only a great online friend to me, but a fantastic moderator of the Yahoo group eBay_Establishings that she mentions.

Enjoy! Julie Anna
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eBay Establishings’ FAQ: Selling Books on eBay

This information is a compilation of our YahooGroup list members’ expertise. It is freely offered, and we ask that you not attempt sell it, or to copy or distribute it in any form without the explicit consent of the holder of the copyright.

Like anything written about eBay, it should be considered a work in progress – change is the one constant in selling books! If you have comments or suggestions that would make it better, please contact: kbergsagel@cox.net with E_E FAQs in the title.

Step 1: Acquiring Books to Sell
The good news – almost anywhere! Here are some common sources:
1. Your own shelves ☺: what are you and your family ready to declutter and share
with others?
2. Yard Sales: what are your neighbors ready to declutter and share with others?
3. Thrift stores
4. Used bookstores: many accept your books in trade, and so it can be a good place to trade in books that don’t sell well for those that do. This is an excellent way to complete a series, or to add books to a lot.
5. http://www.PaperBackSwap.com is the cyber-equivalent of a Paperback Swap bookstore, but there is no middleman. Users list their books, and when one is requested, they mail it out. When it is received, they are given one book credit, which they can then use to request another book. Member ship is currently free, but this may change. If you do sign up, I would appreciate it if you would use my email kbergsagel@cox.net as your referral. If you do, then I receive a credit as soon as you have listed 9 books in the system. And you receive 3 free credits!
6. Antique stores: for the experienced. If you are used to buying a book for a buck, and selling it for $20, then the next step -- buying a book for $50, and selling it for $100, may not be an approach that you have considered. Think again – bigger investments can equal bigger net profits!
7. Flea Markets
8. School library discards, private and public: get to know your local librarian, and tell him or her that you would love to help recycle any library discards. Older children’s books can be very collectible, even in ex-library condition.
9. Dollar Stores: a much under rated source, in my opinion! Just keep your eyes open; in the last couple of years I found multiple copies of the first edition of Stephen King’s On Writing, which sold for a tidy profit. This is just one example.
10. eBay: again, for the experienced. Once you know what you are looking for, it can be a great way to buy inventory that you can turn around and sell profitably with a better listing. Known as ‘eBay Arbitrage’.
11. Other online sources: these are of two main sorts. One specializes in deeply discounted (‘remaindered’) overstock books at lower than wholesale prices. (A remainder mark is a way that publishers mark books that they are passing on to overstock dealers, so that they cannot be sold for full price. It can range from a hole punched in the cover, to a line through the ISBN, to a mark on the page edges.)
12. Book Sales: I’ve left these for last, because they are such an important source. Book sales are typically sponsored by Friends of the Library (FOL) organizations at public and university libraries. Some churches and sororities and other organizations also sponsor book sales. They are almost always volunteer-run efforts, and proceeds support very worthy efforts.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Treat the volunteers with respect! Some libraries have an ongoing sale in a designated area, and others only hold periodic large book sales. Offerings may include donated and/or withdrawn library books; CDs and audiotapes; DVDs & videos; magazines & other paper ephemera; and computer software. I’ve even bought crates and shelves, on occasion! Keep your eyes open for announcements of sales, and also register for the free newsletter at: http://www.booksalefinder.com/salemail.html . You will receive personalized announcements of upcoming sales.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT #2: Do NOT waste time on the ‘Book Scouts Wanted’ Ad that you will see this web site!
Step 2: What Do You Have?
HINT: Old does not equal valuable.

Now you should have a pile of books to research. Here are some ways to determine value:
1. If there is an ISBN (International Standard Book Number – a 10 digit number found near the barcode or on the copyright page), enter it into the search box at http://www.amazon.com HINT: you don’t need the hyphens This will tell you how popular the book is (look at sales rank in Product Details) and what current asking prices are for used copies.
2. Do a Completed Item search at eBay. (Search in the usual way, then check off “Completed listings” in the left hand column of search options.) This will tell you what prices this book has sold for on eBay over the last 3 weeks or so, and will give you an idea as to how common it is.
3. Search at http://www.addall.com by entering ISBN, title, +/- author. HINT: Make sure that you are comparing the exact same editions. Remember, the prices that you see are ASKING prices – they do not mean that the book is actually selling for that amount! But it will give you a range, and just as important, tell you how many copies are available online. Tip: You may have learned that your books are not worth much. Think creatively – can they be sold as a lot? Typical lots are several books by a single author, or a specific genre (mystery, Western, romance, etc.), or from a series. Can you bundle a book with something else as a gift set? Can you swap them at a book exchange for titles that will sell?

But what about first editions?

Good question. In general, you should check to see if collectible books are first editions. Broadly described for the purposes of first edition identification, collectible books are usually modern (20th century+) fiction, including children’s picture books.

In non-fiction, it is usually more important to have the current edition of a book.There are some exceptions, like Graham and Dodds’ Security Analysis. The first edition (1936) sells for 4 figures.
Identifying first editions is quirky. If you plan to sell many books, you should acquire a copy of a very handy guide: Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions by Bill McBride, which lists over 3700 publishers from 1850 to the present and the manner in which they have identified the first printings of their books.

