How to Sell Books on eBay: 6 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (2024)

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Last Updated: April 9, 2023ReferencesApproved

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In today's online world, the old fashioned used, or antiquarian, book store is slowly becoming a thing of the past. Now, if you want to buy a book, you go on line with a popular search engine and find out where to get it. The most popular way of finding a book comes from using "eBay," the popular online auction website. You can also set yourself up to sell books on eBay in the same way you can buy from an eBay seller. eBay makes it easy for you to sell your books on line. They even provide a way for you to have a virtual book store without a physical location.

Steps

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  1. 1

    Sell one book or a thousand books on eBay. It all begins by listing the book on eBay.

    • To do that, you must be registered with eBay. Registering gives you the ability to not only buy but also sell. Create an account and follow the steps outlined on the company's website to register with eBay.[1]

  2. 2

    Agree to their stipulations and rules for selling. This will also include how you will accept payment.

    • The most popular, and the means they will urge you to use, will be by establishing a PayPal account. This account is like a credit card account that you use to transfer money from your bank account to another or vice versa.[2]
    • The PayPal account is based on the Visa credit card system and allows you, after a certain probationary period, to receive an actual card that can be used like a credit card.

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  3. 3

    Know you are ready to sell. You can use your PayPal account, or an agreed-upon means to accept payment, to pay your auction fees. Generally this will be on a monthly billing cycle.

  4. 4

    Go ahead and sell that book now on eBay. Log onto eBay. Go to the top and click on "Sell."[3]

    • The process will begin by asking for the ISBN of the book. This can be found on most dust jackets or the publisher information page - usually the 3rd page of the book. Type in the number and it will pull up the information about the book including a photo of the dust jacket.
    • This action will take you to a page that will walk you through the process in 5 easy steps, including noting the condition of the book, the price you are asking and the means of and cost of shipping the book.
    • You will be asked to fill out a comment section on the book. Give information on the edition and if it has a dust jacket.

  5. 5

    Note whether the book is creased or the spine is broken.[4] This is important. Be absolutely honest in the description. Otherwise, It will come back to bite you with a buyer's negative feedback when you try to sell or even buy again.

  6. 6

    Choose to sell in auction or as a "buy-it-now" purchase. One of the most important steps you take will be to ship off the book as soon as you receive confirmation the book has been paid for.

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Community Q&A

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  • Question

    What is the best way to package a book for mailing?

    How to Sell Books on eBay: 6 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (10)

    Community Answer

    A soft bubble mailer would suffice for a paperback or small hardcover. For a larger, heavier hardcover book, use a small box.

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  • Question

    Is there a fee to sell through eBay?

    How to Sell Books on eBay: 6 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (11)

    Community Answer

    After your auction or fixed-price listing ends, eBay charges the final value fee to your account in a matter of minutes. Final value fees on auctions are pretty easy to figure out. If your item sells, you pay eBay 9% of the selling price, to a maximum of $50.

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  • Question

    Is it better to use the "buy it now" or "auction" feature for my listing?

    How to Sell Books on eBay: 6 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (12)

    Community Answer

    It really depends on what you're doing. If you want it sold fast, use "buy it now." However, the auction feature allows you to sell it for a long time and raise the price that it sells for.

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      Tips

      • Find the books you sell through estate and garage sales or thrift stores. Stay away from books that are hot properties, text books and diet books. Cook books are okay if by a popular chef.

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      How to Sell Books on eBay: 6 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (13)

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      Things You'll Need

      • Registered eBay account
      • PayPal or bank account
      • Books
      • Shipping material

      About This Article

      wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 89,964 times.

      275 votes - 89%

      Co-authors: 8

      Updated: April 9, 2023

      Views:89,964

      Categories: Selling on Ebay

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      Reader Success Stories

      • How to Sell Books on eBay: 6 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (28)

        Dennis Manning

        Jan 1, 2020

        "Very helpful. I am 64 and soon downsizing. I have several hundred books that I would like to sell. I tried a couple..." more

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      How to Sell Books on eBay: 6 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (2024)

      FAQs

      Is it hard to sell books on eBay? ›

      If you have never sold a book on eBay, I highly recommend it. eBay (as a minimalizing technique) can be very time-consuming. Taking pictures, writing descriptions, and shipping packages tend to be a hassle for only a $4 profit. But eBay eliminates nearly all the time-consuming hassle when it comes to books.

      Find Out More ›
      Is it profitable to sell used books on eBay? ›

      Yes you can! eBay is the best place to sell a collectible or used book as the platform is well-known for selling used items. Selling used books on eBay can yield high sales potential and profit. How much does it cost to sell books on Amazon?

      Read More ›
      How do you sell a book to a customer? ›

      As your customer is standing there holding the book, you'll get a feel for the right moment to say, “May I inscribe it for you?” If someone is considering buying it as a gift, say, “I'd be glad to personalize it for her.” This, customers realize, will make the book special. If the answer is yes, you've made the sale.

