Has the idea of learning how to sell used books on Amazon ever crossed your mind? You might want to consider it since it is a good way to make money on Amazon.
So, who should sell used books on Amazon? From our perspective, you might want to kick off a book business because:
- You have a low market entry;
- You are an individual seller;
Or
- You want to get rid of your used books;
- You simply want to sell used books to Amazon for cash.
- And, you can sell ebooks on Amazon as well.
There could be numerous factors affecting your decision to start selling used books online. But for now, we’ll cut to the chase and discover a 5-step guide of how to sell used books on Amazon:
- Create a seller account;
- Decide your used book pricing and fulfillment method;
- List used books on Amazon;
- Promote your books;
- Pack and ship.
Let’s get the ball rolling!
What to Know Before You Sell Used Books on Amazon?
As you are about to sell old books on Amazon, let us give you a quick run-through of the basics. In this section, make sure you check every detail!
Amazon selling fees
Some are probably asking, “How to sell used books on Amazon for free?” However, you will get charged when you sell an item, including used books. On this ground, here is our update on Amazon selling fees:
Amazon's pricing | ||
Individual plan | $0.99/ product sold + additional selling fees | |
Professional plan | $39.99/ month + additional selling fees | |
Category referral commission | 8 - 20% of total sale price | |
Fulfillment by Amazon fee | Depends on sold items |
Explaining further fees when selling on Amazon, you might be subject to pay for:
- A seller plan (either Individual or Professional).
- 15% of the total sales price or a minimum of $0.30 for book category referrals commission.
- $3.22 to $158.49 for FBA services (Fulfillment by Amazon) of non-apparel items.
Notes: Apart from basic charges, you might pay for inventory, high-volume listing, and advertising fees when selling used books on Amazon.
Conditions of your used books
Continuing our topic of how to sell used books on Amazon, it is crucial that you are aware of Amazon’s terms and policies on used book conditions. Here are the details:
- Renewed: Your used books should work and look like new ones. They have minimal to no signs of wear or damage when held from 12 inches away.
- Like New: Your used books are in perfect condition, but they don’t necessarily come with the original protective wrapping.
- Very Good: Your old books have limited use but remain in good condition.
- Good: Your used books might show wear but are still properly preserved.
- Acceptable: Your used books can be fairly worn, but they are in good condition.
Notes: The terms for product conditions apply when you resell books on Amazon or any other used items. If you have other secondhand items to sell, check out our guide on how to sell used items on Amazon.
Other relevant requirements
Last but not least, before we walk you through our 5-step guide of how to sell used books on Amazon, here comes some more information you need to prepare in advance:
- Personal information and contact details to create a seller account (business email, a chargeable credit, government ID, tax information, a bank account, and phone number);
- List of ISBNs for your pre-owned books (International Standard Book Numbers).
That’s pretty much everything you need to know when selling used books on Amazon. Now, why don’t we move on with our main topic?
How to Sell Used Books on Amazon in 5 Steps?
Here we are, landed at the most thrilling part – 5 steps to sell used books on Amazon and streamline some cash! Without further ado, let’s delve into them!
#Step 1. Create an Amazon Seller account
Initially, you must have a Seller account to sell old books on Amazon. Speaking of which, you can create a Seller account using a business email address or a customer account. Also, remember to prepare every compulsory information in hand.
When listing used books on Amazon, you will get to choose between Individual or Professional seller plans.
- The Individual plan is a great fit if you sell under 40 used books on Amazon per month or don’t have advertising plans.
- Meanwhile, the Professional plan is perfect for you if you sell more than 40 used books on Amazon monthly. Also, it offers advanced selling tools, such as Amazon A+ Content and API integration.
Beyond that, whatever plan you choose, remember to use the cost calculator to determine your profit margin.
So, moving on to how to sell used books on Amazon, here are the registration steps:
- Go to Amazon Seller Central and click Sign Up.
- As you tap on Sign Up, you will be redirected to another page, where you can fill in your information to create a Seller account.
- Then, the register page will show you some requirements. Here is the part where all the basic information gets verified.
- Once you have done filling in your account details and verifying them, you are good to go.
 | Sell Your Used Books on Amazon and More! Amazon isn't the only marketplace that lets you sell pre-owned books. Use the LitCommerce Multichannel Sync solution and sell on more dynamic channels like eBay or Etsy! |
#Step 2. Determine pricing and order fulfillment
Now that you’ve got an account to resale books on Amazon, let’s decide your pricing and order fulfillment.
1. Set up book pricing
Pricing is one key factor in deciding whether you can successfully sell used books to Amazon. The key takeaways about setting prices for used books (and brand-new ones) include competitiveness and compatibility. What do the two terms mean?
- Competitiveness: Since Amazon is a top-selling platform with millions of sellers going live, setting a competitive price may gain you a winning point over others. Regarding used book pricing, we suggest that you monitor how other sellers are setting their prices and what your buyers’ expectations are. That will help you set the best price when selling used books on Amazon.
- Compatibility: In our guide to selling used books on Amazon, we mention compatibility in terms of quality-price compatibility. Accordingly, this has a lot to do with your used books’ conditions. Compatibility also applies to collectible and rare books.
2. Set up fulfillment methods
Can you sell used books to Amazon without dealing with packing, shipping, and delivering them to your customers? Yes, you surely can, given two choices of order fulfillment, including FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon services) and FBM (Fulfillment by Merchants)
Shortly, FBA services enable you to focus on managing sales and developing new business strategies while Amazon Fulfillment Center picks, packs, ships, and provides customer service. Yet, charges for FBA services may be expensive if you just sell used books on Amazon as a way to get rid of them.
