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From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints

 

From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints . . .

 

 Most new bookdealers burn out within three years...

  

[Satnrose]

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Re: From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints

From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints . . .


Be thankful for eBay.


10 years ago [now 20+ years ago], to be a bookscout meant to be a scrounge, to be treated with an indifference bordering on contempt, to be poor as a churchmouse. Research was haphazard, pricing was erratic, profits were negligible. If you had a major hit, the chances were less that 50/50 that you would get a fair price for it.


eBay leveled the playing field.


[Satnrose]

 


[Note: number of years in brackets updated by Lludwig]

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Re: From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints

From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints . . .

 

In a five dollar world, a twenty dollar book is a big score...

 

[Psthomas]

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Re: From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints


From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints . . .


Try starting your more valuable books at $100 or more.


I used to start some of them at $99.99 or $90 or less, but when I was searching on eBay for some pricier items I realized that I was punching in $100 [in the search function] as the minimum price on a lot of them, which got me to thinking: if other people were doing the same, then a book priced at $99.99 wouldn't show up on their search. So when I relisted them, I started them at $100, and lo and behold, I got a lot more bids!!!!


Now, I don't know if this is a fluke or what, but it's worth giving it a try....


[Satnrose]

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Re: From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints

This was written when auctions were still hot and pixs were not required, but almost all of the info still applies auctions or fixed.

 

 

From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints...


Some valuable lessons learned on the Book Chat Board.


1. A book isn't valuable just because it's "old".


2. When writing a listing think like a buyer. Use the type of keywords in your title that someone looking for YOUR item might use.


3. Tell the buyer WHY he want's to buy your book--- what makes your item desirable or special.


4. Books on the listing services for $95.00 aren't SELLING for $95.00 they are sitting there NOT SELLING for $95.00.


5. Being RARE doesn't make a book desirable.


6. Do some RESEARCH on your book.


7. Know when to hold em and know when to fold em. If your item has a limited market consider that the VAST majority of potential buyers aren't checking for your book every day. On a Free Listing Day I listed a nice copy of Bruce Davidsons Subway for an opening bid of $99.99--- no takers. I relisted it at a Fixed price on the Fixed Priced Free listing day for $150.00 --- it sold in two days to a man who says he's been looking for the book on ebay for the past year. Obviously he wasn't looking during the ten days in January when I had it listed for $99.99. Sometimes you may have to relist a book several times to hit that "window" when your potential buyer is looking. If the book is more common or generic, one relist is probably enough. I do a ten day auction--- a ten day vacation -- then another ten day relist. According to ebud my sell through for the last quarter is 91%--- down from 93% from this time last year.


8. Birds of a feather flock together. I try to list similar genres at the same time and offer combined shipping--- this, for me at least, has attracted multiple buyers. Also with lesser books lotting them can yield good results.


9. Negatives don't attract--- try to keep your TOS upbeat and positive. As a buyer if I see the conditions under which you plan to neg me I pass that auction right by.


10. Pictures sell books. When I added pictures to my auctions my profits increased immediately. Pictures help your buyer visualize what they're getting--- and in these days of ebay scammers may help to assure a potential buyer that you in fact have the item you're selling.


11. BE SPECIFIC about condition of the book and with collectible books FULLY describe any flaws. The MAJOR complaint I see from buyers on these boards are books that are seriously misgraded.


12. Sell internationally. It's really not that dificult.


13. Focus on a friendly customer oriented feel to your business to encourage repeat business.


14. Keep current on what books are HOT and which books are not. Sometimes formerly HOT areas have cooled considerably. Sometimes hot kids books get reprinted--- off the top of my head Beany Malone Emily of Deep Valley A Pair of Red Clogs Duchess Bakes a Cake TWIG Viggo Mortensen's Recent Forgeries---- it's important to know so that you don't overpay when shopping, and overprice when listing.


15. [removed by Lludwig since no longer applicable]


16. Check out the auctions of other sellers and see how they present their auctions and what does well for them.


17. BE FLEXIBLE and willing to roll with the punches. The book business in general and EBAY and online in particular is in a constant state of change. Learn about as many genres as possible, don't get stuck doing the same thing because it worked last year. If it's not working don't whine--- it's unattractive and to be honest 99.9999999999% perccent of the world really doesn't care. Do something different.


