Everyone owns books. You may have a few books or a big library but a majority of people on this planet own books!
Very often, our books lie idle, gathering dust and being eaten by weevils and other moths. Sadly, old books also attract termites that can damage our bookshelves or even the entire house. Unwanted payload has saddled us all.
We keep these books for several reasons. We bought them to read while travelling, merely out of curiosity or to savour it later. Some came as gifts whereas some borrow books from others. Thus the value of books is every person’s life is genuinely significant.
But there comes a time in every person’s life where they have to let go of their favourite book or any dress. For this purpose, there are many sites available to sell used clothes online or even a used book!
Now, you can make some good money by selling old books online. Follow these five simple steps, and you can get rid of books that otherwise would lie like scrap at your home.
Many people are keen on buying second-hand books online as some consider it as a one-time use and they cost cheaper than a brand new book as well.
Additionally, you can sell textbooks online. Also, reference books, old Bibles, religious texts and other used books online as well as books that were never assigned an International Standard Book Number (ISBN).
Step-by-step Guide to Sell Old Books Online:
Step-1: Care for your books
Sort out all your books first and check whether you have got damaged book.
Slight damages can be repaired, but large tears, eating away by insects, stains and loss of pages render books unsalable on the Internet.
Step-2: Find out their worth
The best website to find out how much any old book is worth is Bookscouter. This website is rather simple.
You have to key in the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) mentioned either on the side of the book, cover or the first two to three pages.
Bookscouter will give you an almost accurate estimate about how much your book is worth and where you can sell it.
Remember, you will not be able to sell books online that do not have an ISB number through this manner.
Bookscouter is also available as an app for mobile users. An ISB number can be 10-digit or 13-digit.
Alternatively, most e-retailers of old books also provide the facility. You have to key in the ISB number of your book and get the best quote.
Step-3: Get Great Pictures to Sell Books Online Easily
Take great pictures of your books. Preferably, take photos of the front and back covers as well as sides.
If there is any damage on inner pages, you need to post pictures showing that too.
Take separate pictures for each book and keep them ready for upload, when you enter any website where you can sell books online.
Also Read: Make Money By Selling Stock Photos
Step-4: Choose the Best Website
Here comes the most crucial part of selling your old book online. Once you know the value of your books, you can approach any of these websites and advertise them for sale. There are many books related to online selling sites that you can consider for
Importantly, there are two types of websites for selling old books:
- Websites that buy your old books and resell.
- Those who allow you to advertise and allow direct buyer-seller contact for a small fee.
Here are a few tips to look for the best websites where you can sell books:
- Sites top-rated among old book buyers.
- Charges small or zero commission.
- Allows your posts to remain for a longer time.
- free-shipping of your books.
- Global reach.
- Payments through PayPal or bank account.
Alternatively, you can select the websites from our selection.
Also Read: Popular Book Publishing Companies in India
Step-5: Our Selection of Websites
1. eBay:
Undoubtedly the best site to sell books online, eBay is also a favourite place for book buyers. As usual, register on eBay, create a post and sell books.
eBay generally provides a direct buyer-seller contact. Further, eBay has a global reach, and you can select various payment options.
2. net:
Here too you need to register and follow a few simple steps. Register online and scan the ISBN numbers of your books. Upload the required information, including expected price.
Once done, Cash4books will send you a quote. Meaning, they will inform how much they are willing to pay for your books. They will also give a choice of free and paid shipping of your books.
3. Bookscouter:
Bookscouter offers you the unique advantage of selling your books in nearly 50 categories and sub-categories. You have to register on Bookscouter as a seller and follow their simple steps.
You will also have to fill in a few questions for every book. Bookscouter will quote the price they are willing to pay. Again, you have the option of shipping your books at their expense.
4. Paperback Swap:
Paperback Swap does not buy or sell books. Instead, it is a club of millions of people around the world. At any point of time, Paperback Swap has over two million listed titles.
These range from magazines and periodicals to reference books, fiction, history and books of almost every genre. Here, you exchange your book with someone else.
