Sell Used Books: ways to make money

[junosama]

There are often local used book stores who will pay good for books as well. I also suggest holding garage sales or hotting up craigslist to sell stuff like old electronics and such before they get too old to sell.

[grammie]

I just sold 12 books for $16 on powells books (thanks poundwise!). The other sites mentioned here would not buy any of the books I listed and then I tried Powell's and they took 12 of the 20 books I was trying to sell. I wish it was more but it's better than clutter! I'd like to see if I could make more from some other site like Amazon or Half.com but I have so little time and Powells made it incredibly easy...it took me less than 20 min to get the bid, box the books, and drop them off at the Post Office.

[shubh]

Thanks for sharing the idea and source. Personally, I don’t like to sell the used books instead I prefer donating those books to the needy students who can't afford to buy new.

[pemitev]

I also don't share the idea of selling used books . Dunno, but I would rather donate them to somebody who is in need. It will make more pleasure to me than some $20-$30.

[anonymous_saver]

I work at a large University and people give away their books for free all the time (or they throw them away and recycle them if people don't take them). I estimate that I earn an extra $250 each year from this (I sell them on Amazon.com well lower than what others are selling it for, so they sell fast, and at the same time, I'm still giving someone a good deal). It's great!

[sk24iam]

I have always used half.com to get the most money. You can see stats such as the average amount your book is being sold for.

[Guest]

I'm a big fan of half.com. I've sold several books and CDs there and have been please with the experience.

[mtsen]

I am a member of MyPoints and I buy gift cards when I build up enough points.

I also just made $40 selling my used books to [-- They even pay for shipping- it was the easiest thing to do!

tami

good idea, I think we should start one here in Malaysia too, if not already have one ...

[GinerD]

I have been buying used books (in good condition) and garage sales and thrift stores and reselling them online at the places mentioned above and at a local bookstore. I have been doing this for about a year, and I have learned what books bring in money and which ones will be rejected.

It really does work if you know what to look for! I have made anywhere from 2 to 10 times what I paid for the book. (Of course, sometimes I get a "lemon" that smells like a rose...but not too often.)
Powells (online) is the one I sell the most books to.

[elessar78]

Hmm. That could actually be a useful reason to own a smart phone (something which I otherwise haven't found a purpose for). It probably wouldn't be hard to earn enough to cover the cost of the monthly service and make a profit.

yup, I've thought of that too as a use for an iPhone. You can use it to comparison shop on the spot even if you're in a store like Sears. You can even show the salesman the best price you can find for, say, a washer/dryer and see if he'll play ball.

[Snippa]

One thing I've discovered about the sites that buy books is that they *typically* want newer books and more "best-sellers" or popular books, at least. I don't know if that's always true, but the ones I've tried to sell were older and they wouldn't buy them at Cash4Books. Though I didn't try Powells.

Dee

[Mike75]

I work at a large University and people give away their books for free all the time (or they throw them away and recycle them if people don't take them). I estimate that I earn an extra $250 each year from this (I sell them on Amazon.com well lower than what others are selling it for, so they sell fast, and at the same time, I'm still giving someone a good deal). It's great!

Great!!!! This is a great thing you have. I personally, don't like to sell my books. But selling the books that others don't want is not a bad idea.

[1milliondollarchallenge]

I made $700 last year from selling used books online. I usually get them for $1 or less at thrift stores and resell them for $20 average.
I got one for $25 on eBay and resold on another Aussie site for $125. That one shocked me. I have found there are a few certain cook books and financial books that I have sold a few copies of, them adn self help books sell best for me.

I use OpenDNS because I am in Australia to sell my books, but I buy my books formt he USA usually coz it is WAY cheaper then here.

So if you get to know what books sell well you can make an alright amount. That $700 of mine was after postage and everything, it was what I cleared.

[The Debt Classroom]

Along with books, you can sell movies, CD's and games that you no longer watch or use. I made over $100 a couple months ago by selling all our old movies that never get watched anymore! Just take them up to one of those used movie & game stores.