by Jim Thomason

Created on: January 22, 2009

You have decided to take the plunge and start selling over the internet. You create your eBay profile, choose Paypal as your preferred payment method, and open an account with Stamps.com. Now all you have to do is to decide what to sell.

Consider books. There is an endless supply of used books available for most dealers. They can be found at library sales, thrift stores, used bookstores, yard sales, and auctions. A simple newspaper ad, or listing on Craig's list stating you are in the market for books, can also be effective. Try posting flyers with local realtors. Faced with the arduous task of moving a household, many people are open to divesting themselves of personal libraries rather than boxing and hauling heavy cartons cross-country.

There is no shortage of prospective buyers. Books appeal to a wide variety of people; students looking for textbooks, self-reliant individuals in search of how-to volumes, collectors, bibliophiles, daydreamers, and dream trippers.

In addition, books can command astounding prices. A recent rare manuscript, the Legenda Aurea, sold for an astounding $18,100 on eBay. Of course, most of your items will bring less than this, but $10.00 to $30.00 sales are not uncommon, and considering you will pay a dollar per book on average, a handsome profit can be realized on your investment.

Non-fiction titles are in more demand and tend to bring higher bids, but don't overlook first edition fiction or signed copies. In addition, certain publishers are coveted by collectors, as witnessed by the multiple bids placed for volumes printed by Easton Press or Franklin Library.

Listing books is easy. Just add a good pic or scan, and list pertinent information concerning title, author, edition, ISBN number, page count, publication, date, and condition. Value and condition are two sides of the same coin, so take extra care describing every flaw.

With books, shipping is a snap. Breakage is not a concern, but you still want to wrap with care. Cover book with wrapping paper and bubblewrap. The paper will prevent scratching, or tearing to dust jacket, and the plastic keeps moisture off the book in case package is delivered to buyer and left on the porch. Use discarded boxes from your local supermarket to ship you items. Many of the deli boxes are just the right size for shipping most books. Take care to black out any barcodes as they may redirect you package to Tinbuktu.

Books are an ideal item to sell on eBay. There is a plentiful supply, strong demand, and as an added incentive, you will have an endless supply of material to peruse as you wait to sell your inventory.

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