| One of the fastest, easiest and cheapest ways to | | | | on half frequently end up selling on some these other |
| get started with your own online e-commerce | | | | sites as well. |
| business is to sell books on eBay's sister site. | | | | Some sites only allow books to be listed on their site, |
| Getting your own seller account is a fairly simple and | | | | other sites allow you to sell other media like: CDs, |
| straightforward procedure, if you already have an | | | | DVDs, video tapes, computer video games and |
| eBay account it is even easier because you can | | | | software titles. is one of the sites that allows its |
| always simply add an account to the sister site from | | | | members to sell many different types of media. |
| your existing eBay account. | | | | Some people sell their books exclusively just through |
| One of the big advantages of selling new and used | | | | just one site while other people list their inventory on |
| books on eBay and it's sister site is that they already | | | | several sites at the same time. There are advantages |
| have the stock information for most modern books | | | | and disadvantages to doing this. The Major |
| in their data base, and all you have to do is enter the | | | | advantage is more exposure for your inventory |
| ISBN number or title to see if stock information is | | | | resulting in more sales. One disadvantage is that |
| available for your book. If it is and you decide to list | | | | sometimes you will sell the same book on several |
| it for sale then all that you need to do is describe in a | | | | sites in the same day when you only have the one |
| few words concisely but accurately the actual | | | | copy. You then have to cancel orders, disappointing |
| condition of your copy, all of the rest of the | | | | customers, which is never a good thing to have to |
| information: The publisher, the author, the publication | | | | do. Another disadvantage is that most of the online |
| date and frequently even a stock picture of the | | | | book selling sites require a monthly fee and so if you |
| book is automatically added to your listing. | | | | sell the same inventory on several different sites |
| Another great advantage of selling books on eBay's | | | | you're paying several monthly listing fees. |
| sister site as apposed to selling on one of the many | | | | There are a number of companies that market |
| other book selling sites is that you don't have to pay | | | | software and also provide a service for listing and |
| a listing fee, a maintenance fee or any fee at all until | | | | maintaining inventories across several different sites |
| you actually sell your book, at which time you pay a | | | | simultaneously. This service/software of course |
| flat commission fee. Even this is fairly painless | | | | involves yet another monthly fee. |
| because eBay's sister site collects the payment for | | | | Book prices can change a lot, usually, but not always |
| the book from the buyer, deducts their fee and then | | | | falling. For some particular books, copies are added |
| pay you the remainder of the money. Payments are | | | | and sold daily, even hourly with some of the more |
| made to you by direct deposit into your checking | | | | popular titles. In order to remain competitive sellers |
| account twice a month, details of which you will have | | | | have to frequently re-price their inventory. You need |
| to furnish when you establish your account. Your | | | | to price your books low enough to remain |
| balance is calculated on the 15th of each month and | | | | competitive, but you also don't want to lose money |
| on the last day of each month.eBay at one time | | | | or "leave money on the table" by selling them too |
| even considered shutting down this media selling | | | | cheaply. Book prices are fixed purely by supply and |
| website hoping that the sellers would transfer their | | | | demand, rising when demand exceeds supply or as is |
| inventories to eBay stores. When they saw their | | | | more frequently the case falling as supply exceeds |
| sellers migrating instead to other sites like ABE and | | | | demand. If you only have a few hundred books then |
| Amazon they changed their minds and decided in the | | | | it's a simple but slightly tedious task to run through |
| end to retain You can of course also sell your books | | | | and re-price them manually. If you have a few |
| and other media on eBay itself in an auction, a fixed | | | | thousand titles, there is software available to |
| price listing or you can open and eBay store to list | | | | automate this process which you may consider but, |
| your inventory. You can even combine a traditional | | | | then again, this also involves another monthly fee. |
| eBay auction and a fixed price listing by adding a buy | | | | If you do decide to start an on-line business selling |
| it now feature to an auction listing. | | | | books on I think that you will find it to be very |
| There are quite a few different sites on the Internet | | | | interesting, quite profitable and a lot of fun and I |
| where you can sell used books and media. Amazon is | | | | wish you every success in your new e-commerce |
| the biggest but there are others like: ABE, Alibris, | | | | venture. |
| Biblio and a number of others. Sellers who start out | | | | |