An idea to build a used book selling business in 2024 can be a great start for a fresh year. It’s another source of income that allows you to make more money, and it doesn’t require much work.
It can be fun to find books to sell and even more fun when you make a profit. So here are the top 10 questions about starting a used book selling business or book arbitrage business this year.
- Can you make money reselling books?
- Why start a used book selling business in 2024?
- Where can I source old and new books to sell online?
- What are the top 10 reselling books categories?
- Is it possible to make good money reselling books on Amazon?
- What is the best app for book scouting?
- Where should you sell used books online?
- How do I sell used books?
- How should I ship used books?
- Are there any rules for reselling books?
Can you make money reselling books?
If you find the right niche, you can make money reselling books in 2024. Everyone reads, and if you can find a niche that isn’t saturated, you can make money reselling books. Whether you resell books you’ve read or find cheap, you can sell them for a higher price and make a profit.
The nice thing is that books are cheap to ship because you can send them via ‘media mail’ with USPS and save money, increasing your profits.
Why start a used book selling business in 2024?
There are many reasons to start a used book selling business in 2024, starting with income. It’s easy to make money selling used books because everyone reads; they are easy to sell, and you can store the books at home.
You don’t need special storage space, extra tools, or extensive knowledge about the industry. As long as you can source cheap books and sell them for a higher price, you’re already on your way to making good money.
Another good reason to sell used books is to help the environment. Since books are usually one-and-done, there’s no reason to keep producing new books when you can recycle old books repeatedly while making a profit.
Where can I source old and new books to sell online?
There are many places to sell books online. It takes a little creativity and time, but you can find great books to sell with consistent effort.
Check out thrift stores, garage sales, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist. You can even check sites like Freecycle or your local library. They often sell old books they don’t have room for any longer, letting residents buy them for less than a dollar.
If you’re looking for new books, look for sales at your local stores, especially clearances. Stores like Target and even Barnes and Noble run clearance sales that make it easy to get new books for cheap.
There’s a great blog post on book reselling and where to find books to sell. You can find even more ideas there.
What are the top 10 reselling books categories?
There are many popular categories of books to resell, but here are the most popular for your used book selling business:
- Science fiction
- Fantasy
- Romance
- Adventure
- Dystopian
- Thriller
- Horror
- Mystery
- Historical fiction
- Young adult
Is it possible to make good money reselling books on Amazon?
Selling used books is a low-risk investment that usually becomes profitable for resellers. Most people turn to Amazon for books, and if you have the book they’re looking for at a price cheaper than a new book, you may win the sale.
The key to making it big selling books on Amazon is to provide great customer service. Amazon sellers rely on reviews; even one bad review can reduce sales. Show your customers that you care and will provide prompt service, and you can make good money selling books on Amazon.
@castanedastyles Reply to @mariahbabe1 Sometimes it’s too competitive to sell everything through Amazon & sometimes you can make more through #Amazonfba #fbabooks it just depends 🤷
What is the best app for book scouting?
Book scouting or searching for the perfect book to resell is an art. When flipping books for profit, you need to find the perfect books at the price.
A couple of the best apps for book scouting include:
- BookScouter
- ScoutIQ
- Amazon
There’s a detailed review of each of the app mentioned above in the Definitive Guide to Book Scouting.
Where should you sell used books online?
The best place to sell used books online is where you’ll have the largest audience. Think about what types of books you’re selling. Are they collectibles, textbooks, or general reading books?
Some good places to sell books include Amazon, BookScouter, and eBay. The key is to consider the audience on each site to determine where you’d make the most money for the type of book you’re selling.
How do I sell used books?
You can sell used books just about anywhere, from digital apps to a local yard sale or at local bookstores. However, before you try to start a used book selling business, consider these tips:
- Clean books to free them of dust and debris
- Check the condition of the book to ensure it doesn’t have ripped or bent corners, missing pages, or any other damage
- Find your audience and determine where best to sell your books
- List your books for sale at a competitive price
- Sell your books on your favorite app
- Ship the books in a timely manner
- Provide great customer service
Ensure your listing includes details about how you’ll ship the books and your return policy. If you won’t accept returns, make sure that’s clear in the description to avoid unhappy customers and receiving bad reviews.
There’s a great blog post on how to sell used books with maximum profit. Feel free to check it out.
How should I ship used books?
It’s easy to ship used books with USPS. They offer media mail which is strictly for books and magazines. You can ship the books in an envelope provided by the USPS or wrapped in kraft paper.
If you want faster shipping, you can also ship via UPS or FedEx, but it costs more. However, most people buying used books want cheap shipping. So you can also give your customers options for shipping, allowing them to choose between USPS media mail and a faster option, such as UPS.
Are there any rules for reselling books?
The only rules for reselling books are that you are honest about the condition. Include all details about the book’s condition in your listing. If you aren’t honest about the condition, you could get bad reviews, making it hard to sell more books in the future.
Like any business, you want to provide great customer service to keep customers coming back to your used books store. The key is to be as courteous and helpful as possible, providing your customers with what they want.
