selling your stuff on Amazon - part 8 - advice for newbies in the first 2 posts

foxybabe

Can I ask which books are good/quick to sell? Or is there no telling, I have got a load of paperback novels and wondered whether it was worth putting them on.

thanks everyone

bukup

foxybabe wrote:

Can I ask which books are good/quick to sell? Or is there no telling, I have got a load of paperback novels and wondered whether it was worth putting them on.

thanks everyone

How long is a piece of string? If only we all new the answer to that....! you have nothing to loose by listing the paperbacks....

I am sure many sellers on this site will tell you that some rare paperbacks have sold for 'big bucks'.....!

For some research,go to ebay,click on books and magazines for sale,choose a heading(just as an example click on magazines)then you are at the current page of items for sale,click completed listings on the left hand side.

When you have arrived at this page,near the top right side you can select 'highest price'.

You now have a list of what is currently making 'top' money on ebay.....

I am sure Amazon replicates this to a certain degree....

As an example a very standard Sunday supplement from 1986 called SUN DAY
with picture of Fergie and an old lover on the cover, sold for £230.00..........wow. (item number 260074597755 )

It never surprises me what the latest trend is,again certain copies of 'TV TIMES' sell for many £100's......
I hope this inspires you,why not put a card in your local newsagents window-worded something like: books and magazines wanted -please call/phone 123 456 789 with details-you really have nothing to loose.

Kind regards Bukup

foxybabe

Now thats interesting reading!! I havent got anything worth that much mores the pity. Thanks for that.

bukup

foxybabe wrote:

Now thats interesting reading!! I havent got anything worth that much mores the pity. Thanks for that.

you may not have any now,but as you are now aware to look out for this or similar magazines-it's amazing what you can stumble across....

kind regards Bukup

boston_uk

Some advice please ..

I've never been to an auction and am a bit apprehensive. There is an auction house local to me that has a general sale most weeks. Catalogue is £2 and chances are I have to pay for parking as it is restricted at the sale rooms.

What kind of chances are there of there being saleable books (inspired by bukup!), DVD's Vids etc - not so much the very rare as I accept these are going to be a rare chance and lucky find - but reasonable stuff one can sell on at a respectable profit?

Do you have to register as a bidder or something when you get there for the viewing? I presume the catalogue is a necessary thing?

Is there anything else I need to know so I dont look a complete dork?

Thanks

bukup

boston_uk wrote:

Some advice please ..

I've never been to an auction and am a bit apprehensive. There is an auction house local to me that has a general sale most weeks. Catalogue is £2 and chances are I have to pay for parking as it is restricted at the sale rooms.

What kind of chances are there of there being saleable books (inspired by bukup!), DVD's Vids etc - not so much the very rare as I accept these are going to be a rare chance and lucky find - but reasonable stuff one can sell on at a respectable profit?

Do you have to register as a bidder or something when you get there for the viewing? I presume the catalogue is a necessary thing?

Is there anything else I need to know so I dont look a complete dork?

Thanks

hello there-

firstly - yes normally you do need to register at the auction before bidding,this usually is a small form asking:
name
address
contact telephone number.

To confuse you,high end auction houses sometimes require a returnable deposit(bloomsbury) to be able to register.

Always give yourself time to view all the lots you are interested in.There is normally a viewing period before the auction and the day before.If you go the day before,and see something that catches your eye-you have time to research values of the items..(then knowing a target price to set yourself when bidding).

It is advisable to not go above the price you set yourself,otherwise there is a chance you get caught up in what is called 'auction fever'....
This is basically when someone will stop at nothing to win certain items,it could be a £20.00 bag of £1.00 coins and you end up paying £21.00-just to win it....!

I always stand as far back as possible when bidding,and I will not start bidding until other bidders have outbid one another.This is a cunning tactic,as the other bidder has to start battling all over again-whilst you are fresh and raring to go...I believe they also think you are prepared to pay more,with joining the bidding late,whatever the reason it seems to work.

Another tactic is to frighten other bidders...You do this by means of upping the bid amount in an unusual manner.

Example: box of books.estimate £22-£30(you believe they are worth £200 sold seperatly on Amazon)

bidding starts at £5.00

2 other people start bidding (a and b)

a-£5.00

B-£6.00

a-£7.00

b-£8.00

a-£10.00

b-£12.00

YOU-£20.00.....its quite amazing how other bidders will stop when you do this.

Anyway if you are still unsure about going to buy from an auction,just go and watch the auction once or twice first.You do not have to register to watch,and you never know,you might just enjoy it!

Hope this helps ....Bukup

boston_uk

wow - yes it does bukup, thank you! You dont fancy coming with me I suppose ???

I shall go to the next one in couple of weeks (the soonest i can go as they do a fine arts thing on the first Wed of the month) and keep my fingers crossed!!

COOLTRIKERCHICK

i buy most of books from the auctions.... some of the books are no good for re-sale condition etc.....i tend to go to the auction the day before on viewing and i have a proper rumage through the boxes... bric a brac ones as well.....i take a note pad... and if i am not to sure i write down the items.. so then i can go home and do a bit of researching......

i have stopped going to the auction on the day.... i leave bids.. to the max that i would be prepared for that box of goods or item.....only because a lot of the stuff i am not interested in furniture ....and higher priced china etc....and it frees up my time......

if i dont win the item then i dont win..... there is another auction in a fortnight....

also once i have cherry picked the books or items that i want out of the lots that i have won....... i then re-box them and put them straight back into the auction.....

bukup has given very sound advice, and i would suggest for the first time just go and have alook to see how things are... and also how good or quick the auctioneer .is .. as sometimes they go so quick that you cant hear what their saying......plus DONT FORGET what ever your winning bid is there is commission and vat on top of that ..a buyers premium this will vary from auction house to auction house......

good luck........

oh ye..... another way of getting books cheaply.... is get friendly with your local charity shop and say you will either buy or take off their hands the books that they get over run with....ok a lot will be no good but.... you can put them in the auction.....

boston_uk

I am cultivating the manager at our local charity shop even as we speak! they have had a bogof for ages and am angling for a visit to the "back room" to see the stuff they dont have room to put out yet....

Thanks cooltrikerchick! All great advice from you kind folks!!

wombat678

Yeah, charity shops are the best bet for cheap books to sell, my local one sells them at 2 for 20p and there are some crackers like i bought "oliver twist" hardback for 10p- i think that should sell well-:D