What are some Amazon selling tips for new booksellers?

When I started selling books on Amazon, I never thought of searching any tips for selling used books on Amazon FBA or tricks I can get from probably Google which was a very huge mistake I made. I was thrilled and excited at the same time to learn such an easy way of making money online and I just jumped in and started buying books with just the basics I could learn from the training.

It was not long enough to discover I was already digging my own grave when things were not so rosy as I thought It would be. I made some serious mistakes which are still hunting me right until this day.

In so many instances, I decided to quit selling books but I saw others making sales and huge profits from their end. I realized, If I am not doing the same then I am probably doing something wrong.

At this point, I seized buying and decided to start learning and asking questions. Well, if you are reading this post then I am sure you are curious to learn and I can say you are on the right track.

Below I will give you some tips you can use to avoid the early mistakes you can make in your book business.

Tip # 1: Avoid buying books during textbook seasons online, unless you are sure of what you are doing.

This was the worst mistake I made in my book business and I am still paying for this mistake to date. I started selling books on Amazon in August of 2017, which was the beginning of the September textbook season and I was buying books at the peak prices. I have still not been able to sell all of those books and I am being hit with LTSF (Long Term Storage Fees)

Tip # 2: Buy low and sell high.

You need to be extremely cautious about overpaying for a book. You will have to look out for places where you buy books very cheaply. In the book business, you make money only when you buy. You have to be very sure to buy right. You need to be 100% sure a book is worth what it is before paying.

Tip # 3: Avoid first edition textbooks.

Selling first edition books can be tricky especially when you are new and lack familiarity with the title in question. Selling first editions can be rewarding for you if you are very familiar with the ISBN in question. Otherwise, you will end up not being able to sell “the first edition” as you will not only compete with other sellers but also with the latest editions.

Tip # 4: Stay away from “Acceptable” condition textbook as a beginner.

This is far from saying “Acceptable” condition books don’t sell but as a beginner, you need a fast-moving inventory to raise plow-back capital to grow your business. Again, you need the experience to familiarize yourself with ISBN’s that will sell in “Acceptable” conditions with limited stress. Generally, “acceptable” conditions is the last grade for the book description category and likewise, buyers will only consider you as their last option.

Tip # 5: Buy books not more than 6 years old.

You need to stick with books that can sell very fast, again for the reason being your prime objective is as a beginner is to grow your inventory. The more you sell the more you buy and the more profit you will make. As you grow, you broaden your experience and can start looking out for books above 6 years old but avoid going above 10 years old

Tip # 6: Stick to manual re-pricing.

As a beginner, your inventory is still at a minimal which makes it easy to manually re-price. Manual re-pricing can help in increase profits rather than automation which will strip you off from a lot of profits as competition will wash away profits with price battles. Set a re-pricing strategy and stick with it.

Tip # 7: Bestsellers can be appealing but avoid them.

Bestsellers will pool the crowd and so as competition. Besides, copies will be available all over the market which will always keep profits below what you need as a beginner with the sole objective pointing towards growth. Dig deep for rare finds and bring back the profits you need to grow.

Tip # 8: Invest in titles you know.

Stick to your best sales and build a list of those ISBN’s. Reason being you already know they will sell and you know how fast. If you list a book and it is sold within a week, that will raise your eyebrow right? All you need to do is make sure you try to get the same book as often as you can. Imagine you can build an inventory with over 50% of such books. Strive to build a list of books that will sell within a month in other to witness rapid growth. This will mean you will have less capital tied or stuck in your inventory

Tip # 9: Be 110% honest about your book condition.

Remember to always prepare the expectation of the buyer. If you are most concerned with only sales and dishonestly describe your books, you won’t last long. Amazon puts its customers first and if they keep getting negative experience from you, you will definitely not succeed to see a successful bookselling carrier on Amazon.

Tip # 10: Play by the rules.

Never under any circumstances go against Amazon’s rules. Make sure to read and have a mastery of all Amazon rules and make sure not to go against any of them. Going against Amazons rules is like literally digging your own grave. Remember to check Amazons’ guidelines of books you can and can’t sell. And learn to address every issue as quickly as you can. Here are some links to check out;

Selling Policies and Seller Code of Conduct.

Prohibited seller activities and actions.

Product detail page rules.

Expectations for shipping buyer orders.

Policies and agreements.

Tip # 11: Keep a top-notch customer service.

With Amazon, the customer is the king. If you come across any issue, always hold it in favor of the customer and address them quickly. Always satisfy your buyers in any way you can and always bring in the attention of Amazon if a customer is at the wrong and causing problems.

Tip # 12: Invest In A mentor.

Look for a mentor to fast track your success. After you create your Amazon account and before you even start buying books, Invest in a mentor. You will see things in a different way than when you use your inexperienced “hands”. Mentors have already made all the mistakes for you and this will be many steps ahead if you have to take the journey all by your self.

Tip # 13: Buy at least one book every day in your bookselling career.

Never let a day go by without buying a book. I am not saying just buying a book a day will make you succeed, what I am saying is, in anything you do, to succeed in what you want tomorrow you must do something today. If you can set aside 5 minutes a day there will be days you will be able to set hours upon hours. If you can’t find at least 5 minutes a day, the will be days you won’t even border to take action about your business and even months. A “green light” to failure. This tip will help build a better mindset and the perfect psychology towards your business.

Tip # 14: Strive not to go below a 95% feedback rating.

Do whatever you can to remove a negative feedback. Always try to contact Amazon to remove the feedback. If that is not possible, then the only option is to deal with the customer. Remember, Always apologize first and do something to get the customer’s attention before asking the customer to remove the negative feedback.

Tip # 15: Master sales rank to the fullest.

Many booksellers get a hard time understanding sales rank. Sales rank will tell you how soon a book can sell which is a useful guide considering the competition. As a beginner, it is advisable to avoid sales rank above 1 million. The closer the sales rank to zero the better you stand to experience quick sales.

Tip # 16: Make use of the Amazon trade-in program.

Amazon even offers an opportunity to get capital for your book business by providing a service whereby you can trade-in books to Amazon for an Immediate gift card balance. You can easily raise an initial capital with the trade-in program and gradually build an inventory for re-selling used books.

Tip # 17: Exercise Patience.

Selling books on Amazon is not different from any other business out there. Sometimes, it can take some time before you start experiencing the rewards from selling books. You will have to put in the work required and learn the rules of the business and you will definitely succeed.

Also, it is very important to exercise patience when sourcing books. You will have to dig deep to find the “gold babies” you need to make the profit you deserve. Hard work is always rewarded with success. Make sure to scan every book you come across even if people have to call you “scan junkie”. Believe me, the more you dig the more you get.

EndNote

Above all, I place certain important tips above all like getting a mentor, buying the right books at a very low price every day, manually re-pricing and keeping great customer service. These tips can help experience early success in your bookselling business. If you have other tips, not mentioned please share so we can learn and together be successful.