How to Sell College Textbooks Online As a Business

Selling textbooks online can be a profitable business.

Textbooks represent one of the biggest education-related expenses college students and their families incur. They are mandatory, not to mention essential for the educational process. Since college textbooks are always in demand, and most students are looking for ways to save money, an online textbook store can be a profitable business. It is also a good way to make a living or supplement income during a volatile economy.

Instructions

Selling College Textbooks Online

1. Find inexpensive sources. It is a good idea to buy your merchandise wholesale from major Internet bookstores such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Large bookstores offer the best prices on wholesale quantities, allowing you to resell the textbooks at a profit. While more random, eBay auctions offer the possibility to purchase books at the lowest prices on the market. Half.com is also a good online source for used textbooks.

2. Compare prices. Before you purchase textbooks and set the prices for your own store, compare prices across online bookstores. Comparison shopping engines such as Bing Shopping or Google Books can help you find the best deal on merchandise and set prices that will make you competitive in the marketplace.

3. Set up a website. Start by purchasing a domain name and choosing a hosting service. Other online bookstores can serve as the prototype for your store. Set up a shopping cart and link the website to a merchant account and Paypal account. You will also need an ISBN search engine that allows your customers to locate the desired textbooks. Web editors with online tutorials such as Dreamweaver can help with the web design process. Once the website is set up, test it to make sure it runs efficiently. If your budget allows it, hire a professional web designer to help with design and search engine ranking.

4. Get shipping rates and options. Establish what kind of shipping services you want to offer your customers. The U.S. Postal Service website features a price calculator which allows you to determine shipping rates per geographical area, package weight and dimensions. So do major parcel carriers such as UPS and Fedex. Most carriers offer the option to link their quote engines directly to your website, allowing your customers to compare and select shipping rates.

5. Offer renting and buyback options. Few college students afford to buy new textbooks every semester. Consequently, students are often attracted to stores which offer to buy back the textbooks that are no longer needed at the end of each semester. Textbook renting is another strategy that may attract many pressed-for-cash students to your online store.

6. Include satisfaction surveys. Keeping the customer satisfied is the key to succeeding in any business. After all, a happy customer is the best advertisement. Allowing your customers to post reviews, feedback and complaints on your website will reassure them that you care about the quality of the services and products you offer. Make sure to include an email address or phone number where customers can contact you in case they have additional questions or issues.

7. Sell through established websites. If you run on a tight budget, you can set up an online bookstore through Amazon or eBay. They provide you with links to Paypal and shipping options, saving you the expenses of web design and search engine optimization. However, these websites charge a fee on every transaction.

References

• Digital Inspiration: How to Purchase Books Online for Less

Resources

• The Site Wizard: How to Make/Create Your Own Website