Is it worth it to sell books on Amazon?
I have lived in the same house for 12 years, but it’s not because I love it. It’s because the thought of having to transport all my books fills me with panic.
Amazon offers me the convenient solution of selling these dusty word collections for a profit. Finally! I’ll be able to pay off the late fees I owe at the library.
But sometimes I see used books being sold on Amazon for pennies on the dollar, so can I really make money this way?
The answer is yes – IF you do it right.
First, decide if you are just off-loading books because you are a borderline-hoarder like me, or if you really want to be a professional used book seller by getting either a professional or individual seller account.
Second, decide: FBA or FBM. FBA is recommended in most used book sales because booksellers are slower than automation, and books are heavy AF.
Next, shop yard sales, craigslist, etc. They will often sell books for next to nothing – if not ACTUALLY nothing. Please leave those tiny free libraries alone though, it’s not the same as finding a penny.
Finally, note that both the quality and type of book change how much it is worth, with the top sellers being textbooks and specific, niche non-fiction books, which could sell for $25+ used. Your best bet is to check the book’s BSR (Best Seller Rank) to see how quickly your book could sell.
Or, just write “Stephen King” on any book…he’s made like a million of them anyway.
Other things to keep in mind when selling:
- Check out Keepa, which shows you how a book’s BSR has changed over time.
- Amazon has pretty detailed rules about conditions – so list your books correctly.
- Get the best bang for your buck with a thoughtful pricing strategy.
- You can use a scanner to check the book’s rank, price and potential profit.
Half the books I own are novels we never talked about at book club because we were too drunk; so I feel ready to Marie Kondo the shit out of my shelves and make some money.
