Sell Used Books on Amazon Effortlessly-Easy Extra Money!

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Sell Used Books Online

I first got the idea to sell used books on Amazon for extra money from an article I read in Entrepreneur’s 2007 eBay Startup Guide (Yes…a long time ago!). The person interviewed for this article explained how he quit his full-time job in just a few months to sell books online. The article also explained how he went on to write a book about his experience selling used books online. I purchased this book and two others so I could fully understand what it takes to make money selling used books.

First, I looked around my house at all the books I had accumulated over the years. I could make a few extra dollars by selling them on Amazon. My bookcase held a lot of business books that I could sell. Ebay was my selling platform of choice. I felt comfortable in that “environment,” but I was intrigued by the opportunity to sell books on Amazon. The apparent ease of listing items made me want to explore more.

I had a lot of books. Taking pictures and writing descriptions of all those books would take a long time if I were going to list them on eBay. However, as I soon learned, Amazon’s catalog of books, videos, DVDs, etc., is so extensive that I could list my inventory in very little time. As a busy Mom of two children, I liked that part!

EBay has a catalog of books and media products. Like Amazon, you don’t need to take pictures of your items if they’re listed in the catalog. However, their catalog isn’t nearly as extensive as Amazon’s.

I decided to move forward with listing my books on Amazon.  In addition, I bought two books from Amazon’s website about selling books online. That way, I could learn all there was to learn about the “business.” I enjoyed both books because I learned different things from each one.  The following are the two books I purchased:

• The Home-Based Bookstore: Start Your Own Business Selling Used Books on Amazon, eBay or Your Own Web Site

  

• Selling Used Books Online: The Complete Guide to Bookselling at Amazon’s Marketplace and Other Online Sites

  

Amazon Associate – Registering for an Account

If you want to sell on Amazon, the very first thing you will need to do is get an Amazon Seller Account. You can’t sell or get paid by Amazon without an Amazon Seller Account. The application is easy and only takes minutes to complete. Be sure to have a check handy if you want your funds deposited directly into your bank account. You set this up in Seller Central.

When Amazon Payments pays you, you do not need to do anything but ship your item. Generally, Amazon Payments first settles your account 14 days after your first payment transaction completes. After the initial 14-day holding period, your account is settled daily.

Amazon deposits the buyer’s money into your Amazon account and notifies you via e-mail. In addition, Amazon collects the shipping fee from the buyer, which is included in the deposit, less Amazon’s small commission (learn more about getting paid by Amazon).

Where To Get Books to Resell

Everyone wants to know where to get good books to resell on Amazon (or eBay). And like other booksellers, I won’t give away all my secrets! However, Frank Florence does!  He created an ebook called “Creative Sourcing For Booksellers” that gives away his book sourcing secrets.  Frank’s book is a must-read if you want to get a head start on the bookselling business.  Many books out there concentrate on how to set up your bookselling business on Amazon, and just touch upon where to find books. “Creative Sourcing For Booksellers” is your bible for finding books to sell.  Without inventory, you have no business.

Below is just a short list of the places I visit regularly to find my inventory.  It’s nothing like what Frank tells you about in his book. However, it’s a start.  You want to get books at no cost or for very little money. I started by selling the books on my bookshelf. Good sources of inexpensive books include:

• Goodwill

• Thrift Stores

• Craigslist

• Family/Friends

• eBay

• Friends of Library Sales

• Ongoing Library Sales (these are usually in a separate room in a library)

What Types of Books To Sell

There are many different types of books you can sell. You can specialize in one or more niches or sell all kinds of books. When you first start selling books, I suggest you sell whatever you can. Once you get some experience, you may decide to specialize. It’s also acceptable to take smaller profits in the beginning. Don’t be too picky; sell what you can to start seeing a profit. It’s essential to have some success from the beginning–this will get you excited to keep going!

Here’s a small list of the types of books you may want to sell

• Niche subject books, DVDs, and videos (I stick to self-help videos or video courses that are still in demand)
• Books that were popular but are not out of print
• Some cookbooks (old Betty Crocker cookbooks, some special edition Southern Living cookbooks)
• A few audio and DVD special sets, such as motivational or self-improvement series
• Some children’s books
• Recent textbooks (and I stress RECENT)

With all of these subjects, you still need to check what the going used price is on Amazon, which brings me to my next subject:

Listing Books For Sale

The next thing you do is search for the book on Amazon.com that you want to sell and click the Sell Yours Here button. Ensure you have the correct product; one title can have several editions or formats. You can search for the book title you want to sell, or you can search for the 10-digit ISBN located on the back or the inside of your book (you can also use an ASIN or UPC identifier to sell your item). If you search for the book’s title, be careful to have the appropriate copyright year, as many books have several.

The best thing about listing books for sale on Amazon is that it’s free! You only pay a small commission to Amazon once your item is sold. Amazon takes its commission automatically, and you then ship your item to the buyer. When selling used books on Amazon, you’ll be charged a flat $1.80 fee per sale (closing fee) and a 15% commission on the total amount (book price plus shipping). Individual sellers (not professional sellers) also pay a $0.99 per-item fee.