Meaning, you ship your books to someone who wants them. In exchange, you get other books. You can either read these books and swap them further or merely sell them through other websites.
5. eCampus:
This website is specifically aimed at school and college students. Here, you can mostly sell old textbooks and reference books that students require.
“eCampus today is a premier online retailer of new, used and electronic textbooks for sale or rent, study materials and book buyback services headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky.
In addition to direct retail sales via the online eCampus storefront, the company partners with colleges, universities and K-12 schools to serve as their official bookstore.
Currently, the eCampus.com Virtual Bookstore Program serves as the official bookstore for over 150 schools nationwide (in the USA), and that number continues to grow each year,” says the company’s website.
Compare Book Prices
You can even easily compare book prices available on different websites and choose the online bookselling site which provides the best selling rate.
Moreover, there are various websites to compare book prices. These are as follows:-
Selling Books without ISBN
Often you may find selling old books that do not bear the ISB number a problem.
There are several reasons that books do not have ISBN numbers. Firstly, a lot of books that were published during or soon after the World War-II do not have ISBN numbers.
There are other sites as well as bookchor who would consider buying this kind of books.
However, these books can also be sold, provided you approach the right place.
Half:
The half is a website run by eBay. Here too you can sell old books. However, is not quite as famous for selling old books, though you can find a few buyers. This website allows direct buyer-seller contact.
Half.com does not have the mandatory ISBN requirement that other used book buyers and sellers prescribe.
Comics:
The website Comicbookclassifieds is a rare but trendy web store for those wanting to buy or sell old comic books.
In fact, this website is somewhere you can earn a lot of money, provided you have an excellent collection of comic books of yesteryears.
Some of the greatest comics of the world are no longer in print or very expensive. In some cases, limited editions were printed. Visit the website to get an idea of what comic books you can sell old books here.
Craigslist
Everything under the Sun buys and sells at Craigslist. You too can utilise this online platform to sell your old books online and make money.
Upon registering on Craigslist, you need to fill in relevant details about the books you wish to sell and upload a few pictures.
The advantage with Craigslist is, they allow you to sell old books within a specific geographical area. Hence, you can avoid huge expenses on shipping.
Also Read: Ways to Make Money from Home
What about Amazon?
Undoubtedly, Amazon is the world’s largest e-retailer. However, Amazon does not offer direct facilities for owners of old books to sell their wares.
Despite, it is still possible for you to get your old book online on Amazon as many as possible buy used books online. To do so, you will have to register as a vendor or seller under the ‘books’ category.
Upon completing the required registration process, you will have to upload pictures of the books you are selling and specific details.
Generally, older and used books will feature alongside the latest ones on offer at Amazon. But there are no guarantees that they will be able to sell your book for sure.
DIY (Do it Yourself)
Simply put, it means Do It Yourself. One of the painstaking ways yet rewarding way to sell books online.
You can do so either over the social media using Facebook or search for individuals and institutions that would be interested in buying the stuff.
Facebook indeed offers excellent opportunities to sell old books. You can join any of the tens of thousands of forums of booklovers on Facebook to provide them with on sale.
Another way is by writing emails to state and Federal libraries as well as universities.
Buying these books might interest many people provided they are of their genre or field of interest.
The rarer your book, the more interest you can expect from such prospective buyers.
Opening Own Business
It may sound ridiculous to hear, buying and selling old books is good business. You will require some capital to start with this.
All that you require is a primary website and agreements with US Postal Services for pick-up and delivery of your book packages to sellers and buyers.
It is an ideal business for retirees wanting to lead an active yet relatively relaxed life.
You can buy these old books from friends, acquaintances and neighbours and sell books online or used books online for higher prices.
Final word
Modern gadgetry like Kindle and others are steadily changing the way we know books.
The concept of e-books is becoming popular as electronic book readers become cheaper by the day.
Hence, it is best to sell books online at the right time can help you earn money.
Books that otherwise could be damaged can land as a prized collection in someone’s library.
Book lovers and collectors are willing to buy books online and pay reasonable prices for something they do not have.
Just in case you own a particular book, selling it on time would help some collector complete their collections.