Selling penny books on Amazon.com

Sure, that Stephen King or John Grisham novel may have sold a gazillion copies. But a couple years after its release, many copies will be listed on Amazon Marketplace for pennies. So the more popular a book is – unless it was published very recently – the less likely you’ll be able to resell it for a profit. Romance novels will sell quickly if they are brand new. But unless you know what romance novels collectors like, don’t bother with them.

So while fiction is the lifeblood of most book collectors, most of it ends up as dead wood for the online seller. Salable books must be rare and sought after by collectors. Unless you are an expert in certain collectible fiction – or develop an ex-pertise and have access to lots of stock – concentrate your acquisitions on quality nonfiction titles, especially during the early stages of building your business. Today’s blockbuster fiction novel probably will last 6 months to a year. A quality nonfiction title will sell steadily year after year.

After a few months of actively handling books, you’ll develop a sixth sense for books that may be worth big money.




New in paperback: The Home-Based Bookstore: Start Your Own Business Selling Used Books on Amazon, eBay or Your Own Web Site (by Steve Weber)