Selling online?

**pluckyduck** · #1 02-01-2005, 08:57 PM

So, I picked up a new addiction while I was away - selling online. Started out innocently enough (as all my addictions do), just selling off a few excess books. Blinked a few times and now I'm an Online Bookseller. I sell on Amazon, Alibris, Barnes & Noble through Alibris, Half and occasionally eBay. 90% Amazon. I've blown through personal inventory a long time ago; I buy and resell now. Fascinating and highly addictive.

I never paid much attention as to who was selling online here before. I know George was an active eBay seller at one point. I know Maryanne's husband is a bookseller. Lynn and Bridgette sell on eBay. I remember Curtis was into Half at one point. Margaret was into eBay with her purses.

Anybody else? Curious if online selling is a discussion point of interest. (Warning: online booksellers are insufferable bores. We can beat the tiniest detail into the ground within an inch of its life....wonder why I was attracted to the vocation?

)

Andrea

**Joubert**[$] · #2 02-01-2005, 08:59 PM

We're still kind of active. We go in fits and spurts. Have ten "clutter-type" items listed on eBay right now. I'll be shocked if we get $50 total.

**pluckyduck** · #3 02-01-2005, 09:03 PM

George, I know, I can't look at anything in this house the same way anymore.

*Totally* out of line with anything I have sold, we found a NIB Toy Story 2 Interactive Woody and Jessie doll set yesterday. Don meant to give it to his godchild years ago and forgot.

Like a true online seller, product category doesn't really matter when you see NIB! I immediately started searching closed auctions.

I'm thinking I can get $100, but I have more research to do.

Andrea

**Joubert**[$] · #4 02-01-2005, 09:11 PM

Yikes.

The wife does the same thing with antique glass. She has several thousand dollars worth of stuff scattered about the house. The trick is getting her to part with any of it.

anderclayton · #5 02-01-2005, 09:25 PM

Quote:

pluckyduck said

So, I picked up a new addiction while I was away - selling online. Started out innocently enough (as all my addictions do), just selling off a few excess books. Blinked a few times and now I'm an Online Bookseller. I sell on Amazon, Alibris, Barnes & Noble through Alibris, Half and occasionally eBay. 90% Amazon. I've blown through personal inventory a long time ago; I buy and resell now. Fascinating and highly addictive.

How do you buy and resell and what exactly do you sell? Kinda curious because it doesn't seem like you could make a lot of money buying and reselling books. Maybe I'm just clueless there though.

Ander

**pluckyduck** · #6 02-01-2005, 09:25 PM

LOL!

Your wife's glass = my books.

It's very scary, honestly. My whole middle bedroom now, er, when they are actually shelved.

DH, just tonight: Baby, the books in the hall, we can't walk through anymore. Remember the house appraiser is coming on Friday.

Me, with innocent look: oh, honey, I know, I'll move the piles.

<-- hoping this will produce a smilie

HEY, when you can cost justify accumulating books, that's the American Way!

Andrea

mnehr · #7 02-01-2005, 09:52 PM

We've been thinking of disposing of a lot of antiques, collector plates, and crap we've collected or inherited this way. It's probably better than my usual, drop it all at goodwill.

**Joubert**[$] · #8 02-01-2005, 09:55 PM

Our new system is this:

1) List the item on eBay. Hooray if it sells.
2) If it doesn't sell, list the item on FreeCycle and give it to someone.
3) If no one takes it, put it in the donation box and bring it to the local charity.

**pluckyduck** · #9 02-01-2005, 10:19 PM

Quote:

anderclayton said

How do you buy and resell and what exactly do you sell? Kinda curious because it doesn't seem like you could make a lot of money buying and reselling books. Maybe I'm just clueless there though.

Ander

Lord, Ander, you don't know what a loaded question that is for me. I'm going to TRY my hardest not to do a disertation and kill the thread, I promise.

The book market is not an easy road to riches....I've just gotten to the point where it is a little bit of part time income. I've fallen into book speculation, which is *sort* of like speculating on the stock market. I can and do buy books for a couple of dollars and sell them for $50 to a $100, but like any speculator, I'm going to tell you about my wins and not my losses.

