The economics of selling a paperback book online

SteveDallas · 01-20-2006, 06:06 PM

So, as I've mentioned before and as I'm sure everybody has been losing sleep over, I have a bunch of books that I'm trying to get rid of. A lot of what I have is not worth a lot in terms of what it can be sold for online. But I did manage to pull a dozen or so items that are obviously worth my while if they sell. The goal is to get rid of them, but also to bring in some cash, so I'm gritting my teeth at some things. (I sold a book on Mayan history for $3. Now, why the hell would people sell a hardback for $3-$4 when the paperback is selling for $10-$12?? But of course if I had listed for $10 it wouldn't have sold, at least not as long as other people were undercutting it.)

Anyways, the lowest organism on the food chain here is the mass market paperback book. The vast majority of these are being sold on half.com for $0.75. My question is, at that price, is it worthwhile to sell? Half.com will take a 15% commission, leaving me with $0.63, plus a shipping allowance of $2.40 for a paperback book. For one pound or less media mail is $1.59. This leaves us with a net $1.44 after paying for postage.

That's not horrible, but you can't just drop the book in a mailbox. You also have to package it in some reasonable way. So what's the cheapest acceptable shipping envelope? Staples brand bubble mailers run about $1 each or so in small quantities, which wipes out a LOT of profit. Can I do better than that somewhere else? Do I really want to buy a bunch of envelopes in bulk to do this?

(For that matter is there any better place to sell? Amazon marketplace charges $0.99 per transaction plus a percentage unless you subscribe to their selling service, plus a $2.49 shipping allowance--how are people making any money selling stuff for $0.01 there?? Ebay is not attractive for this purpose. abebooks.com takes only an 8% commission, but wants $25 per month, which I guess is quite reasonable for somebody operating a used bookstore, but isn't helpful for somebody like me who just has 3 or 4 boxes of books he wants to move.)

Beestie · 01-20-2006, 06:33 PM

I donated mine to the local library and wrote them off at their original cost. The time and hassle I avoided was worth it.

SteveDallas · 01-20-2006, 06:42 PM

Our local library is currently turning away donations because they have more than they can handle. And none of the local used bookstores are buying.

Griff · 01-20-2006, 06:53 PM

I've been thinking about getting rid of a mess of paperbacks but I wonder if maybe we should just list books we have and trade them on the cellar.

busterb · 01-20-2006, 07:26 PM

Here if library dosen't want them, trash truck runs on Wensday. I feel the pain also about what I think are a good read. I have books about electronics and pipe design that I paid big money for. I'll never use again, but would be glad to give to someone who might use them.

SteveDallas · 01-20-2006, 07:30 PM

I just can't bring myself to throw out an actual book. I wouldn't mind giving them away somewhere.

BigV · 01-20-2006, 08:32 PM

You may find an answer to your problem in this book. I do not think you'll like the answer, though.

Ether42 · 01-20-2006, 11:03 PM

this brings up a big past time of mine keeping old books i will proably never read i have a 13 foot high bookshelf full of books with about 4 feet of books stacked up in front of it i just can't bring myself to throw them away
i keep all books in the hope of being able to give them away to one of my friends or relatives

but back on topic
here are a few ideas
1. wallpaper
2. toilet paper
3. rolling papers
4. cheap winter heating
5. throw them at unruly neighbors (think what war and peace could do to that son of a bitch across the way)
6. are you short you could tie them to your shoes (once again with war and peace you could be fit to play in the nba)
7. help local bums with there winter heating
or my favorite
8. wave them in front of children to poor to buy there own books
(thus making you feel rich and powerful)

SteveDallas · 01-21-2006, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigV

You may find an answer to your problem in this book.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ether42

here are a few ideas
1. wallpaper
2. toilet paper

Quote:

Originally Posted by undertoad

I have a huge number of empty boxes, perhaps we should list our boxes here on the Cellar so we can trade appropriately-sized ones.

What a bunch of smartasses!!!

Thank you for your kind suggestions.

