If you’ve been around my blog, you know that one of the ways I earn My Mocha Money is to sell used and new books primarily on Amazon’s marketplace. I also have talked about different places I find my books to resell. One of the places I haven’t talked about before is Craigslist.
Personally, I’m a little hesitant to sell anything on Craigslist. I’ve listed items before that I got great deals on (see my Amazon’s Gold Box Deal of The Day Post), and got responses from people that made my spider senses tingle. However, I don’t mind being on the buying side because I feel like I’m the one in control because I’m doing the buying, and I have the cash.
FINDING THE BOOKS
One of the ways I find books on Craigslist to resell, is to sort through the older listings and find books that I think will sell well on Amazon. I stay away from fiction or older textbooks or mainstream self-help books. I do like newer textbooks (especially nursing books). I also like “lots” of books that are of either the same author or genre. These I can sell on eBay if I can get them for a good price. For instance, I may buy a “lot” of business books even if they are on the mainstream side if again, I can get a good price for them, and the quantity is high. If I find books that I like, then I contact the person who posted the ad and ask if the books are still available. If they are, then I know I can negotiate a good deal for them.
CONTACTING THE SELLER
If a book was listed at $40 and the ad was posted three weeks ago and the book is still available, then I might offer $10 for the book if I know I can sell it for at least $30 or more dollars on Amazon. If the seller then says he wants $20 for it, I’ll say no. Since I have to pick up the book or meet the seller somewhere, I have to take my driving time into consideration. However, I will settle for $15 if the seller agrees. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done this and it works. Most times, sellers list their books for too much money. Most buyers–including resellers–will ignore their ads and go on to search for the bargains. Few people are taking the time to contact sellers to see if they’ve sold their over-priced books and try to negotiate with them.
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Nice writing style. Looking forward to reading more from you.
Chris Moran
great article
Great advice. Search and you shall find. Selling books on Amazon can earn you a higher return than any other site, when it comes to books.
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