How You Can Sell Used Books online
Are there any quality books or textbooks that you have lying around your home or office? Do you have books that are just sitting there collecting dust? You can make extra money by selling your old books online.
It is better to sell used textbooks as soon as possible. They quickly become obsolete and the more current they are, the more you can make.
We’ve provided a list of the top places to sell books. We also offer some tips on how to sell textbooks online.
Tips to sell second-hand books
These are the top ways to increase your sales of books online.
1. Take into account postage and packaging expenses
Shipping can be expensive. It’s possible to make very low profits when you use websites such as Amazon or eBay to sell books.
This is where other websites like WeBuyBooks.co.uk can be a little more transparent. You will receive the exact amount they provide when your books are purchased. They also cover postage costs. This applies unless your books aren’t in acceptable condition.
2. Before listing the book online, make sure you check its edition
It’s possible to have an extremely rare and old book on your shelves without realizing it. It could be worth a lot if you have a very early edition of a book.
A book’s edition could make the difference between a price tag that is a few pounds or thousands of pounds. Before listing the book online, it’s worth looking at it.
Are you still holding onto some of your childhood books? They could be worth thousands depending on their condition and edition.
3. Compare book-selling sites to find a great price
Your book valuations are likely to vary from one site, but each site has its advantages.
Consider whether the website would be suitable for your book type when researching it. If you are looking to sell a textbook, but there aren’t any academic books listed on the website, then it might not be the right one.
4. Before you send your books to the reseller, take photos of them.
You will need to send your books in to the site for them to be evaluated. The shipping of your books is up to you.
Some users have complained that the value of their books was significantly reduced due to water damage. To prove the condition of your books, make sure you take many photos before posting them.
5. Profit from fiction books that are no longer in print
Although textbook sales should generate decent cash, there is no market for second-hand chart fiction or children’s books.
Fiction sales will make you more money if you have more obscure titles or books that are no longer in print. Yours will be more expensive because there’s less competition on the market.
The Best Places to Sell Books Online
These websites are great for selling used books.
1. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is a great place for you to sell books online. It takes just a few minutes to create an ad.
If you exchange books in person, it’s free. If you send the items via Facebook Marketplace by post, however, they will charge a 2% surcharge.
It’s a great idea to sell bulk books of certain modules in order to quickly get rid of university textbooks.
Don’t just throw away books because you made notes in them. Your notes might actually increase the book’s worth. Some students might find good notes useful, which could help them earn more money for their books.
You can also create a Facebook group for students in your course. You can tap into the students below to purchase the books you have – the ideal market – by creating Facebook groups.
2. eBay
You don’t have to be selling everything on eBay if you aren’t already. It’s said that one man’s trash can be another man’s treasure. This is certainly true for eBay.
eBay will not take any of your profits, unlike other sites. You may have to pay a fee depending on how busy you are listing items. To maximize your profit, we have a complete guide that will show you how to sell on eBay.
Selling your books on eBay could make you a lot of money if they are in high demand.
Tip: Be sure to carefully choose your titles and keywords in order to make your books easily found by the right audience on eBay. If you are selling a book on accountancy, make sure to include keywords such as “business” and “finance” in your listing.
3. WeBuyBooks.co.uk
According to what we have heard, WeBuyBooks.co.uk has the best book-selling site in the UK.
Their system for selling unwanted books is the fastest and most efficient. The result is that customer reviews are quite positive.
Simply enter the ISBN number, which is usually found near book barcodes, on their website or scan it using their app for book-selling, to receive an instant valuation. The offer can be accepted or rejected.
Once you have entered enough products to meet the PS5 minimum value requirement, you can print the shipping label and mail your books to them free of cost. Once your books are checked, you should receive the money the next day. It’s that simple.
4. Amazon
Amazon is not the only one selling books on this site. Anyone can sign up to sell books to millions of people.
Amazon offers a few selling plans, but unless you have a large book collection, each plan should suffice.
However, Amazon’s rates can make selling second-hand books difficult unless you are selling books at a high price. Our guide to making money with Amazon covers all fees and the best tips for selling.
Once you have sorted out the fees, all that is left to do is upload your books and condition to the site and wait for someone to purchase them.
5. Abebooks
Abebooks, a lesser-known website for book sales, is very popular with students.
It has more than twenty years of experience in online bookselling and can offer millions of titles. Abebooks operates in the same way as Amazon. If you have rare or collectors’ books, Abebooks can also be sold to other sellers or collectors.
You need to understand your target audience and the best times to buy books. September is the best month to buy used textbooks.
If you sell less than 500 books per month, there is a monthly fee of approximately PS20. This could add up if your books don’t sell quickly. You’ll also pay an additional 8% commission on every sale (minimum of PS0.30).
This is not an exhaustive list. You can find many other websites that offer great deals on old books. These are only our top choices.
You should consider how many books you need to sell before you decide on the best option.
