It is always hard to find a book price when listing your books to sell. You want to make sure you price your book to sell but do not under price the book.
I include my monthly top ten prices for the month to give you leads. Take time and run the titles through Amazon or eBay to get a picture of the book in your mind.
FOL stands for the Friends of the Library. These are the organizations that sell the book which were donated to raise funds for various public libraries. If you go to eBay or Amazon and put the title in the search box you will see the closed auction or listing and each picture of the item. You have more valuable books imprinted on your brain if you take a look.
STORY OF CIVILIZATION~Will & Ariel Durant~11 book set~1963~HB~$200
FOL $11
CURRICULUM UNITS PACKAGE~ Grade 3 Investigations~1998~ $130
Free
DEADWEIGHT: OWNING THE OCEAN FREIGHTER~Max Hardberger~1994~PB~$100
FOL $.50
SECRET PLACES: A GUIDE TO WESTERN NEW YORK AND SOUTHERN ONTARIO ~Bruce Kirshner~1994~PB~ $90 Thrift $2
Actually I think he under priced this according to the listed books at well over $170 each! sold in fifteen days
JOURNEY TO WHOLENESS: HEALING FROM THE TRAUMA OF RAPE~Vicki Aranow; Monique~2000~PB~$79
Thrift $5
SMOKY HOUSE~Elizabeth Goudge~1940~HBDJ~1st ed~$60
FOL $1 sold on ABE
THE COLLECTOR’S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF DOLLS~VOL 2~Dorothy S. Coleman~HB~$50
FOL $1
ONCE UPON A QUILT FAIRY TALES IN FABRIC~Bonnie Kaster~PB~ $50
FOL $6
INTIMATE STRANGERS~A&E video entertainment~4 vhs set~$50
FOL $1
ALL THAT REMAINS: THE PALESTINIAN VILLAGES OCCUPIED AND DEPOPULATED BY ISRAEL IN 1948~Walid Khalidi~2006~PB~$47
Tell me your top sellers for the month.
Friend or Foe Online Booksellers
Posted on: May 12, 2009
Just read an online article from Star Tribune Minnesota
The gist of the article is complaining about the number of people who are perusing the Friends of the Library book sales with scanners in hand to buy their books for resale on the internet. They’re buying too much.
“Resellers have always been among the first in the door at community library sales, where used books donated by readers or withdrawn from library shelves typically sell for 50 cents to $1, with money raised going for library needs.
What’s new is that there are more resellers and a lot of them buy big loads of books, said Margie Schuster, Hennepin County Library staff coordinator for 26 Friends of the Library groups.
“Online sales has just gotten to be a huge, huge business,” Schuster said. “We are working hard trying to help our Friends groups figure out how to handle it.”
In some communities, library volunteers are trying to get a step ahead of resellers.
The Friends of the Edina Library, which typically makes $7,000 to $10,000 on each of its sales, displays high-quality fiction and special books on separate tables with prices set slightly higher”
Now I have to admit I can be sensitive about this sort of slanting on “the scanner monsters” as some booksellers would refer to any book seller who uses an electronic device to help them know what inventory to buy. It would seem that us resellers aren’t wanted at the book sales. However, reading the above paragraphs makes me wonder why there is even a question in the volunteers’ minds over “allowing” us resellers to come to their sale.
I sell books online. I would not complain about either of the writer’s statements I bold typed above if my customers (and ahem, booksellers are customers, too) were the first in my shop to buy huge amounts of books. Hey, my money would be made for the whole day before
11 a.m. from those loyal and big buying customers. I might even have to consider whether I should take the rest of the day off if I had such a run on my books!
This is a problem?! First in the door and buying lots of what you are selling?
I thought we were in a recession and we should be pleased with the mere possibility that we can raise any funds at all in this economy. I know here in NY I can safely say the booksellers fund at least 25% of the proceeds the Friends raise. Would you be willing to lose 25% of your revenue because you just don’t like the booksellers buying from you?
