A book that looks like nothing.

[satnrose]

There are quite a few books that don't look like anything special. Here's one: Security Analysis

[tijuanaroxy]

Who is Patricia Veryan and why is Journey to Enchantment so hard to find on Ebay?
richglo4 (132) (view author's auctions)
05/05/04 01:27 AM

I was researching this book prior to listing it and noticed that Patricia Veryan has many books that are selling but couldn't find even one of these. I saw it on addall for $48 to $139 most are x-library. I also went to her web (fan club) and was reading about her (very interesting life). Is anyone familiar with this book? Its the 1986 first edition. Thank you for any help.


yankeeancestry (1258) (view author's auctions)
05/05/04 04:04 AM(#1 of 13)


Okay, NOW list the thing. Stress all its positives (i.e. better than most other copies available on-line, etc.) and follow satnrose's method: start high. You can always go down.

Do spend the 25 cents for a gallery pic. Do use SCARCE somewhere in title & then specify SCARCE IN THIS CONDITION in your text. Note all flaws, of course. List it for 10 days too.

Sit back & wait for the bidding war while you try to find another book by this author.

Congrats on having a sounds-like-a-winnah.

keziak (5536) (view author's auctions)
05/05/04 05:28 AM(#2 of 13)

Yes, I am familiar with this book and with Patricia Veryan. She writes Georgian romances, primarily, and some Regency-era romances. Like most romance writers she started in paperback and made the leap to hardcovers. But her books had low print runs. That, combined with a devoted following of readers who actually keep her books, results in low supply on the secondhand market. I've sold beat-up ex-library paperbacks by her for good money on ebay, but if I had one of her scarce hardcovers I'd probably wait for the right buyer on Amazon or alibris.

As for why she is popular, I think it's two reasons. One, she is old-fashioned in her tastes and doesn't write sexually-explicit love scenes. This is popular with many reasons. Second, while her style is ornate, she writes well, and appeals to more literate readers. She also writes a lot of amusing secondary characters and animals into her stories. I like her earlier works best, her later novels lacked the old spark.


keziak

gemgal21 (1864) (view author's auctions)
05/05/04 08:18 AM(#3 of 13)

Also noteworthy is that Veryan writes her novels so as to form series. JOURNEY TO ENCHANTMENT is, if I remember correctly, the first of six books in the "Golden Chronicles." Others of her books fit into the "Sanguinet" series and still others into her "Jewelled Men" series. Fans will want to complete not only their collection, but also any particular series they're interested in.

richglo4 (132) (view author's auctions)
05/05/04 08:35 AM(#4 of 13)

keziak,
Thank you very much for the information. I do like her ethics. I guess it's a little late to try Amazon or Alibris, since I have it listed now on ebay with no reserve. I am new at selling and I am learning something new everyday. What are the advantages to Amazon or Alibris? Are the fees similar to ebay? Do you think it will bid up ok on ebay? We had it in half for a couple weeks and thought it would get better exposure on ebay.
We have our inventory listed in "half" and just signed up for the store. They haven't transferred our inventory yet, and not sure how long it takes. I sent an email but as usual it could be a week for a response. You have a store and half? How does that work? Sorry for so many questions.

richglo4 (132) (view author's auctions)
05/05/04 09:01 AM(#5 of 13)

gemgal21,
Thank you for the information. Her fan club sight said it was the second volume, so I added that to the listing.
There are a few bids on it now, so I can't change anything, but for future reference, is there anything else I could have done in the listing to promote it better?

zwish (0) (view author's auctions)
05/05/04 09:06 AM(#6 of 13)

Of course it will do "ok" on eBay. Books always do "ok" when I bid on 'em. They do so "ok" I usually end up second, or third...

One thought: The free priority shipping gimmick is different, but seems a bit costly to you as a seller at the $20 level. This book will sell for considerably more of course, but as a percentasge of sale is really a huge bite. By the time you figure seller fees, PayPal, supplies, etc a large chunk of your NET is gone. Really none of my biz, I know - but... Maybe an upgrade from media mail, or free priority over $50, or sumpin' might make more sense considering all the seller costs involved.

keziak (5536) (view author's auctions)
05/05/04 10:58 AM(#10 of 13)

Richglo4 - what you have there is a very nice copy of a book people are asking $50-70 in so-so condition on Amazon. I hope you will at least hit the $50 range. It would be worth it to a collector because it's part of the Jacobite series. Veryan clearly found the Jacobite sympathizers incredibly romantic so she did a better job with those books than with her later series, which I found to be dull as dishwater.

As for the bigger issue of what to do when half.com goes away, my advice is to invest some time in learning about AMazon and Alibris for the bulk of your inventory, and targeting ebay for books with solid sales appeal. You can of course also open an Ebay store. I'm getting a sale or two out of mine most days. It won't pay the mortgage but it's inexpensive, and Store listings can always be turned into auctions later.

keziak


*likearock* (4109) (view author's auctions)
05/05/04 11:19 AM(#11 of 13)

I've sold a couple of her paperbacks on Amazon for over $100 each.

Amazon is free to list but will take a 15% commision (plus 99¢ listing fee) if it sells. I just adjust my price accordingly.

quartzierose (101) (view author's auctions)
05/05/04 11:53 AM(#12 of 13)

Richglo4, please add the book and author to the thread on top - A book that looks like nothing because this thread will eventually meet the end and be purged.
Thanks
Good luck with your find!