I have never considered using the priority mail boxes for this because you have to use priority mail postage on them, which isn't in the budget. re-folding the boxes to put the printed side inside seems just evil. I'll have to give it a try. (Not only evil, but so obvious I wouldn't be surprised if the USPS started printing something on the insides.)

monster · 01-21-2006, 10:06 PM

Just leave them lying around places -in coffee shops, on park benches (on dry days) with a note saying "please take me and read me and pass me on" or something like that. What about the homeless and domestic violence shelters? They might want them.

You can get suitable bubble envelopes 4/$1 in dollar stores, btw.

xoxoxoBruce · 01-21-2006, 10:15 PM

Quote:

(Not only evil, but so obvious I wouldn't be surprised if the USPS started printing something on the insides.)

Spray paint.

seakdivers · 01-20-2006, 11:49 PM

Steve, you can actually get boxes from the usps for free. Go to their website, and you can "order" priority mail boxes at no cost (any size to boot). Just cut a few slits, turn them inside out, re-tape, and you have a plain ol cardboard box to send stuff in. I get stuff off ebay like that all the time.
The only warning is that once you have "ordered" stuff from the usps, you won't stop getting new shipments (including stuff you didn't even ask for). You gotta look under the business section of the website.
Here's a link:
http://shop.usps.com/cgi-bin/vsbv/po.../Priority+Mail

busterb · 01-21-2006, 01:04 AM

Why don't we just trade books or what ever here ? If I list my books that someone might like, you pay postage and shit they belong to you? Huh?

wolf · 01-21-2006, 01:06 AM

You can go to the post office and just take the priority mail boxes. They usually have them near the counter. That way you end up with as many as you need. The size that are best for books are not preassembled ... a little not-so-creative folding and you're good to go.

wolf · 01-21-2006, 01:08 AM

Any hospitals near you? Sometimes they'll take donated books. Another good choice for orphaned books is bookcrossing.com which is sort of a Where's George for books.

A friend of mine who regularly uses public transit sometimes acts as my book mule, bringing and replacing books from the free to a good home pile at the Paoli Train Station.

01-20-2006, 06:06 PM	#1
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	The economics of selling a paperback book online So, as I've mentioned before and as I'm sure everybody has been losing sleep over, I have a bunch of books that I'm trying to get rid of. A lot of what I have is not worth a lot in terms of what it can be sold for online. But I did manage to pull a dozen or so items that are obviously worth my while if they sell. The goal is to get rid of them, but also to bring in some cash, so I'm gritting my teeth at some things. (I sold a book on Mayan history for $3. Now, why the hell would people sell a hardback for $3-$4 when the paperback is selling for $10-$12?? But of course if I had listed for $10 it wouldn't have sold, at least not as long as other people were undercutting it.) Anyways, the lowest organism on the food chain here is the mass market paperback book. The vast majority of these are being sold on half.com for $0.75. My question is, at that price, is it worthwhile to sell? Half.com will take a 15% commission, leaving me with $0.63, plus a shipping allowance of $2.40 for a paperback book. For one pound or less media mail is $1.59. This leaves us with a net $1.44 after paying for postage. That's not horrible, but you can't just drop the book in a mailbox. You also have to package it in some reasonable way. So what's the cheapest acceptable shipping envelope? Staples brand bubble mailers run about $1 each or so in small quantities, which wipes out a LOT of profit. Can I do better than that somewhere else? Do I really want to buy a bunch of envelopes in bulk to do this? (For that matter is there any better place to sell? Amazon marketplace charges $0.99 per transaction plus a percentage unless you subscribe to their selling service, plus a $2.49 shipping allowance--how are people making any money selling stuff for $0.01 there?? Ebay is not attractive for this purpose. abebooks.com takes only an 8% commission, but wants $25 per month, which I guess is quite reasonable for somebody operating a used bookstore, but isn't helpful for somebody like me who just has 3 or 4 boxes of books he wants to move.)

