Anyone who is familiar with Jeff Bezos and Amazon understands that the company started off very simply as an online bookshop.
It’s true what you just read! When Amazon originally started, books were the only thing they sold, thus the two terms were identical. Over time, however, they progressively branched out to other products.
Books continue to play a significant role in the Amazon marketplaces today. The way books are published and sold has undergone a revolution, and book sales now bring in billions of dollars annually. Approximately 62% of all books, music, and films are purchased online, according to an eMarketer survey!
This post will provide all the details you need if you’re an online merchant wondering how to sell books on Amazon or ebay and make money.

The benefits of selling books on Amazon

The benefits of selling books on Amazon

Amazon book sales are a low-risk, low-cost venture. Everyone enjoys curling up with a book while unwinding since books are timeless.

People always wish to obtain their hands on thrilling new releases of numerous novels. This indicates that the profit margin for book sales is astonishingly big. However, as a seller, you must conduct extensive study on the categories of books you wish to sell, choose those with the most demand, or even decide to offer old or secondhand books.

Another quick and simple approach to gain money when your bookcases are overflowing with books is to resell them on Amazon. You are aware that the situation demands a clearing, and the wisest course of action is to sell them rather than toss them away. The fact that it is being purchased and will not be wasted gives reassurance to book lovers as well.

If you’re wondering whether it’s profitable to sell books on Amazon, you’ll be relieved to learn that this is one of the site’s top 5 most popular product categories. This makes it even more enticing because you may choose to ship eBooks on your own or use Amazon’s FBA and FBM options when you sell greater numbers. Amazon also provides sellers with handy fulfilment choices, which makes it even more appealing.

Buying and selling books on Amazon

Buying and selling books on Amazon

You must first choose whether you want to offer new or used books when selling books on Amazon. Used books may come from your shelves or from other places, such as yard sales and clear-outs. If you want to sell books/ebooks on Amazon, you must properly source your inventory.
Purchasing book bundles is a good strategy to stock up on inventory that you can later sell on Amazon. To obtain your inventory, you must choose between offline, online, and wholesale ways. Making an Amazon seller account is the next step in getting started with selling. There are further actions to take, which are listed below.

  • Visit Amazon.com
  • Make a normal user account.
  • Your username will now be highlighted, and a drop-down menu will appear.
  • Then click Sign up after selecting “Start a selling account.”
  • Select between a Personal seller account, which costs $0.99 for each sale you make, and a Professional seller account, which costs $39.99 per month.
  • The next step is to add your books to the list by entering the ISBN and selecting “Have One For Sale.”
  • Then, you will have to give more details regarding the state of the books. It’s crucial to read the instructions for the terms under which you can sell your eBook for this.
  • Select between FBM or FBA as your book fulfilment choice.
  • Analyze customer reviews, selling expenses, and revenue.
  • Visit the site for a demo to learn how SellerApp can help you. It contains analytical capabilities that specifically assist with this.

Also keep in mind that if you choose FBM for your eBooks, you will be responsible for handling the packaging & shipping of each book on your own. If you select FBA, Amazon will store, package, and ship the eBooks on your behalf. In terms of handling returns and providing customer care, this way is easier.
Once you have sold a book, you must make sure that you receive favourable feedback regarding the quality, shipment time, and other factors in order to receive a significant number of favourable reviews.
Identity documentation, bank account details, the book’s ISBN registration code, and its SKU number are some of the requirements for selling on Amazon.

Sell Book on Amazon

how to sell books on amazon

What is the best way to sell books on Amazon? Everything from antiques to classics to nonfiction, graphic novels, and textbooks are available for sale. A seller is free to choose any genre, but it’s critical to examine which books will increase sales and which have a large number of typical purchases.

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Since individuals typically prefer to buy brand-new books, there is a greater demand for new books than used books. But getting new books can be more difficult. You will need to get ready to make a lot of purchases from distributors, wholesalers, and publishers.

You might wish to think about lending sites like GetCash.com for large expenditures. There, you can apply for a quick loan in a secure online environment. Then, your loan application is accepted within 24-48 hours after being paired with vetted lenders.

On the other hand, it’s not too difficult to find used books. You can get them physically at reputable discount sales at bookstores, thrift stores, yard sales, estate sales, and sales at libraries, or you can purchase them from a variety of online retailers.

What is the price of selling books on Amazon?


The overhead costs, shipping fees, royalties, referral fees, etc. are vital to take into account. The closing charge and a 15% referral fee that you must pay to Amazon for each book you sell are included in the up-front costs. Your Professional or Individual seller account is subject to additional costs.
A seller must consider operating fees, such as FBA or FBM, in addition to the upfront expenses. FBA fees can add up over time and include expenses for shipping, penalties, storage, and disposal costs. If you’re an author, you can sell books on Amazon’s Kindle and get royalties for each sale. A portion of the book’s price is concurrently paid to Amazon as commission.

Even after including in all the fees Related, selling books on Amazon does not, on the whole, cost much money. It is one of the greatest categories to look into while selling on Amazon because of this.

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How to locate books on Amazon to sell


Finding books to sell on Amazon involves a variety of steps. Consider the Amazon BSR, which demonstrates how quickly a product sells on Amazon. Also take into account your potential earnings after deducting any connected book-related expenses.

Here are a few ways to find books to sell:

Online/offline


Web-based arbitrage is one way to make money by purchasing books from sites like eBay and Craigslist for less money and reselling them on Amazon. As I indicated before in this essay, you might also hunt for books offline in bookstores and flea markets.

Bulk/wholesale


Even though you can’t hand-pick the books you desire, buying in bulk will result in the best overall pricing on books. Great areas to start are with real estate, farm sales, and book closures.

