10 Ways To Sell Books Online Efficiently

Whether you want to get rid of clutter in your house or generate some money, you can sell your books. These can be your writings, used textbooks, or your peer’s second-hand books to resell. 

Luckily, selling books is faster than ever due to the ease of online sales. If you know these 10 ways to sell books online efficiently, you can boost sales and earn higher profits. 

• Create Your Own ‘Place.’

The first touch-point with the customer happens in the bookselling platform. You can either use well-established platforms to offer your books or create your own one. Though building a separate website for your books can require time and effort, it will create a professional image.

The website does not need to be extremely pricey. Having a website with a simple design would also work. You only need to ensure that it is functional and it reflects trust, reliability, and professionalism.

• Capitalize on Existing Platforms.

If you prefer not to have your own place and utilize existing platforms like Bookdeal to sell your books, it can still be effective. Such platforms can guarantee payment and help with delivery. However, regardless of which platform you use, make sure you get familiar with its all features. Bookselling companies usually provide multiple features for sellers to provide better offers and get more customers.

For example, reviews can boost your sales. Therefore, do not hesitate to ask your customers to share a review of their orders. Even if the feedback is negative, try not to hide the feedback and deal with the issue to satisfy the customer’s needs.  

• Determine the Price Effectively.

Online platforms not only allow you to sell your books but also check the competitors’ strategies. Before selling a book, you need to do thorough research to identify the optimal price for the offer. Keep in mind that damaged books would not cost much. Compare different sellers of your book and get the average price. In the beginning, when you lack customers and trust in your offers, it might be a good idea to provide some discounts.

• Make Attractive Offers.

If you check bookselling platforms such as Amazon, you will see many promotional techniques applied, such as discounts of two-for-one pricing. These strategies attract customers. Sure, for big companies applying them is easy. Meanwhile, you might not be able to provide discounts.

In such a case, you have to do selective discounting. 

Check your competitors’ offers to find untapped opportunities such as bestselling books not on sale. Then, provide a small discount only on those books to attract customers while keeping profits.

• Provide Customized Experience.

Customers love to feel valued. If you want them to come back to buy more, you need to provide a customized experience. For example, you can put a small gift such as a sticker, or a bookmark, inside the order when delivered. Even candy can be valuable for customers as they feel the care of the seller. Additionally, you can use attractive packaging for buyers who might value aesthetics. 

Pro Tip: Such small gifts and attractive packaging can increase Word-of-Mouth in social media as customers might be willing to share their experience with the seller.

• Connect with Your Customers.

Whether you want to sell rare books on the internet or open a bookselling platform, it is essential to stay in touch with customers. In this way, you can regularly send them offers or ensure they become loyal buyers.

For example, you can ask the customer to provide an email address and personal details such as full name. By collecting email addresses, you can send them updates on the platform or communications on new offers. Knowing their birthdays can also be helpful as you can provide personalized discounts for them on their birthdays. 

• Visuals are Important.

The visuals of your book offers are more than making them attractive for customers. Professionally taken photos usually create an image that the seller is reliable and puts effort into its offers. Such images also show the real conditions of the books so that no customer gets dissatisfied with the purchases afterward, e.g., if they are buying a used book.

• Know Your Limits.

If you are selling used books, do not expect to recover the whole cost of the book from the sales. After all, you have already read them, and they served their purposes. 

Selling those books should only generate some spare money for you and help you get rid of the clutter in your house. Reselling used books would not generate high profits. Keep this idea in mind not to overprice your offers. Otherwise, you will lose many customers.

• Repairs can be Needed.

As mentioned, used books usually generate little money compared to the original cost. However, you can still increase your profits by putting them into less-than-perfect conditions. Check your used books to see if anything can be fixed. For example, unfolding ‘dog-ears,’ removing bookmarks, notes, or patching tears can enhance the value of your offer. 

• Use Social Media.

You need to make people aware of your offers if you intend to find customers fast. Do not limit yourself to the bookselling platform to promote your offers. Use social media platforms, even multiple at a time, to get access to potential buyers.

Additionally, choose related platforms. For example, if you sell a business book, you can use LinkedIn, while a cooking book can be promoted in blogs or Facebook groups.