[Celticmuse]

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Re: From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints

From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints . . .


Keep a stash of ended auctions on hand to relist when you're too tired or unfocused to do your regular listings.


[Satnrose]

 


Addendum by Lludwig: The suggestion of keeping a stash of ended listings is very benefical for "free list days".  The stash also gives those books a 'rest' and helps 'rotate' your stock.

Message 170 of 353
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Re: From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints

From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints . . .


The Internet is a black hole into which you pour your time.


[Satnrose]

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Re: From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints

From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints . . .


The real test is out on the street.


It requires no great skill to buy books when they're a buck or two apiece. Just don't buy junk.


At $5-$10 you have to be more careful, but you can still take chances.


At $100, you'd better be pretty sure, but there's still room for guesswork.


At $1000 you'd better be right.


At $10000, guts, pure guts.


[Satnrose]

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Re: From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints

From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints . . .


On being a bookseller:


There are many, many easier ways to make money.


Of course none of them are as much fun, or as rewarding as hearing someone say. "I've been looking for that book for 15 years! Thanks SO MUCH!"


Besides, being a bookseller is the only way I can excuse having so durned many books around.


[Hollowayd]

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Re: From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints

Do you have an ebay store or just list. I am trying to figure out the sweet spot. And it definitely isn't on Amazon...

 

Thanks, Randy

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Re: From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints

Two observations about "The real test is out on the street."

 

1. If you're willing to pay even as little as $50 or $100 for a book, by far most of the booksellers you'd be competing with at the $.50 to $1.00 level are nowhere in sight - that is, the more you're willing to pay, the more the competition drops off  from other buyers.

 

2. In my experience, the more I pay for a book, the less likely it is that I'll lose money on it. What needs to be weighed carefully, however, is the cost of tying up capital until it sells. 

 

 

 

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Re: From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints

bookthink - Two excellent observations regarding "The real test is out on the street." !

 

cellar2atticbargains - Yes, I have a store. For me, keeping my store at about 600 listings is ideal but mileage may vary for others. 

 

Anyone who has that little red door icon next to the ID name has a store. Eventually I plan on starting a thread for Store Hints and Discussion, but for now you might want to check out the thread titled "insertion fees to increase 500%" but don't be mislead by the increase %. Not true for stores. In the thread you will find info about stores including fees and other things.

  

 

From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints . . .


Books sell when they want to. Not when you want them to. Or need them to....


[Satnrose]

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Re: From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints

From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints . . .

 

When Holt printed West Running Brook by Robert Frost [in 1928], they belatedly discovered that they had neglected to put the phrase "First Edition" on the copyright page.

 

So they put it on the second printing.

 

[Satnrose]

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Re: From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints


@lludwig wrote:

From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints . . .

 

When Holt printed West Running Brook by Robert Frost [in 1928], they belatedly discovered that they had neglected to put the phrase "First Edition" on the copyright page.

 

So they put it on the second printing.

 

[Satnrose]


I've had this book a couple of times, and I think Joel actually meant the 2nd state, not printing. Crane says the omission was caught and corrected near the end of the first print run, with about 8,400 copies lacking the FE statement and 1,000 copies carrying it.

 

https://www.amherst.edu/library/archives/holdings/books/frost/westrunningbrook

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Re: From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints

emmbook - Thanks for the correction regarding 2nd state intead of  2nd printing. I've added that information and the link to my files.

 


From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints . . .


.........bursting at the seams.............


If you are running an eBay business out of your home, you used up all available room long ago and are now doubling up on what you use most any particular piece of space for.
Or tripling...


This is why you should get rid of all dead stock. "Dead stock" is often not worthless stock, but simply lower level stock that you cannot or will not or shall not sell anytime soon. Some people like to call it "clutter."


[Satnrose]

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Re: From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints

From the Collected Works of Bookseller Hints . . .

 

Always dig down to the bottom of the box no matter how discouraging the top layer looks.


[oldbookshopnj]

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