What do you think? I’d love to hear your perspective as both a shopper at the book sales and a reseller. Should the library volunteers sneer at good hard earned money flying into their coffers even if it is from a low life bookseller who wants to take their time, money, energy, and years of knowledge and experience to sell the same book online for more?
.
Top Ten Book Sales April
Posted on: May 9, 2009
FOL stands for the Friends of the Library. These are the organizations that sell the book which were donated to raise funds for various public libraries. If you go to eBay or Amazon and put the title in the search box you will see the closed auction or listing and each picture of the item. You have more valuable books imprinted on your brain if you take a look.
BRITANNICA ENCYCLOPEDIA~30 volumes~brown~$250 Barnes and Noble
FOL~free
MY BOOKHOUSE~Olive Beaupre Miller~12 vol set~1978~$200 eBay
FOL $10
MASTERPIECE-THE ART AUCTION GAME~1996~sealed~$130 eBay
Thrift $5
THE GOOD COOK~Time Life~18 book lot~1980~HB~$100
FOL $40
Sold on my Chrislands site where he emailed me so I wasn’t charged a fee.
THE GOOD COOK~Time Life~18 book lot~1980~HB~$100~Barnes and Noble
FOL $18
This one sold before I took the listing down and it happened that I picked up just the right number of books at an FOL that I had not listed yet.
HENRY, THE CASTAWAY~Mark Taylor~1978~HBDJ~ $100~1st
FOL $1
THE SURVIVAL SERIES FOR KIDS~ Joy Berry~1983~PB~$80
Thrift $28
SWORD AND THE SCEPTER: THE PROBLEM OF MILITARISM IN GERMANY~HB~$88~new in wrap~AZ
FOL $1
COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO SUBMARINES~2003~PB~$70~AZ
FOL book store $.75
I priced it to sell since the eBay book I found sold for $41 and the cheapest listing on AZ and elsewhere was $130. I wanted it to move. It did in one day!
THE PRENTICE HALL ANTHOLOGY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE W/ audio CD~2004~PB~acceptable condition~$48~AZ
FOL $1
THE X-FILES: THE COMPLETE COLLECTOR’S EDITION~new~sealed~$199
Sold on Alibris – Arbitrage $139 AZ deal of the day – this puts us over ten submissions but I wanted to show the arbitrage opp. Make sure that after fees you still come ahead. We almost did not. Fees were $30
I love to sell books online. A wonderful part about my job is the market I get to cater to. They are a fun group of people who are usually whimsical about their buys and can’t wait to share the book with a loved one sometimes of a much younger age . If you are a child of a baby boomer you may remember Gene Zion’s works like Harry the Dirty Dog series. He has a few vintage collectible books that will serve you well should you find one.
A book to look for that sells regularly at about $50.
If you have a vintage copy of Sugar Mouse Cake it may be time to part with it and sell books online. Gene Zion illustrated this famous and valuable book written in 1964. Son’t worry about the library discards you are most likely to run into. The children’s valuable book market is quite forgiving with the library discard status of a collectible. In fact, many of the folks reminsce even more since their memories were of a library book. Be on the look out for another one of Zion’s sought after work titled Meanest Squirrel I Ever Met published in 1982.
If you like this information, I’d love to help you with my service. I send this type of information out every month to my subscribers. You get over fifty titles with pictures of the books to look for that make you the money online with books. Learn more about my service here. http://www.SellChildrensBooks.com
Top Ten for March
Posted on: April 21, 2009
FOL stands for the Friends of the Library. These are the organizations that sell the book which were donated to raise funds for various public libraries. If you go to eBay or Amazon and put the title in the search box you will see the closed auction or listing and each picture of the item. You have more valuable books imprinted on your brain if you take a look. By the way, we do this for our subscribers every month with sixty titles commonly found.
