How can some afford to sell a book for $5 with free shipping?

[wmontyj]

I see that many of the books I have and would like to sell are listed for sale on ebay for around $5 with free shipping.  How can sellers afford to do that?  I would think doing all the work for a good listing (photos, descriptions, calculating shipping and so on) would eliminate any profit from such an inexpensive item.  There must be something going on which I don't know.

[fm2000]

1. They are paid to include promotion material/ads with their item (even though it violates MM rules)

2. They have a special Media Mail presort rate we smaller sellers do not have access to

3. The "charity" megasellers get their inventory for free, non-charity megasellers get their books/media so cheap they are practically free

4. The "charity" megasellers often employ sub-minimum wage workers, or are even paid by the government to employ them (they actually make money employing people, not actually selling items)

5. The megasellers do not take actual photos of their items (use tiny stock photos, or have no photos at all even though it is against eBay rules), have blank (or worthless) descriptions, do not examine, grade and note defects on the items they sell. They can sell them cheap because they put virtually no work into their listings.

6. Because they don't examine their items, their quality control is poor but because they are so big can afford to have a high return rate (and high negative feedback) that small sellers cannot afford.

7. They usually use cheap, substandard packaging (they can afford to eat the cost of returns for damaged items).

There are rare/collectible books and CDs and other media that are worth good money and absolutely worth selling. Unfortunately, books and media are now an "advanced category" that requires experience and knowledge to be successful with. It is definitely not a category for beginner sellers.

[chapeau-noir]

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@wmontyj wrote:

Well I got some really good information!  I think that the net net bottom line for a single person trying to kind of clean up his library is to donate those $5 items to either the local library or the local thrift shop.   I try to put good photos and info in each listing and the $5 item just is not worth the trouble.  One other interesting idea is that if I have something really good I don't have to be the cheapest on the block, so to speak.

Many thanks for all the input!

Regards,

David Jackson

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@wmontyj  I've been selling books lately, but I look everything up to make sure it's worth it. Most of the time it isn't, but it doesn't take long to check. Same with DVDs. I sell all of the CDs I list (haven't listed lately) but in this case I sell by the genre (all of this stuff is from our libraries, I don't buy to sell) at a really good price, and it's stuff like free jazz, avant garde, etc., that doesn't have a zillion copies. And you don't have to be the cheapest on the block if you have a good description, particularly since they're your own books. I've gotten some awful copies here where it's obvious the person just got it at the thrift, listed it as "good" and didn't even bother looking inside to see all the highlighting and the fact that the binding is falling apart or the pages have foxing or whatever. 

[brightlightbookseller]

Books are far from a losing proposition! That’s our whole business! You do have to know which ones are not worth your time though.

[goldsauctions]

Sorry your missing a few things from your math.

Even if you don't pay for the book, you still have eBay fees (15-20%), and postage is as low as $4.15 for Media Mail. 

Selling a book for $5 will net you $0.10 with the cheapest fees.

[think41c]

A mailer might be $0.50, th

[evry1nositswindy]

I sell books and I do NOT strive to be the lowest price.  Where the big booksellers can beat me on price, I can beat them of quality and customer service.  Notice that they offer no pictures or descriptions.  Also notice their numerous negatives.  I take lots or pictures and write detailed descriptions.  I ship quickly, same or next day.  I give great follow-up service if an item is running late.  

[pikabo-icu]

Old thread... 

[pickapaper]

@jewelbiz 

I know nothing about NYC but I'm curious if anyone complained about you setting up a table to sell your books.   Or if any of your "fancy neighbors" stopped to buy a book from you. 

I hope you do really well selling this time!

[cyberontix]

That's exactly it. They have metered postage and whatnot and are fine with making 60 cents on a transaction; it's volume-oriented profit. Is what it is. Last year I bought a skid of books at a hilarious discount from an Amazon seller who was calling it quits to become a golf pro, and it was one of the smartest things I've ever done. I sold a ton of them here.

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

These are mostly huge booksellers who purchase books by the truckload for pennies, don't offer combined shipping and have a pre-sort contract with the USPS (in common with other very large outfits). They make their money on volume.

ETA: I wouldn't waste my time listing most books but just donate. I'm cleaning out our two home libraries and pretty most of the clean-out is donated, with decently salable books that not every body has listed here. You can go through your books and do a quick look-up. Also, books series do still sell.

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[pikabo-icu]

I'll try again...

OLD Thread.. 

[grand-and-glorious-purpose]

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@wmontyj wrote:

How can sellers afford to do that? 

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Volume.

Also if you need to pad your seller level %s to get out of ebay jail you quick buy yourself some sales and feedback.

[kh-phdan]

Hello Everyone,

Due to the age of the thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue discussing this topic.

Thanks for understanding!