Re: Bookselling
Pam Hartley
----------
I don't mind answering on the list, though if others get bored with the
not-unschooling of it I'll take it private.
Yes, we ship by USPS mail. If the buyer doesn't like the book, we refund
with no questions asked (we get less than one return per 800 or more sold).
Finding books is not a problem: thrift stores, flea markets, garage sales,
used book stores, library book sales, rummage sales, church bazaars,
advertisements that you buy books in the local papers, etc., all will get
you more books than you know what to do with.
We have a website, though it's just a gateway right now to our inventory on
other sites. My husband is the web page designer and it's "in progress". We
don't sell books on a walk-in basis, only by mail.
I know what books are worth by research -- other booksellers asking prices,
recent auction results, a multitude of books on the trade, gut feeling, etc.
It's not easy. I have had dozens of people ask me "how do I get started?"
and I tell them and they try and give up in very short order. You have to be
prepared to put in the time to learn, and then put in the sweat (books are
heavy!).
I learned what to buy by trial and a lot of error. My instincts and memory
are both good, and keep us fed. Dog training was easier, but I like being
able to work midnight to 2 a.m. (my peak hours <g>) and dealing with the
difficult people by e-mail is easier than dealing with difficult people in
person or even on the phone.
I started by reading and cataloging and graphing (did anyone doubt it? <g>)
closed eBay auctions in my specialty categories of choice. That sort of
activity helps me memorize, and I put in more than 200 hours just reading
and graphing and indexing on line before I bought a single book for resale.
I spend one or two days a week buying, and the rest of the week on data
entry, shipping, cleaning, shelving, sorting, stacking, researching and
lugging.
My children, when spying a new book, pick it up with great tenderness and
ask, "Is this to sell, or do we get to keep it?" The bonus for them is, they
own a lot of books since I'm always buying for them, and my husband, and
myself, and our friends and family, as well as for the customers.
Pam
>From: [email protected]much!!!
>To: [email protected]
>Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Digest Number 1529
>Date: Mon, Oct 8, 2001, 11:22 PM
>
> Do you ship by mail? What if the buyer is not satisfied? Do you accept
> returns etc? I would really like to get into this. I love books and I've
> been looking for a way to make some money but stay home with my kids. What
> kind of places do you go to find books? Do you have your own web site? Do
> you sell from your house at all, like a store front? How do you know what a
> book is worth? Is there a good book about this that I should have to help
> with pricing. Thanks for your help!!! You may have saved me from having to
> give up on unschooling for a while!!!! You can e-mail me privately if you
> want. I don't want you to waste time on me but if there's a bit of advice
> that you could share that is a must know etc...I would appreciate it sooooo
I don't mind answering on the list, though if others get bored with the
not-unschooling of it I'll take it private.
Yes, we ship by USPS mail. If the buyer doesn't like the book, we refund
with no questions asked (we get less than one return per 800 or more sold).
Finding books is not a problem: thrift stores, flea markets, garage sales,
used book stores, library book sales, rummage sales, church bazaars,
advertisements that you buy books in the local papers, etc., all will get
you more books than you know what to do with.
We have a website, though it's just a gateway right now to our inventory on
other sites. My husband is the web page designer and it's "in progress". We
don't sell books on a walk-in basis, only by mail.
I know what books are worth by research -- other booksellers asking prices,
recent auction results, a multitude of books on the trade, gut feeling, etc.
It's not easy. I have had dozens of people ask me "how do I get started?"
and I tell them and they try and give up in very short order. You have to be
prepared to put in the time to learn, and then put in the sweat (books are
heavy!).
I learned what to buy by trial and a lot of error. My instincts and memory
are both good, and keep us fed. Dog training was easier, but I like being
able to work midnight to 2 a.m. (my peak hours <g>) and dealing with the
difficult people by e-mail is easier than dealing with difficult people in
person or even on the phone.
I started by reading and cataloging and graphing (did anyone doubt it? <g>)
closed eBay auctions in my specialty categories of choice. That sort of
activity helps me memorize, and I put in more than 200 hours just reading
and graphing and indexing on line before I bought a single book for resale.
I spend one or two days a week buying, and the rest of the week on data
entry, shipping, cleaning, shelving, sorting, stacking, researching and
lugging.