MAGIC TREE HOUSE~Books 1-16~set of four boxes~audio~$70
Thrift $4
BOYS’ SECOND BOOK OF RADIO & ELECTRONICS~Alfred Morgan~HB~1957~$70
FOL $.50
HELP ME BE GOOD~Joy Wilt Berry~set 17 books ~2005~$65
FOL $10
TRIBE~Bernie Taupin~CD~$59
Thrift $2
THE COOK’S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FRENCH COOKING~Carole Clements~HB~2003~$50
FOL $1
A GENERATION MISSING Fourteen-Eighteen Collection~Carroll Carstairs~1989~HB $50
FOL $1
RUB A DUB DUB ~volume 1~video~$49
FOL $1
DAKE’S ANNOTATED REFERENCE BIBLE~leather~2004~new~$48
FOL $1
BOY WITH A PACK~Stephen Meader~1966~HBDJ~ $46
FOL $.50
BACK TO THE HOUSE OF HEALTH: REJUVENATING RECIPES TO ALKALIZE AND ENERGIZE FOR LIFE!~Shelley Redford Young~2000~$40
FOL $1
Do you have some great sales? Tell us about them.
Want to know more about which books make great money online? Check out our valuable book list subscription here. Book Jewels Book Lists subscription
A quote from Lisa Suttora She has an article relating to this post, also.
“For every one product you sell to the customer, there are at least ten related products you can sell to the same customer.”
This is known as a back end sell, or an up sell in the marketing trade. We had a few eBay sellers participate in a question I posed to my Yahoo group about what to add for an upsell to your listings.
Here are several of the answers.
1. book restoration/preservation supplies
2. biographies of authors/illustrators
3. artwork of illustrators
4. book jackets and protective items
5. book plates
6. nostalgic toys of similar era
7. collectibles featuring favorite characters of the eras
8. decorative items with artwork similar to the book illustrations
9. modern reprints of nostalgic books for the children and grandchildren to enjoy (without destroying the original investment)
10. collectors’ informational materials bookmarks, book plates, stuffed characters from the books, reading journals, videos of the books, books about the author/illustrator of the books
More ideas …
1. Decorative kid related book ends or book shelves, to have a place to store the books.
2. Book bags or back packs to carry the books in when they go traveling, as on vacation. The images can relate to the books or something kids like.
3. Large floor pillows so the kids can lay on the floor and read …like big fluffy plush flat dogs or other.
4. Kids table and chairs to have some place to read.
5. Coloring books relating to the stories in their books.
6. Color forms or flannel boards relating to the stories in their books – gives them a tangible thing to play with where they can expand their imaginations generated from the stories.
7. Mobiles to decorate their rooms with images from the stories or things that relate to reading.
8. Bedding/Curtains/Rugs/Wall decor that have the same book theme.
9. Party supplies along the same lines for birthday parties, etc.
10. Holiday ornaments relating to the stories.
Top Ten Book Sales for February
Posted on: March 24, 2009
- In: 1 | Valuable Lists
- Leave a Comment
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Top Ten Book Sales February 2009
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FOL stands for the Friends of the Library. These are the
organizations that sell the book which were donated to raise funds
for various public libraries. If you go to eBay or Amazon and put
the title in the search box you will see the closed auction or
listing and each picture of the item. You have more valuable books
imprinted on your brain if you take a look.
THE BIBLE STORY 10 Vol Set~Arthur Maxwell~1954 red~$99
FOL $10
ALICE IN BIBLELAND~24 books~Alice Joyce Davidson~HB~$99
Thrift $24
GRANDMA’S WARTIME KITCHEN: WORLD WAR II AND THE WAY WE COOKED~Joanne
Lamb Hayes~2000~$80
Thrift $2
MISS READ BOOK LOT~THE WORLD OF THRUSH GREEN, SUMMER OF FAIRACRE,
NO HOLLY FOR MISS QUINN, TYLER’S ROW~4 Books 1985~HBDJ~$70
FOL $2
THE NEW FUN WITH DICK AND JANE (new basic readers)~1956~$60
FOL $1
PRIDE OF THE INDIAN WARDROBE: NORTHERN ATHABASKAN FOOTWEAR (Batashoe
Museum Foundations)~pb~$53
Thrift $1
ELEMENTARY STATISTICS~(10th Edition) (MyStatLab Series)~HB~$50
Thrift $1
WOOD, BRICK, AND STONE: THE NORTH AMERICAN SETTLEMENT LANDSCAPE:
BARNS AND OTHER FARM STRUCTURES~Allen G. Noble~HB~$49
FOL $.50
BEWITCHED FOREVER: 40th ANNIVERSARY EDITION~Herbie J. Pilato~$42
FOL $1
SPORTS ETHICS: AN ANTHOLOGY~Jan Boxill~2003~pb~$39
FOL $1
Do you have some great sales? Tell us about them.