      See More ›
      How do you scan a book properly? ›

      To scan the pages of a book:
      1. Open the Adobe Scan app and tap the Camera icon.
      2. Select Book as the document type.
      3. Set the optional settings as desired.
      4. Rotate your camera to a landscape view for better capture of both sides.
      5. Align the dotted divider line to your book's center binding and adjust the borders.

      View More ›
      How do you scan a book for value? ›

      All you need to do is enter the ISBNs or scan the barcodes with the Ziffit app, and you'll get an instant valuation. We offer great prices across a huge range of titles. If you have a stack of books that you no longer want, why not sell them with Ziffit?

      Show Me More ›
      Why are my books not selling? ›

      But the fact remains, it's very common that a self-published book isn't selling because it's being marketed drably, half-heartedly, or just incorrectly. To achieve or increase book sales, the book must be discoverable, and then it must be described in a way that drives readers to buy.

      Continue Reading ›
      How can I sell a lot of my books quickly? ›

      Tip #1: Find the Best Places to Sell Used Books Online
      1. BookScouter. The first thing you should do is go to BookScouter. ...
      2. Amazon. If you like more complicated ways, you can go directly to Amazon and try selling your books there. ...
      3. eBay. ...
      4. Etsy. ...
      5. Decluttr. ...
      6. Powell's Books. ...
      7. Half Price Books. ...
      8. Local Bookstores and Book-Buying Markets.
      Sep 29, 2022

      Find Out More ›
      Why do books not sell on eBay? ›

      Don't Bother With Mass-Produced Fiction

      If a title is stacked 25 high at Costco, it won't be a good seller on eBay. A large supply typically means there isn't much demand. Books by popular authors like John Grisham, James Patterson, Stephen King, or Danielle Steele usually don't sell for much on eBay.

      Show Me More ›
      What percentage does eBay take on book sales? ›

      Monthly Store subscription selling fees *Basic Store and Above
      Current fees
      Books & Magazines, Movies & TV, Music except:14.55% 2.35% on portion of the sale over $2,500
      Music > Vinyl Records11.7% 2.35% on portion of the sale over $2,500
      39 more rows

      Get More Info ›
      How much does it cost to sell a book on eBay? ›

      Basic fees for most categories
      CategoryInsertion fee
      Books & Magazines Movies & TV (except Movie NFTs) Music (except Vinyl Records and Music NFTs categories)First 250 listings free per month, then $0.35 per listing
      Coins & Paper Money > Bullion
      Clothing, Shoes & Accessories > Women > Women's Bags & Handbags
      7 more rows

      Tell Me More ›

      Are books worth trying to sell? ›

      Check on BookScouter to see and compare what price over 30 vendors are willing to pay for your books. What type of books should you resell? Popular used books that are worth trying to resell are textbooks, arts and crafts books, cooking books, sheet music, religious books, best-selling fiction, and non-fiction books.

      Learn More Now ›
      What are the steps to sell a book? ›

      Contents
      1. Know your audience and market.
      2. Create broader appeal via hybrid or multiple genres.
      3. Build in timelessness.
      4. Play the long game of authenticity.
      5. Ensure your book is well edited and formatted.
      6. Persevere until you find your champions.
      7. Use platforms your target market haunts.
      8. Let readers get to know you.

      Learn More Now ›
      How do I get people to buy my book? ›

      1. Create an Eye-catching Cover. ...
      2. Write a Great Description. ...
      3. Take a Great Author Photo. ...
      4. Gather Blurbs for Your Book. ...
      5. Set Up Your Author Website. ...
      6. Create an Author Central Page. ...
      7. Create a Goodreads Author Page. ...
      8. Add the Book to Your Email Footer.

      Get More Info ›
      What makes a book sell? ›

      The way people experience your book will affect how well the book sells and how far it spreads. Your goal is to not only get this thing into people's hands; it's to give them something they want to share. This includes the decisions you make regarding title, cover, artwork, and design.

      Find Out More ›
      How do I scan a QR code for selling on eBay? ›

      To scan the QR code or enter the 6-digit code:
      1. Go to Selling on the eBay App.
      2. Go to the Sold tab.
      3. Select the item being collected.
      4. Select the blue down arrow next to Purchase Postage Label to open 'Order Actions'.
      5. Scroll down to 'Scan Collection Code' and select.

      Find Out More ›
      What is the app that scans books for resale value? ›

      Most Popular Live Book Scanner Apps
      • Amazon Seller App.
      • ScoutIQ.
      • Scoutly (FBAScan)
      • Scan Power Mobile.
      • Seller Mobile.
      • Scoutify 2.
      • Profit Bandit.
      • Keepa.
      Jan 24, 2023

      Know More ›
      How do I upload a book to eBay? ›

      To publish a book on eBay, you'll need to create a listing for your book and include key details like the title, author, condition, and price. You'll also need to upload at least one photo of the book. Once your listing is live, buyers can purchase your book and pay through eBay's secure checkout system.

      Discover More ›
      Can you scan items to sell on eBay? ›

      If you're selling trading cards, you can use the Scan to list tool in the eBay app to easily create your listings.

      Get More Info ›
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