It's much more common for online booksellers to use the book sources around them (estate sales, thrift stores, garage sales, FOL sales, etc.) sift through finds and then resell online. All of it is hard work and you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find the prince. There are books that sell for hundreds of dollars...*finding* them of course, would be the key.

Since books are so close to my heart, it's been fun to study the market(s).

Andrea

**pluckyduck** · #10 02-01-2005, 10:37 PM

Quote:

mnehr said

We've been thinking of disposing of a lot of antiques, collector plates, and crap we've collected or inherited this way. It's probably better than my usual, drop it all at goodwill.

Matthew -

My biggest hang up is feeling as if I need to know a product area before I get into selling. I worry about pricing correctly, making sure I have the right packaging, being able to speak intelligently, etc.

I've thought about digging into boxes my mother's Limoges or my father-in-law's large collection of printer's boxes. I do find that I like selling products that have an ISBN number or a UPC code.

Much smoother, easier to research, easier to package, etc.

eBay is probably my least favorite selling medium, too. I like to wait to get the highest price, which can take months. No problem, I'm patient. Auctions make me bite my nails down, I'd rather wait for the sale when it comes from someone who agrees to my set price.

I don't know how to do that with the kinds of products you mention, so, they sit in boxes....but better to try, I'd guess, than dump off at Goodwill. Depending on what you need for a tax deduction that year.

Andrea

mnehr · #11 02-01-2005, 10:38 PM

Quote:

pluckyduck said

It's much more common for online booksellers to use the book sources around them (estate sales, thrift stores, garage sales, FOL sales, etc.) sift through finds and then resell online. All of it is hard work and you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find the prince. There are books that sell for hundreds of dollars...*finding* them of course, would be the key.

Since books are so close to my heart, it's been fun to study the market(s).

Andrea

I should send you some to sell. I have some, what I think are valuable first editions. One of my prides is an autographed Walter Russell (famous early 20th century philosopher) The Message of the Divine Iliad. I also have an autographed first edition Interview With the Vampire- but I shant part with that one.

mnehr · #12 02-01-2005, 10:45 PM

Quote:

pluckyduck said

Matthew -

My biggest hang up is feeling as if I need to know a product area before I get into selling. I worry about pricing correctly, making sure I have the right packaging, being able to speak intelligently, etc.

I've thought about digging into boxes my mother's Limoges or my father-in-law's large collection of printer's boxes. I do find that I like selling products that have an ISBN number or a UPC code.

Much smoother, easier to research, easier to package, etc.

eBay is probably my least favorite selling medium, too. I like to wait to get the highest price, which can take months. No problem, I'm patient. Auctions make me bite my nails down, I'd rather wait for the sale when it comes from someone who agrees to my set price.

I don't know how to do that with the kinds of products you mention, so, they sit in boxes....but better to try, I'd guess, than dump off at Goodwill. Depending on what you need for a tax deduction that year.

Andrea

Some of my garage items include a full set of Franklin Mint collector's plates (about 25) my wife inherited. A ton of Delft plates and platters (also inherited), an antique Bilhorn folding organ (Used in WW1), many books like the aforementioned ones (hundreds of books, most of which I don't want to part with but should), an antique Japanese tea table, and a lot of crystal my grandfather bought in Austria right after WWII.

I suppose I should start by looking for what these items are selling for. The problem I have had when I tried in the past is that I haven't found similar items. Although I don't want to think about it, when I inherit my grandmother's estate, I am in deep doo doo. She is a major pack rat (depression generation) and it will take years to inventory all her stuff. Luckly it isn't junk, a lot of it seems pretty valuable.

**pluckyduck** · #13 02-01-2005, 10:55 PM

Quote:

mnehr said

I should send you some to sell. I have some, what I think are valuable first editions. One of my prides is an autographed Walter Russell (famous early 20th century philosopher) The Message of the Divine Iliad. I also have an autographed first edition Interview With the Vampire- but I shant part with that one.

My speciality (so far) is modern OOP (out of print), not antiquitarian. I get out of my league when it is pre-ISBN, and am much more comfortable 1980+, and even then in defined genre's. I'm struggling with some 1970's collectible paperbacks right now, complete with flaws, that are either worth $10 or $100, I'm not quite sure.