Top Ten Book Sales for January
Posted on: February 16, 2009
TURNABOUT (Roswell Series)~mass market pb~$200
FOL $.25
ERNST HAAS COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY~hb~$187
FOL $2
HELL, I WAS THERE~Elmer Keith~1989~pb~$85
FOL $1
SUPERMAN ON RADIO: SMITHSONIAN HISTORICAL PERFORMANCES (Historical Radio Plays)~audio CD~$75
Thrift store $5
AWAKENING OSIRIS: THE EGYPTIAN BOOK OF THE DEAD~Jean Houston~audio book~$75
FOL $1
MAGICAL DISPLAY: THE ART OF PHOTOMICROGRAPHY~pb~$70
FOL $1
DYNAMIC MEMORY AND STUDY SKILLS COURSE~Brad Voeller~audio CD album~$70
FOL $1
LITTLE BLACK SAMBO~A Golden Book~1961~hb~$50
FOL $.50
THE JOY OF COOKING~ Irma S. Rombauer~hb~1964~$50
FOL $.50
THE COMPLETE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC~CD set~$50
Rummage sale $5.50
YOu can make great money selling children’s books online. If you’d like to know how to find these books subscribe to our list of valuable children’s books. Click here for more information.
Charlot Byj (pronounced BUY)
Known for her greeting card artwork Charlot Byj illustrated adorable winter scenery pictures of children in the 1940s. Her most memorable creatures were red headed children. These children became her trademark. The best known are Raggy Shabby O’Hair, his sister Raggy Muffin, and their mother, M’Lady O’Hair. These have been manufactured as eleven inch dolls, too.You may find her work amongst the antiques or on auction out on town. Her booklet art written by Beth Vardon was featured during the holidays and issued in boxes with greeting cards enclosed. Often these pages contained pop up fold outs, pull out greeting cards and attached apparatus such as small real flutes, whistles and even Chiclets gun. Sometimes running across these treasures can be both a blessing and a curse because you may not be able to dig up much information on them during your research.
The booklets issued during Christmas were in boxes and Davey and the First Christmas, Stevie’s Christmas, and the Wonderful Window all include flutes/whistles amongst the pages. The Little Lamb includes a bell, a stable to assemble and a pack of Chiclets gum! Christmas at the Little Zoo is a hardcover book which includes a ruler and a ticket to the zoo along with a greeting card. Velvet Eyes Santa’s Little Helper is an adorable felt covered spiral bound booklet with an affixed gold colored star, there is a pull out game and it also issued in a box. This book includes stickers and if they have been used I read a listing where the seller mentioned that they were carefully placed in the appropriate spaces. Isn’t that clever? Christmas Time has ornaments on the back cover which can be cut out. Watch for Charlot Byj’s figurines by Goebel.
Listing hints: Some people spell Byj ‘Byi’ so perhaps including both spellings will draw more buyers. Beth Vardon draws buyers but if you have to choose between the names include Charlot Byj since her following crosses from media to figurines to dolls. If you don’t have the issued box don’t fret because there still is demand for the spiral booklets. Be sure to check all the pop ups and interactive pieces to see if all is present.
We’d like to invite you to learn more about collectible children’s books with our subscription service. Click here.
We have sold many books written by Howard Garis. He is known for his Uncle Wiggily series. If you run a search you will see that many of the books are not worth a whole lot but many are worth a pretty penny. I have seen auctions sell for over $200 for the Uncle Wiggily books. Don’t discount the old tin toys either. Recently a car with the Uncle Wiggily side sign closed for over $700!
If you would like more information about which vintage books will make you great money check out our subscription service here: Our subscription service teaching you which books make money.
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