Conduct analysis


It’s a good idea to look at the Amazon Best Sellers list and sales rank for a certain book that you wish to sell. This will display the hourly sales of a specific book title in contrast to other titles by taking into consideration the quantity of orders. You should aim for a BSR of 100,000 or less because it shows how well-liked the book is.

  • It is preferable for new sellers to stay away from markets with a lot of rivalry because it will be challenging to get into that market. The lower the sales rank, the better. Keep in mind the popularity and seasonality of books.
  • In order to generate decent money as a writer, you can use Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). It gives one the chance to publish books on Amazon in digital form, and the amount of writing and sales directly relates to the amount of money you make.
  • A helpful method to examine a product’s price, earnings, fees (BSR, FBA, and more) is to download a book scanner. All of this will assist you in choosing a pricing range for the type of book you wish to sell. To calculate your margins if you’re utilising FBA for fulfilment, utilise the SellerApp FBA calculator.

How to sell used or old books on Amazon


It’s crucial to bear in mind that books easily deteriorate if they are not shielded from mildew, colour fading, and other agents while selling used or old books on Amazon. People who purchase used books still anticipate them to be in reasonable shape.

The prerequisites for selling used books are the same as those for selling new books: you need an Amazon seller account, a fulfilment strategy, and an inventory. Similar to acquiring new books, finding used books involves both online and offline approaches.
But when selling old books, it’s crucial to adhere to the condition requirements that are listed below.

How to sell used or old books on Amazon guideline by Amazon
books selling conditions by amazon

Tips & tricks for Amazon book sales


Here are some more suggestions to keep in mind along with things to avoid, in addition to all the material offered on selling books on Amazon. Let’s look at the finest book types and categories on Amazon first.

  • Textbooks
  • graphic novels
  • Non-fiction
  • Hardcovers
  • Self-help literature
  • Autobiographies and memoirs
  • Wellness, exercise, and dieting
  • Spirituality and religion

Because novels quickly lose their appeal, the market for them is not particularly noteworthy. Selling textbooks is a secure bet because they are always in demand because they are required reading for students. These books, along with those in hardcover, have better profit margins because they are priced higher.

First edition books and books that authors have personally signed and autographed fall into the collectibles category and make excellent alternatives to sell.

Offering lightning offers, discounts, coupons, and buy one, get one free deals is another way to sell books on Amazon. These kinds of promotions raise your profile and stimulate sales. The fact that advertising boosts sales and enhances your reputation also plays a role.

It’s crucial to keep track of your inventory so that you can quickly arrange a resupply from your suppliers if a book is on the verge of running out of stock.

Making yourself stand out to customers requires optimizing the information on your product listing pages. Make sure the book’s name is included in the title and that it is absolutely obvious. The title should make explicit the identity of the author and the edition number.

Your book’s entry should include descriptive keywords and relevant photos that are related to the book’s category. The front and back cover should have high-quality images, and using multiple images is beneficial. Use these strategies to increase the likelihood that people will value and buy your product.

Conclusion


Selling books on Amazon serves as a launching pad for other product sales. The information above might be very helpful to you whether you’re a rookie or experienced seller, a professional or individual seller. Keeping in mind all the elements and recommendations in this post will make it easier for you to control expenses, increase your income, and set yourself apart from other merchants.

Which is preferable for book sales—Amazon or eBay?


Both Amazon and eBay are fairly reputable e-commerce platforms. The decision between the two would be based on a number of things. Start by determining what proves to be more cost-effective. Take into account the costs associated with using either of these platforms for vendors. Especially if you wish to edit and update an existing listing, eBay charges costs from the moment you create it.

In addition, depending on the way you choose to process payments, it deducts a fee from the item’s ultimate selling price as well. While Amazon’s fees vary depending on whether you select FBA or FBM, some fundamental costs never change. A Professional Seller account or an Individual Seller account must be selected after registration on Seller Central.

For the former, you must pay $0.99 for each unit you sell, while for the latter, a monthly subscription charge of $39.99 is required. The level of customer support provided by both of these platforms must also be considered. Amazon is well known for its dedication to providing excellent customer service.

On the other hand, returning or receiving a refund for things on eBay is a more difficult and complicated process. This lessens how convenient it is. Before choosing between Amazon or eBay for book sales, you must weigh all of these factors.

Guidelines for Amazon KDP Book Sales


You can self-publish e-books of any genre on the Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) platform, where you can also generate money. By eliminating all the intermediaries, it makes the process of publishing a book simpler.

The steps to selling books on Amazon KDP are listed below.

  • You must first create a KDP account and fill out the required fields with information such as your legal name, contact information, bank account information, and tax-related information.
  • Once you have an idea for a book and have finished writing it, you will also need to concentrate on how the book is presented. Yes, everyone is familiar with the proverb “Never judge a book by its cover.” However, you must still make sure that the book’s title, cover art, and description are clear and well-written. You can choose between a Kindle eBook and a Paperback when you select “Create a new title” from the KDP dashboard.
  • The next step is to enter all the information about your book and choose an age range. You must also provide a book description that is a compelling synopsis that will appeal to readers or potential customers. The categories, genres, and keywords for your book are then yours to choose.
  • To finish the uploading, select “Upload e-book manuscript” in the following step. Make sure it’s in epub format, and for the cover image, decide between a tiff and a JPEG.
  • Select your pricing range, bear in mind that Amazon deducts a portion for delivery and royalty costs, and calculate your net profit after all of these adjustments.
  • The “Publish Kindle eBook” option must be selected as the last action.
  • You can also choose KDP Select, which provides a variety of marketing opportunities for authors who want to broaden their horizons and promote their novels. But you can live without it too!