How To Make Money Selling Books Online, Part V By Craig Stark AuctionBytes.com
August 19, 2001
Last week, I reviewed three of the six principles of presenting your books for auction: developing a good auction title, taking pictures, and including publication data. This week, I will cover the remaining three principles: text description, describing the condition of the book, and terms of sale.
4. TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION
Ordinarily I don't go into much detail here, especially if I've included informative pictures, but sometimes you can close a deal with a good sales pitch. Basically the approach I use is to include here what I would have put in the auction title if I'd had more room. If I'm stuck, I ask myself, "Why did I pull this book off the shelf in the first place?" Whatever you do, remember that time is precious, and this is one of the least productive places to invest it-and often, sadly, where many sellers waste it anyway.
5. CONDITION
Condition takes on more importance for collectible books than content-value books, but either way, it's an important means of building trust in your buyer. It's fine to sing a book's praises if it's truly a plum, but it's important to disclose every significant flaw. Bookselling terms such as AB Bookman's are acceptable but not necessary. Plain English works great because you're selling primarily to buyers who speak it. If you do use more technical terms, know them cold and provide a link in the listing to a site that explains them in gory detail.
6. TERMS
Keep it short and simple here. Don't spend an ounce of energy telling your buyers what terrible fate will befall them if they don't do what you want them to do, when you want them to do it. Rather, emphasize what you will do for them. Positive, not negative, sells. If things go amiss later, then deal with problems as they come up, individually, and remember that most buyers actually want what they've bid on and are more than willing to pay for it.
Finally, there's one more piece of advice I'd like to offer that supersedes everything else I've said so far about presentation. If you want to learn how to become the best seller you can be, BECOME A BUYER. Yes, buy things online. Observe which auctions you bid on and which you don't for identical items-and why. I guarantee you'll experience the online equivalent of a morning sunrise. The darkness will lift, and you'll magically see what attracts you and what repels you, what works and what doesn't. You'll then be able to apply it to your own auctions-and in a few years we'll both be enjoying early retirement!
I've deliberately left what I think is the most important article in this series for last: HOW TO PRICE BOOKS FOR AUCTION. Much of what I'll say will probably fly in the face of everything you've ever heard or read about selling books on eBay, but I only ask that you to hear me out. It could dramatically affect your bottom line.
About the author:
Craig Stark is a full-time online bookseller and former Editor of The Bookologist, a newsletter from the publisher of AuctionBytes.