You can order it directly for $15.95 at: http://www.jumpingfrog.com/pocketguides/index.php Until then, there is an excellent introduction to the subject here: http://www.emptymirrorbooks.com/firstedition.html

Step 3: Make It Look Its Best
With a valuable book, unless you know what you are doing, it is probably best to do very little, if anything. But many books will benefit from:
• A gentle cleaning
• Erasing of pencil marks
• Removal of stickers (UnDu works miracles!)
• Placing the dust jacket in a protective mylar cover
• Deodorizing (try sealing in a bin with kitty litter for a while) or use this product:
http://www.bookdeodorizer.com/

WARNING: Molds and mildews can be highly toxic. DO NOT try to salvage books damaged by mold. This site gives an excellent and detailed description of many repairs: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~preserve/repair/repairindex.htm This is an excellent do-it-yourself guide: http://jgodsey.pbwiki.com/DiscardedBooks
These 3 companies are excellent sources for book repair products, such as those described above. You can even buy basic starter kits: http://www.Demco.com http://www.Brodart.com http://www.Gaylord.com

Step 4: Sell It!
I’m assuming that you are already familiar with selling on eBay. If not, I suggest this ebook: http://cybermomshomeincome.com/eclectic_bookworm

Specific points to cover when selling books are:
1. Title
2. Author or Editor
3. Illustrator
4. Illustrations (color or b/w, woodblocks, engravings, tipped in, etc.)
5. Publisher (including place of publication if important)
6. Date of Publication (include copyright date if different)
7. Edition (if you don't know what it is, don't guess!)
8. Binding (hardcover or softcover, cloth, leather, etc.)
9. Size (state width and length in inches)
10. Number of Pages
11. Other (remainder, ex-library, ARC, etc.)

And a biggie – condition. Let your pictures speak, but also describe it in words. Don’t be intimidated by not knowing the booksellers’ trade jargon – just say what you see. “Pages yellowing” is just as descriptive and easy to understand as “Pages tanning”, as one example.

Try to say more than just ‘good condition’ – what does that mean? Include details – is the spine creased? Is there a previous owner’s name? Is it smoke-free? Is there highlighting? Or perhaps it is crisp and clean and ‘like new’. When selling collectible books, be sure to include pictures of:
• The parts of a book that are most susceptible to damage:
o tops and bottoms of spines, edges, and corners
o hinges
o whether the book lies straight
o the top of the text block (where dirt/dust typically accumulate)
o dust jacket
• Proof of edition state – usually the copyright page
• Any ‘bonuses’, such as a signature
• Any defects, such as a torn or scribbled on page
Craig Stark did an excellent series on eBay bookselling recently. Access it here at:
Part I: http://www.bookthink.com/0044/44bee1.htm
Part II: http://www.bookthink.com/0045/45tex1.htm
Part III: http://www.bookthink.com/0047/47ebay.htm

Step 5: Pack It!
If you are going to be selling books regularly, then I recommend that you use the methods outlined here:
• How to Package Books Cheaply, Quickly and Safely - Part 1 by Craig Stark
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y201/m09/abu0047/s02
• How to Package Books Cheaply, Quickly and Safely - Part 2 by Craig Stark
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y201/m09/abu0048/s02

One of our list members sells B-flute and other packing supplies at an excellent price: http://stores.ebay.com/Packitnow2005 If you are just selling the occasional book, then adapt his method to the materials that you have on hand.

TIP: A bubble envelope alone is NOT sufficient packaging for a collectible book! ‘Lots’ of books are best shipped in boxes.

Step 6: Ship It!
One of the terrific things about selling books is that they are relatively inexpensive to mail. That is because the USPS has a special Media Mail rate. See the complete rate table for domestic shipping, including media mail here: http://pe.usps.gov/cpim/ftp/notices/Not123/Not123.pdf Sometimes a customer will need expedited delivery. In that case, don’t forget about the flat rate Priority envelopes ($4.05), which are often large enough for more than one book, and the 2 sizes of flat rate Priority boxes ($8.10/each). Books are sufficiently heavy that the flat rate boxes are often the best deal in Priority shipping. There is even a special shipping alternative for books being sent internationally; it is called the M-bag rate, and is available by air and by surface.

HINT: Not all post offices are familiar with the procedures for these; call ahead if you
can!

See the complete rate table for international shipping, including M-bags, here:
http://pe.usps.gov/text/pub51/welcome.htm

For faster shipping of smaller numbers of books, remember the flat rate Global Priority envelopes. They are the same size as the domestic Priority envelopes, and cost $7.50 toCanada & Mexico, and $9.50 to the rest of the world (although it is not available to all countries). If the shipping method that you have chosen does not allow for USPS insurance, consider using a third party. Two well-regarded sources are: www.dsiinsurance.com http://www.u-pic.com/

Step 7: Learn More!
One of the joys of bookselling is that there is so much to learn! For places to learn (apart from eBay itself, that is!), I highly recommend:
www.bookthink.com
Copyright 2005 Karin Bergsagel