[chotii]

'The Man in the Manhole' by Juniper Sage, HB children's book. I picked one up for $.10 at a yard sale. Or maybe they gave it to me since I looked like I wanted it. Juniper Sage was a nom de plume of Margaret Wise Brown, and I have only ever seen one other copy of this anywhere on the net - for over $700 asking price. I am not selling mine. 🙂 But it's a *wonderful* story. I wish it would be updated with modern information, because it's just a down to earth, wonderful explanation of how people fix things like pipes, broken roadway, and telephone lines.

[timetraveler7]

"Art of the Comeback" by Donald Trump. This is a book that truly looks like nothing and wound up in store close-out bins when it was originally published in 1997 with a retail price of $25.95. Now, only 7 years later, thanks to The Donald's renewed popularity, used copies sell on eBay for more than its issue price.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4210061793&category=378&sspagename=STRK%3AMESSO%3AIT&rd=1

[timetraveler7]

Regarding the "Art of the Comeback": now, that's a book that lives up to its name!

I decided to read this book quickly before shipping it out (my greatest regret is that I never have time to read all the books that I sell) and discovered that Donald Trump, like many an entrepreneur on these boards, is a dumpster diver!

To quote: "I've never seen anything like the contents of Mar-A-Lago. The furniture and fixtures were, in many cases, absolutely superb ... Perhaps the worst room was the Tower Suite ... The strong Art Deco feeling didn't go with the Spanish-style house, but the furniture, in actuality, was very expensive and had great resale value. At first I didn't know this, but my brother-in-law, Jim Grau, noticed a large Dumpster in back of the house filling up with furniture. "Donald," he said, "you can sell this furniture. You shouldn't throw it away. It has great value. It was designed by Simon Price." He turned out to be right, and we sold it and other furniture for hundreds of thousands of dollars at ... auction."

[candles2u]

Tropical Storm PB by Melissa Good, currently bids are up to $100.00.

Also Marks of American Silversmith's by Belden....while all the other silver-mark identification books sold for $4-8, this one sold for $455!

[flammablebooks]

Robert Jordan's "wheel of time" series, book 1, "Eye of the World", trade paperback, advance reader copy. I know it's incredibly popular, but it's such a common to see book, and paperback, not a rare old hardcover like most here. I got a copy for 50 cents at a library. It lists over $100 and I and sold it for $65. Probably the best turn-around I have done. I'm pretty new but I have a book stand in an antique co-op. Love this topic!

[tijuanaroxy]

Cockroaches rule! (Huh?) Mallis Handbook of Pest Control, written for the pest control industry. Out of print. $37 Ebay sale, could have gone more but I am content with the results of this auction. Another book "who woulda thunk it!" I had a feeling that this book would be important to someone. It was written on a professional level, and not for the consumer market. There are no pretty full color pictures of cockroaches in extremis.

This is just another fun book to add to the list of interesting possbilities. I have personally been enriched time and time again by the suggestions found on the Ebay book message board. A book that yesterday I would have passed up is pointed out to me on this msg board, and then the next time I see that book, I know it is a good one to buy.


Another one, from a looong time ago, three plus years, was a tiny little book with a ripped front cover. How to Repair Sewing Machines. I sold it for more than $30 on Ebay and there were bunches of bidders. So you just never know....

Happy hunting, everyone. 🙂

[iainsdad]

Found while browsing,

The Road to the Somme,

The Ulster Division.

by Philip Orr.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=64298&item=4209929969&rd=1

Neil

[buby44]

Day Trading with Short Term Price Patterns & Opening Range Breakout

by Toby Crabel

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=378&item=4210787042&rd=1

The cheapest listing for it on amazon is a ringer for $32; it's only a collection of articles.

[junken-treasure]

Thanks all - Great thread!
A cool sale for me recently was a 1976 TPB 1st,
"Carnival Strippers" by Susan Meiselas
It finished over $200 - see item #4211120145 if interested.

[edigests]

I want to list one that I found recently and sold for near $200.00 on Ebay - The Ghost of Opalina or Nine Lives - Truly a surprise to me as it was a Library book that appeared to have never been checked out. Appreciate the postings here and wanted to contribute.

[msdelphinus]

Hi, I am new to book selling. I love books and have many. Does anyone know what a signed PB of THE END OF THE AGE is worth, by David Dolan? Thanks:)

[iainsdad]

msdelphinus Link on right side ->->->-> Valuation of books. http://forums.ebay.com/thread.jsp?forum=4&thread=375

Unsigned copies not worth much, http://tinyurl.com/2ygam

You may be lucky though, and get 2 collectors fighting over it as it is signed.

[**starlightstarbright**]

I picked up a copy of Robert Jordan's "Eye of the World" trade paperback a few months ago at a thrift store, for 35 cents. Knew it was popular, but never dreamed such a modern paperback would be worth so much???

[hometownvalue22]

Books that look like nothing. Books with text in spanish sell very well and are often overlooked, basically any book too. I bought one by accident and was surprised when it sold quickly, then I started getting more. I usually get them at FOL or Salvation Army $1.00 bag sales and sell them across the river and they sell within 1-2 weeks. I just sold one this morning for $14.95, not bad considered it was in a bag for a buck. Love this discussion board it inspires me when I get burnt out.