$2.22 Books and/or DVDs with Free Shipping? How/Why????
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05-20-2020 01:06 PM
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Re: $2.22 Books and/or DVDs with Free Shipping? How/Why????
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05-21-2020 09:56 AM
Some very high volume sellers may get shipping discounts for pre-sorting their own outgoing mail and paying a bulk rate.
Not only that, but some of the high volume sellers make their money on selling multiple books at a time - three books at $2.22 would be $6.66 which would probably yield a profit of a couple of bucks.
Re: $2.22 Books and/or DVDs with Free Shipping? How/Why????
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05-21-2020 11:35 AM
@jewelbiz wrote:Happens all the time...
I have been selling on eBay since 1998 but not books.
Have 10,000 here in my nyc apartment that I bought over my 4+ decades as an antique jewelry dealer going into houses purchasing Stuff.
I am stumped all the time when trying to figure out prices for my books.
Some sites Google shows many copies of my book in question at $75. to $149. & I’m so happy. Then I see the same exact book, as far as I can discern, on eBay for $1.35!
Then I put it back on the shelf & don’t bother with it at all!
Don't want problems!
Hard for me to price my books and every single day I look up at least 10-20 books but don’t really bother with them!
That rather sounds to me like a major job to identify any books worth selling. If at some point you want to just make most of them go away you might do well to find a reputable local dealer who would make an offer to take everything away and pay you some set amount. It's possible you might make more than that if you find the gems and sell yourself with all that entails. But on the other hand, you can't take them with you. In my work for the library we regularly get large donations of books donated by heirs who do not know if the books are valuable and probably don't care.
Re: $2.22 Books and/or DVDs with Free Shipping? How/Why????
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05-21-2020 11:50 AM
I stay away from those book megasellers, having got burned in the past. No photos. Generic descriptions ("may or may not have underlining", etc.). Also, I found their shipping to be slower than regular media mail, I suspect because they're waiting to get enough orders to a particular SCF (USPS processing facility for 3-digit zip prefix) to qualify for their massive shipping discount.
I would rather pay a bit more and get a description of the actual book I will receive. Even if it's a book I plan to read once and not keep, I'd rather it not be marked up and stained.
I sell books and don't drop my prices to compete with the megasellers. Especially if there are extra features to the book, I think mentioning them gives individual sellers the advantage ("all color plates present," "fold-out maps present," "CD included," etc.) and puts into prospects' minds that these items may not be present in all offerings.
Re: $2.22 Books and/or DVDs with Free Shipping? How/Why????
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05-21-2020 01:15 PM
Years ago Before the internet I figured out first I’ll sell some 200 antiquarian German books from Early 1900’s All hardbackbooks with diagrams maps illustrations Fine bindings etc. I bought from a very refined woman pianist who fled the Nazis. I called the biggest best most famous bookseller in nyc. He did not know it but I was auditioning him to see if I trusted him with the sale of all my books. I just said I had old Fine Books in German which I thought at the time Easily worth $1.00 each or $200. For the lot My Being fair and making a deal getting Finally started selling books.
The books were face up lined up Most With dust jackets etc. in rows easy to see on the living room floor. In my mind I figured I should get rid of these books I can Never read first.......& see how it goes.
I didn’t mention I had 10,000 books here For sale but when he walked in my door he saw them. He started saying, “You don’t know books, I know books!” As he walked around looking at the books on the floor. I said do you want to buy them. He said yes. I’ll give you $45. For all the books. I said but for these 200 Beautiful antique books you are not even offering $.50 cents a book. He said take it or leave it & again “You don’t know books, I know books!” With that he reached down to the floor picked up one German book and flung it across the livingroom!!!!!
With that I ushered him to the door!
As soon as the door closed, I ran to that thrown book I didn’t notice before among the lot of German books, and looked it over.
I sold that 1 book for $200. It was a little Esoteric German Art book about early poster making.
He could have bought all the books knowing what he had if he was 1/2 fair.
Re: $2.22 Books and/or DVDs with Free Shipping? How/Why????
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05-21-2020 01:29 PM
Re: $2.22 Books and/or DVDs with Free Shipping? How/Why????
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05-21-2020 01:47 PM
They have to sell hundreds of items to keep their FB% up due to all of the negs. I personally hate to see them have a top rated seller next to their names. If a potential buyer sees that without looking at the FB with all of the items not received, it gives that top rated seal a bad name. I worked hard to earn my top rated seller status and work hard every day to keep it with giving good customer service with a personal touch (as much as you can online!).
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Re: $2.22 Books and/or DVDs with Free Shipping? How/Why????
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05-21-2020 02:00 PM
That was a bad apple all right. My only point was that if you have accumulated a great many books that aren't antiquarian or rather obviously expensive books, then working with a dealer who would haul away while paying for the lot might be worth considering some day. Versus the time and effort to try selling them online yourself. One hopes there would be some dealers with integrity out there.
Re: $2.22 Books and/or DVDs with Free Shipping? How/Why????
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05-21-2020 02:52 PM
Re: $2.22 Books and/or DVDs with Free Shipping? How/Why????
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05-21-2020 03:01 PM
Re: $2.22 Books and/or DVDs with Free Shipping? How/Why????
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05-21-2020 04:20 PM
@maddocks wrote:
Nice knitting books are NEVER worthless 😄 The wife loves these and I have 20-30 worthy knitting/quilting books in my Watchlist, waiting in vain for any of them to be reduced below original list price 😕
That's amazing. I guess my rule of thumb must be amended to "knitting books at library booksales and used bookstores". I have had to sadly pass over many knitting books because they simply are too lowballed to list.
Re: $2.22 Books and/or DVDs with Free Shipping? How/Why????
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05-21-2020 05:22 PM
I sell some DVDs for as low as $2.50 w/Free shipping. However, those items are "disc only" and postage is only $.70 no tracking. It cost me my "Top Seller" rating because of no tracking, and there are some damaged/lost in the mail, but overall it was the only way I could compete with the mega sellers and their shipping discounts.

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