Limitations on Book Listings
I've noticed that for book sellers, we're extremely limited... in fact, there are only two; antiquarian and collectables and books and magazines. Why is that? No straight answer can be found... however, let's look at that a moment and see why...
I often have to select a second category other than 'books and magazines' or 'antiquarian and collectables' (I sell old US History books). If the book is about Robert E. Lee, or Abraham Lincoln I often have to drill down through collectables>civil war> or 'US Presidents' as a second category. That means higher payouts to eBay and the buyer has the choice of whether they want to accept media mail or something else. I have found, that it costs me much more, especially if its from a 'promoted' link, which better than 25% are (for me). So my total costs with all the bells and whistles and second non-book category runs on average 45%+. Combined, it eats into my return a lot, but on the other hand, I sell more books. I guess it all depends on the pricing you give them (remember to be honest about the book's condition; poor, poor+, good-, good, good+, etc. In your headline its important to include the condition, I use abbreviations. Book buyers 'get it'.
As a a rule of thumb, I try to add 8 images of every book. Pictures sell, trust me on that one. Add a decent description, don't copy what it says from the back cover. Look at it, read the Preface.. It tells you a lot about the book. Its to your advantage, really.
Add a keyword or two at the end of the headline, it helps in searches, if there's room.
I hope you don't find my suggestions off topic. They're not. Its what you have to do because book sellers dont' have category choices, yet book buyers can search deeply. I think that's unfair. Its certainly to eBay's advantage if it pushes you to choose a 2nd category that's not 'books and magazines'. I wish they would take this issue more seriously and give book sellers more choices. It would improve book sales overall and help book buyers find what they're looking for.
One last suggestion. Two ways to price a book, look at what others are offering it for on eBay, but most of all, use bookfinder.com and search by the author's name, then select the book and see what its really selling for, mostly by condition. Find the price range that matches your book's description and list it just under that. Believe me it helps buyers, especially collectors, find your book. Thank you for giving me a few minutes of your time. Good luck selling! And look me up, I'd gladly give you my two cents worth on any questions you may have. axcess06 Eric!
varebelrose
·3 years ago" If the book is about Robert E. Lee, or Abraham Lincoln I often have to drill down through collectables>civil war> or 'US Presidents' as a second category"
I always just used that related category to begin with, and not the generic "book" categories. Video Game Guide? Listed under Video games. WW2 history book? Listed under WW2 category. Antique Carnival Glass Reference book? Listed under that category as appropriate. Etc etc. You are not required to use two categories, in fact using the generic "book" category tends to make your item get lost. The only drawback is having to go to Paypal or Pirateship to get the media mail labels.
evry1nositswindy
·3 years ago@varebelrose Agreed! The problem with listing in those categories is that media mail isn't listed as a shipping option even though the sub-category is clearly >books. If eBay would fix this problem, that would help. I know I have listed many specialty books in the books category because the category it is related to AND has a sub-category of books does not allow for media mail shipping.
varebelrose
·3 years agoMeh, it is a PITA but not a deal breaker to jump on Paypal to print the media rate labels. Just have to remember to copy/paste the tracking number.
axcess06
OP3 years agoWhen you list outside of books and get a buyer, they have the option of choosing the mail service.. Because I'm selling books, what I do is I don't print eBay's mail, I go to the post office and buy media mail and than when I get home I enter the tracking number, which saves a few bucks....
axcess06
OP3 years agoI go to the post office and pay them for media mail and when I get home, I enter the tracking number. I find that the easiest thing to do.
1786davycrockett
·3 years agoSo what are you suggesting that eBay offer in the "Books" category, beyond "Antiquarian & Collectible" and "Books and Magazines"? The examples which you offered could have applied to either and/or both; but it isn't clear what you believe a third category should include, beyond the choices which eBay has already offered us.
As you are aware, most serious book people enjoy the "deep scrounging" for titles which may have been overlooked on the sites of others; and eBay certainly has provided more and more ways to narrow the search for a large number of subcategories, in order to facilitate our scrounging. So I'm just not sure that a third (unspecified) category would serve any unique purpose.
Could you perhaps be just a bit more specific regarding your suggestion of a "third" book category?
axcess06
OP3 years agoI am not suggesting any additional categories, more that they have sub-categories for listing so sellers like you don't have to step out of 'books' to list an item. I noticed on your own listings that you too step out of books and use other categories where you have no control over a buyer's shipping and you pay a higher commission rate to ebay. If they gave us choices of sub-categories when we list it would be more toward our advantage. It really doesn't matter what I think, ebay will do what it will do. But you are right in that buyers have more capabilities to drill down in their search, its just at the expense of a seller in the hopes they're found. BTW, when I looked at your listings I found you are very thorough in your descriptions and your pics are quite neatly taken. how long have you been selling books on eBay?
1786davycrockett
·3 years ago@axcess06
My first eBay store opened in May 2011 (it was an experiment, to find out what worked and what didn't) -- I eliminated that store fairly recently, as my larger store has satisfied all my needs for the last ten years. But I've been selling used books, old magazines, comic books, records, toys, and so on since the early 1960s, when I was still in high school -- plus I had many good "teachers" along the way: experienced used booksellers who were very gracious and patient in sharing their knowledge.
By the way, the listings on my site that "step out of books and use other categories" were actually listed several years ago (before March 2020), when eBay storeowners at my level were only permitted 1000 listings per month; but we were also permitted to list items (under certain narrow circumstances) in several other categories (such as "Science & Medicine") which were not considered to be "books"; and I took advantage of that opportunity to list quite a few book items that I could not list otherwise. After March 2020, eBay expanded the allowance from 1000 listings per month to 10,000 listings per month; and, shortly thereafter, eBay changed all the "item specifics" in the "books" category, making my "step out" workaround unnecessary. So those "step out" listings are simply a result of my laziness: I just have never bothered to go back to make the readjustments to bring those "step out" items back into "books."
As many eBay booksellers will tell you, many of the changes in the "books" category are often done without any warning to us, and generally without any discussion from booksellers. The eBay "catalogue" is a disaster which is nearly impossible to use; and the new listing "tool" has significant priority problems (for example, when listing the contributors in magazines or anthologies, the 'bots in the eBay system prioritize authors which THEY cherish, rather than the authors whom the SELLER considers most significant; likewise, the specifics for "audience" is skewed towards "Young Adults," rather than "Adults," so I have had to eliminate "Young Adult" from most of my book listings, since the priority readership for most of my books is adults, whom I don't want to scare away if those older readers see that my book is listed on eBay for a largely prioritized "Young Adult" readership; and these are just a few of the problems using the new "listing tool" -- there are more).
There are several "gray" areas in the "books" category which definitely could use some tweaking, such as catalogs, instruction pamphlets, travel brochures, and so on; but most of these are easily subject to workarounds -- if the title listing is worded properly, most potential buyers should not have any problems in finding the item, no matter WHAT the category in which it is listed.
Hope that helps out -- good luck and good book hunting!
axcess06
OP3 years agoThanks for all the helpful tips. I appreciate and I know newbies will too.