I read and buy way too many books. And since I don't want to end up like my uncle, with rooms filled endlessly with books I don't need anymore..I'd like to sell them. I've decided to donate the YA, children's, and some of my hubby's manga books, to the 3 schools my mom used to work at in Arizona. As for the rest of my books, I'd like to sell them. I could sell from Amazon or Half.com. But I don't really understand how that works. What if people don't pick my book? I found a site where all you have to do is put in the ISBN number, and it gives you a price for your books. All you have to do is print out the label, and mail them your books. They will mail you a check or send the money to your paypal. But I dunno, is that legit? I wish there was a Half Priced Books here..
Last edited by Shopaholic1204; 09-28-2010 at 07:37 AM.
I've sold a couple of books through half.com and it was really easy. All you have to do is put in the ISBN on there and it tells you the rest. I found it to be really easy.
Instead of selling, I donate them to thrift shops (although not all thrift shops take books) or to a box in the lobby of the building where I work that accepts them for a hospital library
If you'd rather not deal with shipping, you can probably find a used bookstore somewhere relatively close to home that will take your books, even if there's not a Half Price Books nearby. I also love to read, and I love to frequent used book shops. I can usually find one no matter where I am, unless I happen to be in a really rural area. That being said, even when I lived on a farm out in the boonies, there was still a used bookstore less than half an hour away.
Of course, I don't know where you live, so maybe there's not one near you! I'd suggest doing a quick internet search, if you haven't already done so. Sorry if I've suggested things you've already thought of!
We sold a LOT of books through Powells.com - we made several hundred dollars but we had a LOT of books to get rid of.
I have put a serious halt to our book buying. We have donated tons and tons for the past few years. This time we just had so many and a friend told me to try Powells so we did.
You enter the ISBN and they tell you if they'll take it and how much. If they'll take it (at least three, I think) you can print the label and mail it to them.
They are VERY pick about condition, so when they say "like new" they mean JUST like new. Just something to keep in mind because if they don't want them, they don't send them back. I think this has happened with maybe two of our books out of the bazillion we've sent them so they are very fair.
I am SO bad with the books, bet I've bought and sold a million books via ebay.
You can get the price fixed boxes from the US Post Office, so the freight charge is consistent. You can also offer to bundle shipments, if someone buys more than one. Check out other sellers and see how they do it.
I'm trying to cut back on my book buying now. I can't ever go to a library, I never remember to return books. We're going to sell the books online. Hopefully we can make all the money back, LOL!!
There is also an online booksite called cash4books that operates much like Powell's. Haven't tried it yet. Did check it out, but they don't give you much for the books. Seems like a lot of trouble to have to package them up and mail them. Alibris is also a source for bookselling. However, they specialize in rare or out of print books. I have a small apartment full of books and keep buying more. I will continue to buy as long as I am working, but once I retire will use the library. I will have the time to go there and return items, which I don't now. I ahve 3 bags of books under my dining table that need to be sold or donated. Problem is the nearest used bookstore is a bus ride away and I can only take a few books at a time. Will probably end up donating them to Friends of the Library which will pick them up.
Selling my books
