The secret to listing your books at a higher price…

By Sharon Fussell, February 12, 2015

 

Do you struggle sometimes with how best to price your books? In most cases it’s simple: you have little choice than to follow suit with other sellers.

That said, I do know that if you are prepared to wait, you can often sell your books for higher prices than those dictated by the majority.

The secret to listing your books at a higher price

The secret to listing your
books at a higher price

Yes, your book may end up on page 3 or higher of the selling pages, behind the pack, but some customers do search further pages beyond the first selling page if they are looking for a certain book condition that is not available on page one or two.

Many sellers do not describe their books with any detail: they usually just list it as good or whatever, but do not state if it has highlighting or names inside, or any other defects that may occur.

Sometimes buyers want to know more about the book they are buying than information on when the item will be dispatched. If a book is only described as ‘good’, what does that mean in practice?

It’s quite ambiguous: of course, many buyers are happy – they just want the book to read and will choose the book on top of page one of the selling pages. Job done!

But what if they are collectors, or want a particular book for a special gift? Then buyers may spend a little more time searching for a book that the seller has taken more trouble describing in greater detail.

So if you want to take advantage of charging a higher price for a book, always take the time to accurately describe each respective book you list.

Has the book got photos, coloured slides or other illustrations still in tact?

Is the dust cover in very good condition?

Is it ex-library?

Are there any markings inside?

Is the book signed by the writer? You can of course separate books form the pack if you feel the book copy you have is special or a collectible.

Is it a special first edition? If so, think about listing as ‘collectible’: in most cases you can list for higher prices than other versions of the same book.

Selling books and receiving good healthy profits can be fraught with frustration as more and more sellers are driving prices down. It is a fact that most buyers do not search further than the first selling page for a book, but that’s not a hard and fast rule: some buyers do look for books listed with more detail and are happier to pay more for that extra service.

If you have space to store books and are content to wait a little longer to sell a copy for a higher price, then try to list with more detail and see how you get on.

TESTING TESTING

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