Pre-ISBN needs a real bookseller to value. Here's a copy that *sounds* like your Russell copy:

http://www.biblio.com/details.php?dcx=20959064&aid=bkfndr&t=1

We don't know if the bookseller has no idea of the true worth. We don't know if yours is a first/first (which can add $100s to the price if there is a real collector's market for that author, which we, or at least I, don't really know).

If you decide you want to sell pieces of your book collection, I could point you toward where and how to sell them OR to sellers who know that area, but I'm not the chick to value them. You don't want anybody selling your books who doesn't know how to get the maximum value.

I *am* currently studying hardboiled detective modern reprints, though, and am "cornering the market" on some titles, if you happen to have a few to throw into the mix.

Andrea

**pluckyduck** · #14 02-01-2005, 11:11 PM

Quote:

mnehr said

Some of my garage items include a full set of Franklin Mint collector's plates (about 25) my wife inherited. A ton of Delft plates and platters (also inherited), an antique Bilhorn folding organ (Used in WW1), many books like the aforementioned ones (hundreds of books, most of which I don't want to part with but should), an antique Japanese tea table, and a lot of crystal my grandfather bought in Austria right after WWII.

I suppose I should start by looking for what these items are selling for. The problem I have had when I tried in the past is that I haven't found similar items. Although I don't want to think about it, when I inherit my grandmother's estate, I am in deep doo doo. She is a major pack rat (depression generation) and it will take years to inventory all her stuff. Luckly it isn't junk, a lot of it seems pretty valuable.

Wonderful stuff!

FWIW - AND- IMHO

The reason to futz with this is that you either need to get the maximum market value $$ or it floats your personal boat to learn the markets and to engage in the commerce.

You could go to eBay right now and find a consignment seller in your area to handle all of the hassles for you. You'll pay them a chunk, but you won't have to take any pictures or do any research or do any shipping or handle any email communication.

I *like* selling online. If I were in your position and sitting on your stash of inventory, I'd take the plunge myself. On the other hand, if I had to sell my house tomorrow, it wouldn't be "for sale by owner". I'd pay a professional his commission because I wouldn't want to deal with it.

Andrea

phoenixx · #15 02-01-2005, 11:51 PM

Andrea (and others)...

I was a "real" book seller. I had a fantatic bookstore in Santa Barbara with the ex. So, if you'd like help valueing those older items, please feel free to PM me and I'll help all I can with book valuation. I do so miss it

highly, highly addictive....

jenninca · #16 02-02-2005, 07:58 AM

I do Ebay, buying and selling dolls (mostly 80s ones). I'm not selling any right now 'cause the market's pretty dead with the post-Christmas bill cycle. But my feedback's almost up to 400, and should be way higher than that. (Why do so many people not post feedback???)

Cindy

Redlass · #17 02-02-2005, 11:36 AM

*chuckle* I don't sell on Ebay, I list on Ebay.

I'm hoping that will change, though.

Cindy, people don't leave feedback? That does surprise me. I know I've always left feedback on everything I've ever purchased. Sellers are usually pretty motivated to leave feedback to, so getting feedback as a buyer hasn't been a problem.

**Joubert**[$] · #18 02-02-2005, 03:47 PM

I run into the feedback problem too -- maybe half the time. I understand some people forgetting, but I suspect many just don't care. They likely think they've paid you for a product so why should they be anymore involved?

That's my theory anyway.

**Helen_B**[$] · #19 02-02-2005, 04:07 PM

Wow, I should avoid this whole topic the way I avoid casinos. Isn't wrapping and shipping a pain? My problem would be that I would basically have to cart everything across the border to Detroit, or postage would be so high that I can't imagine anyone would pay it. And, sometimes, the shipping takes longer. When Cheech (#3) was in high school, he was "King Llama's Collectibles"; his big problem was getting stuck with stock when clients would cancel orders, and losing money by being unable to guess which way the Canadian dollar was going. He certainly enjoyed finding his clients the collectible cards they wanted, especially around Christmas, and the experience mostly convinced him that he wouldn't ever really want to run a card/gaming store.

**Helen_B**[$] · #20 02-02-2005, 04:08 PM

He got terrific feedback, just didn't make much money.