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Thread: Do books sell on ebid?

  1. #11
    Forum Master billsstamps's Avatar
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    Default Re: Do books sell on ebid?

    I started as Billsbooks and now I sell more of other types of item. That is a confirmation that books are selling less freely over the last few years.

    Eight years ago I had 5000 of my own books to get rid of, and between the River and Bay 100 a month would be going out the door.

    I still sell books when the price is right, and it is never right on River, £2.80 delivery, or on Bay, too expensive to list. Now a trickle at low prices but Ebid is good for that.
    Rev Dr Bill Hopkinson,
    Retired professor





    BillsStamps

    around 50000 stamps listed, based in London

  2. #12
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    Default Re: Do books sell on ebid?

    Thanks everyone for your replies and suggestions.

  3. #13

    Default Re: Do books sell on ebid?

    I HOPE SO... I love real books!

    Quote Originally Posted by Tiskets View Post
    Me too. Whether pre-loved or new. Books are great for personal pleasure and as gifts. All my family and our friends love to receive books for birthdays and for Christmas.

    Maybe book sales did slow with the advent of the e-books and K.....s, but I think the initial surge in sales of these items has reached a plateau and the joy of books in printed form is returning.

    Happy reading!

    Attachment 41323

  4. #14

    Default Re: Do books sell on ebid?

    Quote Originally Posted by Juliebabe25 View Post
    Books are a dying category!

    So it will be a long term goal to sell those books. (so you need to be realistic)
    I have to disagree. I bought six books last week, and my neighbor and I swap batches from time to time. I think this falls into the category of sensory enjoyment. Reading a book off a tablet just isn't the same.

  5. #15

    Default Re: Do books sell on ebid?

    Quote Originally Posted by Juliebabe25 View Post
    Books are a dying category!

    So it will be a long term goal to sell those books. (so you need to be realistic)

    Everyone has books they'd like to sell.

    But ebid is a great site.
    I do wish you stop with the sweeping statements.
    Books maybe a dying category in YOUR eyes but some sellers do quite well in it.

    Spot50
    I have sold books,comic books and annuals on here for over 5 years and they do sell but at a slower rate then other sites.
    One thing i would suggest is that you change the way you list
    rather then listing them as an auction with 7 day run after 1st bid i would IMHO list them as buy it now for 7 to 10 days with 10 auto repost.
    The reason for this is that they will appear in google searches and they will keep moving back to the top oh on site searches after every repost. They will also appear in the new listings and finishing soon promotions on the front page and on the side bar of the forums.
    Not many auctions on this site turn into bidding wars and and they will just move to the bottom of searches as more and more book sellers list new items. As most of the traffic for this site come in from google searches it is imperative that you have a buy it now price on your listings.
    Also it maybe worth getting an exemption from google for all your older books that have no bar codes.
    Check out my shop for all your fav comic books
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    Check out my about me for some stuff about me.
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    or why not join my social group on the fourm pages.
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  6. #16

    Default Re: Do books sell on ebid?

    We love books around here.

    I really think that a person can't generalize too much. It really depends on the book, the price, the buyer, etc. etc. It depends on what kind of access the buyer has to the books they want. So many factors.

  7. #17
    Forum Lurker lakeleilani's Avatar
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    Default Re: Do books sell on ebid?

    I'm watching 4 children's dictionaries at the moment, trying to decide which one to buy for my daughter. I'd rather buy from eBid than the other side, so I haven't even looked anywhere else. The books I am looking at are new.
    http://lake-leilani.ebid.net Fair Trade Clothes and accessories with a boho twist. For men, women and children.
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  8. #18
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    Default Re: Do books sell on ebid?

    Thanks Hush77hush, I'll certainly have a think about the advice you've offered. Could anyone tell me if there's a list of restricted titles? I've just checked my auctions to see that 2 titles have been removed: Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia and Gangs by Tony Thompson. Also, if Ebid do remove any auctions do they normally let you know with a message or something?
    Last edited by Spot50; 19th September 2013 at 12:32 AM.

  9. #19
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    Default Re: Do books sell on ebid?

    Well I'm now up to 80 books listed, I see a few have been looked at but still no sales....I really want Ebid to work for me but the turnover rate looks as though it'll be too slow (the wife is pushing for the 'piles of books' to go) I'll continue with another 20 over the next week or so to take me up to the 100 listings but if there isn't a sale by the end of October then I'm seriously going to have to rethink what to do next.

    The Ebay forums are full of dissatisfied sellers stating they're moving here but a lot of the 'Ebay posse' respond with warnings of slow sales, sadly, it looks as though they may have a point! With Ebays recent FVF changes a lot of smaller sellers (and therefore buyers) have stated they will no longer use the site so why hasn't business increased here? The problem we seem to have is that the general public seem to associate internet auction sites with Ebay in the same way that they associate vacum cleaners with Hoover...in other words Hoover had such a strong position in it's field that their very name became the noun for the activity their equipment is used for (Xerox were in a similar position with photocopying at one point) so if anybody wants to sell anything online they state they will 'Ebay it' The problem is that because of their dominance as THE internet auction site (undeserved as it's mainly B.I.N.s on there these days) if Joe Public lose faith/interest in Ebay they may not bother to actively look elsewhere.
    Last edited by Spot50; 21st September 2013 at 08:59 AM.

  10. #20
    Forum Lurker thebeddingman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Do books sell on ebid?

    Hi Op, this is going to sound like a very harsh post, but I would not buy from you. So why is that.

    Well I navigated via this thread to your about me page - where it says nothing about you, where these books came from and why you are selling. It is not a page that every potential buyer will visit, but it is well worth putting something in there - even if all it says is your OH is nagging you to get rid of these books..

    From there I clicked view auctions and saw a list with no gallery pictures. Pictures sell items, and I know this does mean fees to pay and you may not be willing or able to invest in a lifetime membership or to pay listing fees until you see some sales, but it will be a handicap.

    Then i clicked on a listing,

    The first thing I noticed was that the picture was blurry - and as I have said, pictures sell items. A scanner may be better for books.

    Secondly - there is the 7 days plus first bid - and I don't want to wait I want it now - and that is the way the world works these days. The Bay do not push people to same day/next day dispatch for their benefit (unlike many of their other changes) it is simply what people expect these days. I also see you will post next Saturday after payment. My advice would therefor be to put your items on 7 day auctions, ending on Thursday (with 10 auto reposts). This gives you time to invoice your buyers and for them to pay - before dispatching on Saturday. Personally, I do not think a BIN price would be convenient for you, or your buyers. Most items seem to be under £1 and will therefor not be uploaded to google and a sale on a Sunday would mean a long wait for your buyers.

    Then, what happens if there are 2 books I like - there is no mention of postage discounts. You may not be in a position to automate these if you are using Post Office over the counter services, but at least have a notice on each listing saying that you will combine for multiple purchases.

    I would also rephrase your payment demand and no collection details to appear a little less hostile. "Payment within 3 days of auction end is appreciated. I am sorry that I am currently unable to offer collection in person" is far less likely to get buyers uptight before they have even made a purchase. If you have your auctions ending on Thursday as I suggested above, you could even say "Please note that I only post on Saturdays, so please pay by Friday night to ensure prompt delivery."

    I want you to stay on Ebid and I want you to sell items, but you will need to work at it. As has already been said, the printed word is in decline and there is a lot more you can do to make buyers want to purchase instead of putting them of.

    If anyone reading this either agrees or disagrees with my comments and suggestions, please add your words of wisom and lets get this seller some sales!
    Last edited by thebeddingman; 21st September 2013 at 11:19 AM. Reason: A couple of Typos!

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