Tips to sell books...

Hey folks,
As money is a bit short right now, I have decided to sell away textbooks I don't use anymore. I need your advice on how to go about selling a bunch of textbooks I have gathered up through 4 years of undergrad.

I have the classic textbooks used in undergraduate and graduate physics at probably 95% of the programs throughout the US, but since I haven't done any sort of selling before, I am really not sure what's the best way to get rid of these. Is amazon or half.com my best option? How would my lack of selling history affect my sales? Is the competition stiff enough on these websites that I should just return them back to the bookstores, for a small percentage of the original prices? Thanks for all your suggestions and help.

PS - if anyone needs undergrad textbooks in physics, please PM me.

If you have easy access to a major university, they typically have textbook buybacks at the end of semesters. If the books are as widely used as you say, you shouldn't have a problem getting 20-30% depending on condition. Maybe check with the textbook stores to see what they'll be stocking for the coming semester. Also, there are textbook-specific trading sites that are often run by students trying to bypass the price-gouging textbook store.

Facebook is another option.

Edit: Just realized you're in NC. The above is based on my experience at Duke, so you might want to have a look there. Also I'd imagine WF, UNC, NCSU, yadda yadda are similar.

Honestly, if the books are from your freshman/sophomore, don't expect to be able to sell them at all. They've probably switched books/editions and have no need for the ones you used.

Other than that, what RB said should hold true. The ones you CAN sell, expect 20-30% at the University, IF they're in good condition.

I generally have the best luck selling textbooks on half.com.

I'm selling my law books on Amazon. I think you get more money from Amazon than from half.com or eBay (same company). And I would never sell a book back to the school bookstore. For a current book, i.e. something that a prof. will use next semester, you'll get 50% at the most. For a non-current book, you'll get pennies on the dollar. I once sold a $120 Constitutional Law book back for $5 because the publisher has just come out with a new edition. It was a ****** written book, so I didn't mind letting it go for the price of a beer. In contrast, you can get something like 60-70% back for a current book through amazon, and for a non-current book, probably 25-30% or less depending on how old the book is. If you can only get a couple of dollars, just keep it.

Selling with Amazon is painless, and I had no problem with lack of feedback.

If you're selling higher education books, you're probably reputable, I suppose.

But, if loads of sellers have the book for sale (if it's a very popular book) the price can be low.

I've sold books on Amazon as well. But I'm not sure if I've sold textbooks there (I've kept or given away mine since I used to get them for free because I taught).

If your texts have new editions out, the Uni buy-back will not take them. End of story. Then your best bet is Amazon where the desparate go to buy out of date books because they're cheaper.

Amazon is very easy.


b

Update:

I put my books up for sale on facebook, and I got a message today from a buyer that looks slightly suspicious. Any thoughts:

-----
Hello
i am interested in the purchase of this item.But before any thing i will like to ask you the Following question.
1,wht is the final asking price for this item.
2,wht is the condition of this item.
3,can you allow our private shipping company to come for the pick up of this item.
4,will you accept a check or money order as a mode of payment.
5,Will you be able to send money to the shipping company that will be coming for the pick up of this item....Cos the payment that will be sent to you will include the money for the sales of your item and the shipping charges.You are to cash the check,Deduct the money for the sales of your item and then send the money left to the shipping company so that they can come for the pick up of this item.

If this is understood,i will like you to get back to me with the name and address you want payment to be address to .............
Name:
Address:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Country:
Phone #:
Email address:

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Should I stay away? I have never seen anything like this before.

Originally Posted by feynmix

Click to expand...

Update:

I put my books up for sale on facebook, and I got a message today from a buyer that looks slightly suspicious. Any thoughts:

-----
Hello
i am interested in the purchase of this item.But before any thing i will like to ask you the Following question.
1,wht is the final asking price for this item.
2,wht is the condition of this item.
3,can you allow our private shipping company to come for the pick up of this item.
4,will you accept a check or money order as a mode of payment.
5,Will you be able to send money to the shipping company that will be coming for the pick up of this item....Cos the payment that will be sent to you will include the money for the sales of your item and the shipping charges.You are to cash the check,Deduct the money for the sales of your item and then send the money left to the shipping company so that they can come for the pick up of this item.

If this is understood,i will like you to get back to me with the name and address you want payment to be address to .............
Name:
Address:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Country:
Phone #:
Email address:

--------
Should I stay away? I have never seen anything like this before.

the complicated back and forth of the money says one thing.
FRAUD!!! STAY AWAY FROM IT.
the check or money order will bounce. and you will have passed a bad check.

Originally Posted by a tailor

Click to expand...

the complicated back and forth of the money says one thing.
FRAUD!!! STAY AWAY FROM IT.
the check or money order will bounce. and you will have passed a bad check.

Thanks. Thats what I thought, but I just wanted to confirm.

unless they're fairly newer graduate level books i doubt you'll be getting anything back for them. the undergrad classes seemed to rotate their books every single year and my $70 books would be worth $7.50 if i sold them right at the end of the semester.

Originally Posted by iridium7777

Click to expand...

unless they're fairly newer graduate level books i doubt you'll be getting anything back for them. the undergrad classes seemed to rotate their books every single year and my $70 books would be worth $7.50 if i sold them right at the end of the semester.

Most of the books I am selling are classic undergraduate texts in physics (undegrad and grad) that are used almost throughout all undergrad and grad programs, so I have a good chance of selling them. I think my timing is really off, since semester has already started and no one is going to be looking for books this late. Hopefully, when August rolls around, I can start selling some of these books back.

Originally Posted by feynmix

Click to expand...

Most of the books I am selling are classic undergraduate texts in physics (undegrad and grad) that are used almost throughout all undergrad and grad programs, so I have a good chance of selling them. I think my timing is really off, since semester has already started and no one is going to be looking for books this late. Hopefully, when August rolls around, I can start selling some of these books back.

there are summer classes. first thing though i'd contact your old book store directly and and see if they buy anything else. then you'll know if you have old editions or still new.

I'm so glad I brought ALL of my old textbooks to the campus bookstore the day the clueless foreign exchange student started working there. I got 10-20 dollars per book and some of them were 3 years (6 editions) out of date! They shouldn't even have bought them from me period. woo. Money went to a good cause at the time (dope)

I cannot stress enough the benefit of buying books online. This semester, I was able to find books that were selling for $50-60 used in the college store for (literally) $1.25 or $2.00 on eBay. Same edition, great condition, etc. I've also snagged $100+ books for $10 or so. One of my scholarships usually covers my books for one semester; by purchasing all of them online for ~$200, rather than paying $500 in the bookstore, I am able to put that money towards a more worthy cause--booze. Most of my schoolmates think navigating eBay to find these books is some arduous task, but they're stupid. It's painless.