My children, when spying a new book, pick it up with great tenderness and
ask, "Is this to sell, or do we get to keep it?" The bonus for them is, they
own a lot of books since I'm always buying for them, and my husband, and
myself, and our friends and family, as well as for the customers.
Pam
Leslie
Hi Pam,
I was at the library looking for books on the trade and I couldn't find anything. There were a few about particular books like comics etc.. Could you recomend something to get me started. Really I don't suppose antique books are going to comprise to much of my inventory anyway. I'm trying to figure out how to check/find out about items sold/closed auctions on e-bay but I haven't been able to figure out where that info is and how to access it. Can you help me. There's an e-bay university coming to my area, do you recommend this program, did you take it? What's your specialty. I'm into childrens lit, fiction and biographys I think.
Anything you can help with here? Your sure right that selling is not as easy a process as buying! I feel a little overwhelmed and anxious but I want to persist.
Thanks, Leslie
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I was at the library looking for books on the trade and I couldn't find anything. There were a few about particular books like comics etc.. Could you recomend something to get me started. Really I don't suppose antique books are going to comprise to much of my inventory anyway. I'm trying to figure out how to check/find out about items sold/closed auctions on e-bay but I haven't been able to figure out where that info is and how to access it. Can you help me. There's an e-bay university coming to my area, do you recommend this program, did you take it? What's your specialty. I'm into childrens lit, fiction and biographys I think.
Anything you can help with here? Your sure right that selling is not as easy a process as buying! I feel a little overwhelmed and anxious but I want to persist.
Thanks, Leslie
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Leslie
Hi Pam,
I've figured out how to check the closed auctions now!!! But I still haven't found out how much e-bay charges for listing an item. Is it a flat fee and then if it sells they take a percentage? Where can I find this info? I'm in Canada, do you know of any other venues for selling that I can access from here?
Thanks again for helping a stranger!!!
Leslie
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I've figured out how to check the closed auctions now!!! But I still haven't found out how much e-bay charges for listing an item. Is it a flat fee and then if it sells they take a percentage? Where can I find this info? I'm in Canada, do you know of any other venues for selling that I can access from here?
Thanks again for helping a stranger!!!
Leslie
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Karri
I'm not Pam, but here is a link to the ebay seller's guide. It should
answer all of your questions...
http://pages.ebay.com/help/sellerguide/index.html
Karri
answer all of your questions...
http://pages.ebay.com/help/sellerguide/index.html
Karri
>
> Hi Pam,
> I've figured out how to check the closed auctions now!!! But I
> still haven't found out how much e-bay charges for listing an
> item. Is it a flat fee and then if it sells they take a
> percentage? Where can I find this info? I'm in Canada, do you
> know of any other venues for selling that I can access from here?
> Thanks again for helping a stranger!!!
> Leslie
>
Leslie
Thanks Karri,
I've got this page and I understand? most of the procedure but I can't find how much the seller is charged to use the service. Is it a flat fee? Are you only charged if the item sells?
Thanks, Leslie
I've got this page and I understand? most of the procedure but I can't find how much the seller is charged to use the service. Is it a flat fee? Are you only charged if the item sells?
Thanks, Leslie
----- Original Message -----
From: Karri
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001 10:49 AM
Subject: RE: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Bookselling
I'm not Pam, but here is a link to the ebay seller's guide. It should
answer all of your questions...
http://pages.ebay.com/help/sellerguide/index.html
Karri
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Tia Leschke
At 09:43 AM 10/11/01 -0400, you wrote:
looked.
Tia
Tia Leschke leschke@...
On Vancouver Island
**************************************************************************
It is the answers which separate us, the questions which unite us. - Janice
Levy
>Hi Pam,I saw something recently about an ebay Canada site, but I never went and
>I've figured out how to check the closed auctions now!!! But I still
>haven't found out how much e-bay charges for listing an item. Is it a flat
>fee and then if it sells they take a percentage? Where can I find this
>info? I'm in Canada, do you know of any other venues for selling that I
>can access from here?
looked.
Tia
Tia Leschke leschke@...
On Vancouver Island
**************************************************************************
It is the answers which separate us, the questions which unite us. - Janice
Levy