Get ready to profit from these ‘niche’ books

By Sharon Fussell, August 15, 2012

It’s not long now before the new school and university terms begin – and this is a great opportunity for savvy booksellers.

If you have study books ready to be listed (or when you go out and about searching for books) be sure to look for and list up-to-date study/reference books.

Why books in the study niche?

These types of books are in great demand and can really bring in some nice profits. At this time of year it is usually a popular time for buyers to purchase study or reference books for schools, college and university ready for the new term, so I would recommend that you list anything you have that may fit the bill.

Make sure that you check them for underlining, comments and markings which students have used to mark text paragraphs for revising and study.

Personally I dislike markings, highlighting and underlining inside books. Even when I was a student, in the not too distant past, (I graduated from a social science degree in the year 2000, as a very mature student!) I did not deface my books in this way.

I found it easier to write notes and put page numbers by the side to remind me of where I got the information from. However, students are of course entitled to write in books if they own them, as a seller I just wish they wouldn’t!!

Luckily, unlike me, many buyers are not too bothered if books have markings, however, if you do have a book that does contain marking, underlining etc, ensure that buyers are made aware of these defects. I suggest you always list as acceptable and write in the comment box what the defects are. This should reduce the chance of any adverse feedback that may come your way by disgruntled customers.

Can you make ethical profits by ‘upcycling’?

In the past I have discussed the site freecycle.com and how it might be useful to you to acquire unwanted books or other media products that are cluttering people’s homes.

Whilst I do state that freecycle.com was not designed to benefit money-making opportunities, it does happen…

Last week when visiting a friend, I noticed her garage was stacked with furniture, most of which was in various stages of restoration. Apparently, they acquire unwanted furniture from freecycle and renovate it and sell on eBay. When you take an old item and give it a new lease of life in this way it’s called upcycling.

Whatever the ethics of using freecycle in this way, I suppose you could say this is recycling at its best.

The householders were happy to get unwanted items from their home. The restorer makes an income from the time spent fetching the furniture and restoring it. The buyer is happy to purchase a uniquely decorated/restored piece of furniture for a reasonable cost, (presumably) as opposed to these goods ending up on land fill tips.

It’s definitely something worth thinking about.

TESTING TESTING

What do you think?

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