online bookseller reaches end of an era

[keziak]

This is mostly an Amazon issue but will have a big impact here in my business as well. I have given notice at the libraries I sell on commission for. I explained that my costs of doing business have gone way up and my cut gets smaller and smaller thanks to the fact that fees go up and I have mounting costs I don't charge them for . If I did a more strict accounting of everything then gave them a percentage of what's left they would be shocked. I currently do the grunt work of sorting their donations and weeded books and said I would continue with that if we reach an agreement in which I would pay $X for books I buy or $X flat fee per month (less than what they get now). 

Guess we'll see what they say! They are all hurting badly because they are making very little money selling books to the public. Two of them have ceased mounting sales; the third has been doing it but after the last one they are putting that on hold for some months. So their only income is me and "ongoing sales" in the branches which, from what I hear, doesn't bring in much. Tough times all around.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

The local library I volunteer with just had our Book Sale and we did quite well. (for us). Of course, different places will have different results. We do one big sale a year and a few small "pop up" sales. I do our Facebook marketing and that really seems to help, and I hope to add Instagram for next year's sale. 

One thing I do wonder about---if you've been sorting and basically cherry picking the best stuff to sell online, that can hurt the library at the sale itself. We usually get a fair number of used book dealers, and if all they would find is common ordinary stuff, they'd probably stop coming. 

[lux-libri]

We usually get a fair number of used book dealers, and if all they would find is common ordinary stuff, they'd probably stop coming.

Yes.

[keziak]

The scenario you describe is exactly the case. We still get dealers a lot because I only take books to sell on commission that are fairly pricey. The dealers don't pay commission so can pay less, plus I know that many buy cheap books in general (though some seem to be missing  since Amazon required ID to sell there). Anyway, the difference seems to be the regular customers. Our books are inexpensive and people would buy heaps, especially children's. But not anymore. 

I only know one library in the region that doesn't sell online to some extent though I don't know if they collect a commission or have volunteers do the work [I've heard through the grapevine that in the latter situation the volunteers skim off the good books for themselves]. 

[jewelbiz]

I’ve been talking about it for years my going downstairs on Broadway where I live and sell my books on the street.   But I never get up the nerve to do it!  Of course not these days when it’s 90 degrees but when the weather cools down.  I just don’t do it.  Ever never…
I have all these books here purchased many decades ago probably by now all together cost me nothing.  They are dusty, in my way, I lost 1 this week that I had sold here & went crazy, there’s no good reason for them to still be here except laziness, fear of fancy neighbor’s ridicule, inertia etc.  Selling books on the street is even protected by the 1st amendment to the Constitution Freedom of Speech.

Mind you I can’t go down & sell Knick knacks or jewelry or collectibles but books are ok to sell.

Have a life future supply of books.   Started my work life as an English teacher and taught at Hunter College.  I do love reading and books!  That’s how it started in addition to my sweet father reading to me bedtime stories.  My love of books… 

[2013grotz]

All I can say is I'm definitely pushing to get rid of all the books I don't want here, and if I didn't need the money I'd just give them away or burn them instead of trying to list them.  Nobody is buying them, much less at any rate that makes it worth the time to deal with them.