How to describe a book when you sell on eBay
It's some people's fantasy to own a used-books store. Or you may own a bookstore and need a way to increase revenue. Or you might have a pile of good books that you want to sell to make room for more books. The alternative to running a brick and mortar bookshop is to open a virtual bookshop via eBay. Find creative ways to show and describe your books to give them the best chance of selling on eBay.
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Instructions
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Before attempting to sell a book on eBay, find out if it is worth the trouble. Research the book's value by looking up the title, author and edition on various book-search websites. If there are 2,000 copies of the book you have and the prices start at $1.00, it's probably not worth your time.
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Take a photograph with your digital camera or scan the cover of the book with a scanner. Photograph the cover, the title page and, if there is a question about edition, photograph the copyright page.
If the book has a lot of color illustrations, take photos of a couple of color illustrations. Pictures really do sell the product, especially one that has good color illustrations. When you take the photos, don't try to avoid showing the book's flaws. If your photo shows the book to be a different color than it actually is, be sure to mention that in your description.
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Write the description of the book you are selling -- the more detail you offer about its condition, the better chance you have of selling it. Some people use a stock description with a stock photo of a book. Stock photos and descriptions may not work well for used books because some editions look completely different from others. And used books may be worn or stained. There is no substitute for a good personal description.
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Give potential buyers some basic facts about the book. The condition is most important. Tell whether it's a hardcover; has a dust jacket; has a previous owner's name in it; has rips, stains or tears to pages; has underlining or underscoring in the text; is a first edition or if the dust jacket price is clipped. You can grade the book's condition in a range from "mint" to "reading copy," which is below "poor."
Write a description with the title, author, publisher, ISBN numbers (10 and 13 digits) and year it was published.
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Provide a choice of shipping methods and their costs. Priority, parcel post and media mail are typical postal options. List your payment conditions.
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Don't spend too much time describing what the book is about. Many people looking at the auction already know what the book is about. A short description is fine, but focus on the book's condition and showcase your pictures. If the book you are selling is nonfiction, you might photograph the table of contents page. Don't go overboard with photos either; consider that you have a short time to capture the sale.
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Tips & Warnings
You can't have too much description.
More pictures = higher prices
Describe any and all flaws.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
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Comments
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Great Article! Yes! Follow this article's tips and you will have more sales. Some additional hints that apply to selling antiquarian books: CONDITION Yes, always take photos that show the spine and corners. (Watch out for glued down spine cloth. Always count the plates and state that you have done so. ) I search the words "fine", and "very good" because Ebay grading is generally inflated by at least one level. I avoid bidding on books with "fantastic bargain", a "wonderful addition to your collection" or "good for its age". EDITION Don't state that a book is a "first edition" (ie first printing of the first edition) unless you are absolutely sure (a number line or a stated first with no indications of later printing or book club). In fact, unless your are an experienced professional book dealer with a research library, it's much safer to describe the title page and the back of the title page, without making guesses about edition. (If you take photos instead, show the ENTIRE page). PLOT DESCRIPTIONS I may take a chance on a book unknown to me, especially a 19th c or minor publisher book, if the description shows that the seller has actually read and enjoyed it. Otherwise put your efforts into describing condition, worst flaws first. PACKING! We are happy to pay extra for careful packing. Most important, always pack in a box, padding so the book won't shift around, or with a sandwich of THICK cardboard LARGER than the book. Book corners are fragile. Never use a bubble mailer without cardboard. Include paid invoice. It looks professional and is a convenience for the buyer.
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kimarkent
Dec 27, 2008
Thank you for the helpful hints and web sites to look up to find info about books. I may have not been able to sell mine because i gave too much time describing what the book was about. so thanks for the tips.