If you have many books to sell, you’ll want to check out Amazon’s Professional Seller’s Plan. This plan is great for sellers who expect to sell more than 40 books per month because it costs $39.99 per month. With this subscription, Amazon waives the $.99 per transaction fee.

Book Hunting Tools

The easiest and most inexpensive book hunting tools at this time can be found as apps on your cell phone.  When I first started book hunting, I used to use a Sprint Treo phone, and after that–a Palm Pre (that’s how long ago I began selling books). These tools were invaluable and paid for themselves. I can’t tell you how much money I saved by checking the books’ prices before buying them.  Once, I was out book hunting when I came across an older children’s book. I wasn’t sure what it would be worth as I was still honing my skills in the children’s book arena. I used my Treo to look up the book on Amazon and found that the book was listed used for over $100. Another children’s book I had in my hand was listed used at $.47. Guess which one I kept?

Some book hunters use scanners that scan a book’s ISBN to see what the book is selling for on Amazon.com.  ASellerTool.com is a company that uses a book scouting tool with an iPhone or Android cell phone and a scanner, or a PDA and a scanner. I used this service with a PDA and a handheld wireless scanner, and I agree it made book hunting very easy. They offer everything you need…equipment plus a monthly plan…to start a used bookselling business. However, you can start with just the Amazon Seller app, which is free to download once registered as a Seller.

Packaging Your Books

Amazon requires sellers to send out their packages within 2 days of the sale date. A seller risks being delisted if they don’t comply. It’s essential to adhere to this rule and package your book appropriately. I used large manila envelopes that you buy at any office supply store like Staples, OfficeMax, or Office Depot. They cost around $14 or so for a pack of 100. Buying specialized bubble wrap envelopes isn’t necessary. I wrap my books with the bubble wrap that I get for free. It’s amazing what you can get for free if you ask!

One of my methods for getting free packing material is to go to my local large furniture retailer and knock on the back door, where there’s a loading dock.  Inside the door is a trash can where they stuff all the packing material they’re throwing away.  They don’t mind when I ask if I can have it.

I know it’s faster to put a book in a padded envelope, but I’m saving money by wrapping it myself. It takes a few more minutes, but every bit of positive feedback helps at the beginning of your bookselling career. I’m happy to report that I never had a complaint about the condition of my packages.

Customer Feedback

Your customers can leave feedback about their experience buying from you. Not everyone leaves feedback. Just a small percentage of customers leave feedback. However, when starting, I didn’t find that having no feedback was a deterrent. If you have a book someone wants and don’t have much competition, chances are you’ll sell the book. However, if you have the same price and a book is in the same condition as someone else’s book, feedback could affect whether someone chooses to buy from you.

Shipping

Taking a package or two to the post office won’t be a big deal when you start. However, if you begin to sell a lot of books and need to visit the post office daily, you may want to invest in a Dymo LabelWriter, I wouldn’t suggest an investment like this until you’re sure you want to sell used books as an actual side gig.

A Dymo label maker, especially models like the Dymo LabelWriter 4XL or 5XL, can be a huge time-saver for someone who sells used books from home. Here’s how it helps streamline the shipping process:

1. Faster Label Printing

• Prints professional 4×6” shipping labels (compatible with USPS, UPS, eBay, Etsy, etc.) in seconds.

• Eliminates the need to cut, tape, or manually attach labels printed on standard paper.

2. Thermal Printing – No Ink Needed

• It uses direct thermal technology, so there’s no ink or toner to buy or replace, cutting ongoing costs.

• Reliable and consistent, even with daily shipping volume.

3. Works Seamlessly with Online Marketplaces

• Integrates with platforms like eBay, Amazon, Etsy, Mercari, and Pirate Ship, so you can print labels directly from your sales dashboard.

• Some software even auto-fills customer addresses, reducing errors.

4. Compact and Desk-Friendly

• Small footprint fits easily on a desk or shipping station without taking up much space.

• Keeps your workspace neat and efficient.

5. Custom Label Sizes for Organization

• Besides shipping labels, you can use smaller labels for:

  • Categorizing books by genre or condition

  • Inventory tags or barcode stickers

  • Return address labels

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If you sell many books each week, a Dymo label printer can save time, reduce errors, and make your home-based book business look more professional.

When your books are packaged and ready to ship, you can take them directly to the post office counter and drop them off. No more waiting in line!

If you have a lot of books to ship at once, your local post office will usually have a side door for receiving packages. It’s good to get to know the postal workers at your local post office. They are invaluable, and they like receiving your items!

In conclusion, I hope you enjoyed this overview on selling books on Amazon.com. If this work-from-home opportunity interests you, I highly recommend reading the books I have listed at the top and Frank Florence’s “Creative Sourcing For Booksellers.”  They will help you avoid making mistakes initially and save you a lot of time and money.

Thanks and Happy Book Hunting!

If you’re looking for more creative ways to make money, check out (and follow) my Earn Real Money From Home Pinterest Board!

Have you ever tried selling books or anything else on Amazon? Please share your experience below!

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