ISBN numbers

[BROOKMYRE]

Hi still a newbie but haven't found specific reference to this yet
Optimistically I started entering ISBN's and uploading stock pictures. 29 books later I have not come up against one already prefilled! Am I on my own here?? Also getting the info from other sites I have not come up against one e-bid book from anyone. Sites such as google, fantasticfiction and every other just seem to link back to Amazon...
Any ideas?

[hartmann219]

eBid probably does not have a really good ISBN database like feeBay or Amazon because they don't have the money to buy what is necessary. There are probably no or very few sellers using the ISBN function and filling in the missing information for others to use.

[Javaslublu_Books]

We have over 12,000 books listed on eBid, about three-quarters of which have ISBNs but we upload in bulk and don't have the option in the bulk-lister to put in the information. I suspect a lot of book sellers do the same.

[SalusLibrorum]

I'm uploading individually, as you say, no point in using the ISBN option.

Have you had any sales? I have sold no books at all in 4 months on here (although I've only really been listing seriously for the last month or so).

I'm beginning to wonder if I'm doing something very wrong, I would normally have expected to sell at least one in that time.

It's very depressing, I can't afford to list on eBay, and Amazon sales are about 80% down because of their screw up with their search engine (no-one can find anything or keep getting spurious results) and the recession.

That very large bonfire is getting very tempting.

[hartmann219]

Hi SalusL - eBid is certainly not yet used by regular book buyers. As you probably know, online book sales are totally dominated by the big 3 A's: Amazon, Alibris, and Abebooks. Then there is feebay and their Half.com, also big players. Many thousands of booksellers are already selling through the As and the public likes the vast selection. Smaller sites like Biblio, TomFolio, Antiqbook, Choosebooks, and UsedBookCentral also have limited book buying activity.

The vast majority of booksellers are used to giving up 15%-20%--and more--of their gross sales to the major book listing sites. They regard venues like eBid as 'cheesy'. But I have begun trying to sell on eBid in the hopes that these large commision amounts on my sales can be reduced.

I know that it will take a Long Time to get any book-buying-eyeballs to eBid, but I will keep plugging away like you in the hope that someday things will turn around for us and some book buyers will utilize venues like this for their purchases. Hopefully the book buyers from feeBay will be the first ones to start buying here because they are used to the 'auction' venue. It is going to be a tough road ahead for us selling books.

Chris

http://us.ebid.net/stores/Chris-Hartmann-Bookseller

http://us.ebid.net/stores/Collectible-Postcards

http://us.ebid.net/stores/The-Paperback-Shop

[leadhillsonline]

Hi still a newbie but haven't found specific reference to this yet
Optimistically I started entering ISBN's and uploading stock pictures. 29 books later I have not come up against one already prefilled! Am I on my own here?? Also getting the info from other sites I have not come up against one e-bid book from anyone. Sites such as google, fantasticfiction and every other just seem to link back to Amazon...
Any ideas?

Sorry I never use the ISBN function on eBid. I store all my book data on my machine using Book Collector and just copy the information over into my templates when listing.

I'm uploading individually, as you say, no point in using the ISBN option.

Have you had any sales? I have sold no books at all in 4 months on here (although I've only really been listing seriously for the last month or so).

I'm beginning to wonder if I'm doing something very wrong, I would normally have expected to sell at least one in that time.

It's very depressing, I can't afford to list on eBay, and Amazon sales are about 80% down because of their screw up with their search engine (no-one can find anything or keep getting spurious results) and the recession.

That very large bonfire is getting very tempting.

This week alone I've sold 5 books and the total so far for this month is 20. So hang on in there the sales will come.

[leapingcat]

What is more important is to make sure books are in the right categories. For example in the sport/motorsport category, get beyond the first page and the few genuine motorsport books are swamped by all sorts of other books, with no photo or proper description. Until nonsense like this is sorted out then I will be reluctant to add to the handful of books that I have got in this category and I certainly wouldn't provide a link on any of the car forums I belong to; I don't want potential buyers to take one look and then never return.

The fee structure of eBid makes it ideal for selling books, but book buyers want to be able to search quickly and effectively.

[FabFinds]

What is more important is to make sure books are in the right categories. For example in the sport/motorsport category, get beyond the first page and the few genuine motorsport books are swamped by all sorts of other books, with no photo or proper description. Until nonsense like this is sorted out then I will be reluctant to add to the handful of books that I have got in this category and I certainly wouldn't provide a link on any of the car forums I belong to; I don't want potential buyers to take one look and then never return.

The fee structure of eBid makes it ideal for selling books, but book buyers want to be able to search quickly and effectively.

If you see any auctions in the wrong category you could always report them, eBid will remove them.

[Spyder1942]

i have yet to sell any books but im having fun on here and im hanging on in here.signed up for life.

[Javaslublu_Books]

Sales are steadily improving here - we've sold over 100 books and magazines this month. And there are a lot of newbies buying, probably trying to build up their feedback before starting to sell.