How to Find Books for a Used Bookstore
Finding books for a used bookstore is time consuming but can also be a lot of fun. From roaming through thrift stores to traveling out of state to attend auctions, you will find the hunt for used books a rewarding experience. Put on your comfortable shoes and prepare to hit the road--used books are everywhere waiting for you to find them.
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Instructions
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Search your house. Many bookstore owners start their inventory with their own personal book collection. Be careful to choose only books that are in good shape. You don't want to place books in your store that are moldy, torn or wore out.
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Check out area thrift stores. Typically, you won't find the best prices at these stores but occasionally the owners have an overflow of books that they will be willing to sell you for cheap. Thrift stores like Goodwill and The Salvation Army have lower book prices than mom-and-pop thrift stores.
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Hit the flea markets. A flea market is a giant yard sale and you can find all sorts of great deals. There are many people who sell at flea markets as a profession, so beware of the prices they charge. You want to hit the sellers who are not professional sellers. It sounds harsh, but these non-professionals often don't know the worth of what they are selling and you can pick up some good deals.
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Find auctions in your state. Once you get the hang of how an auction operates, this type of venue can become a profitable one for you. Estate auctions often have entire libraries up for auction and you can pick up hundreds of books at great prices.
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Keep an eye on eBay. If you search Book Lots from the eBay search bar, you will find many lots of books ranging from 2 books to 2000+. Start out by narrowing the search to those sellers closest to your zip code. This will save you on the shipping, as you can zip out and pick up the books yourself.
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Tips & Warnings
Ask friends and family to alert you of any great garage sales or thrift stores with a load of books.
Spend at least one Saturday a month hitting the garage sales in your area. You won't gather in hundreds of books this way, but occasionally you will hit upon a jewel.
Stock your store with some hard to find books--these books are often worth big bucks.
Don't be afraid to travel out of state to buy books. Sometimes you can get very good deals in nearby states.
Steer clear of library sales. Most people don't want to buy a library copy, therefore these books are not easy to resell.
Don't stock erotica in your store. These books sell great online, but it is best to keep them out of your brick-and-mortar store.
Resources
- Photo Credit Mark A. Hicks