On the other hand, if you want to lower selling costs, FBM is not a bad idea. Comparing Amazon FBA vs. FBM, FBM seems to be a lot more work since packing, choosing shipping carriers, etc., are on you. Nonetheless, you will get the most control over the order fulfillment process. After you have called your last shot on pricing and fulfillment while learning how to sell used books on Amazon, let’s list them and start making some cash!
#Step 3. List and start selling used books on Amazon
Following our guide on how to sell used books on Amazon, it’s time to list your used books and start earning! In general, listing a used book (or a new one) and selling it on Amazon is pretty much the same as other products. Let’s take a look!
- Go to Amazon, then choose Account & Lists.
- Next, click Create a List.
- After that, you can add product information, including ISBN, name, product ID, brand, inventory, manufacturer, etc. If you are selling used books on Amazon that were printed before 1970, there may be no ISBN.
- Now that you have completed all the details needed, you can click save and finish. A book listing may look like the following image.
A friendly reminder: When listing used books on Amazon, remember to apply Amazon listing optimization practices. Apparently, having an optimized listing allows your products to reach a wider audience and provokes the purchase intent better.
#Step 4. Promote your used books on Amazon
One of the best ways to make more book sales is by promoting your used books, and that’s also the 4th step in our guide of how to sell used books on Amazon. To conduct this task, you can use Amazon advertising tools.
In detail, you can take advantage of Sponsored Products (a self-service advertising tool), Sponsored Displays, and many more. Besides, remember that Amazon ad works on a PPC model and auction-like system.
In case you haven’t gotten used to Amazon ads, go to Amazon Learning Console and start self-educating. It is an online platform that provides merchants with resources about advertising fundamentals, campaign creation, ad practices, and performance analysis. By walking through those documents, you will likely avoid Amazon advertising mistakes in the long run and make more profit as you sell used books on Amazon.
Eventually, social media is a robust marketing tool for sellers of all categories. Hence, promoting your used books on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter is highly recommended.
#Step 5. Pack and ship your used books to customers
Packing and shipping are essential stages before getting your used books to customers. Also, it is the final step in our instruction on how to sell used books on Amazon.
Undoubtedly, it is worth noting that packaging plays a massive role in customer satisfaction. Notably, it represents a brand image and real-life impression, leveraging or lowering customer experience with your brand and products.
Packing and shipping will rely on your order fulfillment methods. But whatever method you choose to sell your used books, we highly suggest that you ensure the delivery time is precise and your package arrives undamaged.
Have you got your answer to the question, “How to sell my used books on Amazon”? This isn’t the end yet. Keep reading and see what LitCommerce has in store for you!
| | Tap Into The Power of Multichannel Selling Why limit your sales and audience to one channel? Expand to more selling platforms and get your pre-loved books to potential customers. Try LitCommerce today! |
How to Sell Used Books on Amazon – FAQs
- 1. Is it worth it to sell used books on Amazon?
Yes, it is worth selling used books on Amazon. The marketplace expects to generate up to $28 billion annually from book categories. More than that, choosing to sell used books on Amazon grants you a low market entry.
- 2. Can I sell my used books on Amazon?
Yes, you can. Here is how to sell used books on Amazon:
#1. Create a Seller account;
#2. Determine pricing and fulfillment;
#3. List and sell your used books;
#4. Promote your used books;
#5. Pack and ship your used books to customers.
- 3. How much does it cost to sell used books on Amazon?
Here are the fees you must pay to sell used books on Amazon:
- Seller plan: Individual ($0.99 per item sold + additional selling fees) or Professional ($39.99 per month + additional selling fees).
- Category referral commission for used books: 15% of the total sales price or a minimum of $0.30 per book sold.
- FBA services for non-apparel: Varying from $3.22 to $158.49
- 4. What used books sell best on Amazon?
Used books that sell best on Amazon include college books. Accordingly, learning how to sell used college books on Amazon can be your new way to streamline a second income.
- 5. Does Amazon sell used books?
Yes, Amazon does sell used books through its marketplace. The Amazon marketplace allows third-party sellers to list and sell their pre-owned books alongside the new ones.
- 6. Does Amazon buy used books?
Yes, Amazon does buy used books. In particular, Amazon offers a trade-in program where you can sell your used books (and other items) to them in exchange for Amazon Gift Cards. This program is known as the Amazon Trade-In Program. Regarding this aspect, you might want to learn more about how to sell books back to Amazon.
Start Selling Your Used Books and Streamline Cash Online!
Can I sell used books on Amazon? YES, ABSOLUTELY!
Start your own business and learn how to sell used books on Amazon in just 5 steps:
#1. Create a Seller account
#2. Determine pricing and fulfillment
#3. List and sell your used books
#4. Promote your used books
#5. Pack and ship your used books to customers.
With the right used book you want to sell, as well as pricing and promotion strategies, we believe you’ll be on your way to streamlining a satisfying income from bookselling. That’s everything we’ve got to offer in terms of selling used books on Amazon.
By any chance you want to discover more about eCommerce, don’t hesitate to drop us a line.
Last, but not least, remember to stay tuned to LitCommerce Retailer Blog for more insights and growth hacks. Enjoy reading!