01-20-2006, 06:33 PM	#2
Beestie -◊\|≡·∙■·∙≡\|◊- Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Parts unknown. Posts: 4,081	I donated mine to the local library and wrote them off at their original cost. The time and hassle I avoided was worth it. __________________ ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦

01-20-2006, 06:53 PM	#4
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	I've been thinking about getting rid of a mess of paperbacks but I wonder if maybe we should just list books we have and trade them on the cellar. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

01-20-2006, 07:26 PM	#5
busterb NSABFD Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: MS. usa Posts: 3,908	Here if library dosen't want them, trash truck runs on Wensday. I feel the pain also about what I think are a good read. I have books about electronics and pipe design that I paid big money for. I'll never use again, but would be glad to give to someone who might use them. __________________ I've haven't left very deep footprints in the sands of time. But, boy I've left a bunch.

01-20-2006, 08:32 PM	#7
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	You may find an answer to your problem in this book. I do not think you'll like the answer, though. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

01-20-2006, 06:42 PM	#3
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	Our local library is currently turning away donations because they have more than they can handle. And none of the local used bookstores are buying.

01-20-2006, 07:30 PM	#6
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	I just can't bring myself to throw out an actual book. I wouldn't mind giving them away somewhere.

01-20-2006, 11:03 PM	#8
Ether42 Questionist Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: near chicago Posts: 8	this brings up a big past time of mine keeping old books i will proably never read i have a 13 foot high bookshelf full of books with about 4 feet of books stacked up in front of it i just can't bring myself to throw them away i keep all books in the hope of being able to give them away to one of my friends or relatives but back on topic here are a few ideas 1. wallpaper 2. toilet paper 3. rolling papers 4. cheap winter heating 5. throw them at unruly neighbors (think what war and peace could do to that son of a bitch across the way) 6. are you short you could tie them to your shoes (once again with war and peace you could be fit to play in the nba) 7. help local bums with there winter heating or my favorite 8. wave them in front of children to poor to buy there own books (thus making you feel rich and powerful) __________________ You,ve got to tolerate all thouse people that you hate, I'm not in love with you but i won't hold that against you..................... oh and please don't kill me over my grammer it isn't that english isn't my first dialect it is that I'm dumb Last edited by Ether42; 01-20-2006 at 11:09 PM.

01-21-2006, 10:06 PM	#10
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	Just leave them lying around places -in coffee shops, on park benches (on dry days) with a note saying "please take me and read me and pass me on" or something like that. What about the homeless and domestic violence shelters? They might want them. You can get suitable bubble envelopes 4/$1 in dollar stores, btw. __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

01-20-2006, 11:49 PM	#12
seakdivers Icy Queen Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Southeast Alaska Posts: 700	Steve, you can actually get boxes from the usps for free. Go to their website, and you can "order" priority mail boxes at no cost (any size to boot). Just cut a few slits, turn them inside out, re-tape, and you have a plain ol cardboard box to send stuff in. I get stuff off ebay like that all the time. The only warning is that once you have "ordered" stuff from the usps, you won't stop getting new shipments (including stuff you didn't even ask for). You gotta look under the business section of the website. Here's a link: http://shop.usps.com/cgi-bin/vsbv/po.../Priority+Mail

01-21-2006, 01:04 AM	#13
busterb NSABFD Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: MS. usa Posts: 3,908	Why don't we just trade books or what ever here ? If I list my books that someone might like, you pay postage and shit they belong to you? Huh? __________________ I've haven't left very deep footprints in the sands of time. But, boy I've left a bunch. Last edited by busterb; 01-21-2006 at 01:05 AM. Reason: sp

01-21-2006, 01:06 AM	#14
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	You can go to the post office and just take the priority mail boxes. They usually have them near the counter. That way you end up with as many as you need. The size that are best for books are not preassembled ... a little not-so-creative folding and you're good to go. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

01-21-2006, 01:08 AM	#15
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Any hospitals near you? Sometimes they'll take donated books. Another good choice for orphaned books is bookcrossing.com which is sort of a Where's George for books. A friend of mine who regularly uses public transit sometimes acts as my book mule, bringing and replacing books from the free to a good home pile at the Paoli Train Station. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

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