The Best Tips for Selling Your Used Books (2024)

Learning how to sell used books is a great way to declutter your space and earn extra cash for old titles you don't want to read again. Selling books, such as textbooks and old or in-demand novels, can also be profitable. Using online tools, you can find the average price range of your used books before selling them.

Price ranges for most used books run about 20% to 50% of their original price based on the condition of the books. A book in poor condition may sell for 20% or lower, while books in excellent condition may sell for 50% or sometimes higher than the original cost, depending on the book's demand.

Our guide will teach you where to sell used books online and locally and how to do it so you can command the best price.

Where to Sell Used Books Online

BookScouter

If you sell used books in person or online, a significant first step is to plug a book's International Standard Book Number (ISBN) into BookScouter. Find the ISBN, usually a long series of numbers printedon the book's back cover above the bar code and the inside copyright page.

BookScouter is an aggregator tool showing you how much 30-plus online book buyers are willing to pay for a title. To maximize your profits, use the price history tool to see how much a particular book has sold for previously. It might help you to identify a specific time of year when your book will sell for more.

Amazon

Selling used books is an ideal way to become an Amazon seller. However, pay close attention to the rules and regulations for selling your used books on this site. All non-fiction books, new or used, do well on Amazon, but the top categories include money and business, self-help, religious books, textbooks, and manuals.

eBay

eBay is a great place to resell your used books. Niche books typically attract bidders, and there are usually plenty of people looking for used SAT or textbooks.

Decluttr

Decluttr is an online hotspot selling cell phones, games, CDs, DVDs, and other technology. Books of all types, from children's books to paperbacks to textbooks, are easy to sell, and you can get a price immediately. Shipping is free, too.

BookDeal

BookDeal is great for selling used textbooks. The online seller has a good reputation for making the book-buying and book-selling process fast and easy.

AbeBooks

AbeBooks is an international company that has been around since 1996. It buys and sells used books online, including rare collectibles and artwork. It's a subsidiary of Amazon. This site charges a fee to use it, although the first two months are free.

Powell's Books

Powell's Books is one of the most popular sites for fiction, nonfiction, and textbooks. Founded in 1971, Powell's Books has remained an independent bookseller in Portland, Oregon, and has since expanded into an extensive online community of buyers and sellers worldwide.

Textbooks.com

If you have many textbooks to sell, add Textbooks.com to your repertoire of places to advertise your used goods. It's been around for a while, though it's changed hands, and there are customer service issues. However, there are plenty of students who appreciate low-cost books. Consider other solid sites to sell your used textbooks, such as Valore, Chegg, and BarnesandNoble. College bookstores will also buy back college textbooks but usually offer you the lowest prices.

SellBackYourBook

This online exchange sells, rents, and buys books of all kinds, from novels to children's books and more. Enter your book information to get a price quote, send the book with free shipping, and receive a check or a payment via Paypal.

Booksrun

Booksrun is another online bookstore where you can buy and sell used books. A unique perk of Booksrun is its sustainability pledge. All its packaging is made of recycled orfully recyclable materials. Through their membership program, member customers plant trees with every BooksRun order. They have alreadyplantedmore than 25,000 trees.Booksrun also offers free shipping and a speedy payment process for those who sell their books.

Cash4YourBooks

Cash4YourBooks buys books for cash but only buys in bulk, primarily handling estate sales. They specialize in buying personal academic collections and non-fiction. They will not buy one or two books at a time. To get started, take a picture of your collection, send it, and receive a quote.

Etsy

Etsy is a good place to sell vintage books. This commerce site reaches a broad audience of potential buyers who demand rare, unique, custom, handmade, antique, and vintage items, including books.

Where to Sell Used Books Locally

Local Bookstores and Book-Buying Markets

If you don't want to fuss with packing and mailing your books, take them to a local used bookstore, put them in a kids' consignment sale, or try selling them through Facebook Marketplace. As long as your books are recent and desirable, they should still earn you enough to be worth your time.

Half Price Books has 120 stores in 19 states. It pays cash for books upon inspection at one of its locations.

Craigslist

Craigslist has existed since the 1990s and is a helpful hub for finding apartments or buying furniture locally. It is also an online exchange for buying and selling books and magazines. Unfortunately, the site's aesthetics have hardly been updated since its inception. However, a big perk is that it's gone international.

Craigslist is usually cash (Paypal, Venmo, etc) and carry, with very few buyers and sellers shipping. So, like Facebook Marketplace, you have to be more wary about making in-person exchanges.

Yard Sales

Have a yard sale to eliminate the books you couldn't sell through other channels. Yard sales usually don't bring in a huge profit for books, but at least you'll get something for items you aren't using.

Where to Donate Used Books

Of course, instead of selling, you can always simply donate used books.

Libraries

Many libraries accept free books and decide whether to add them to their collection or sell them to raise money. Contact your local library to learn about their donation policy.

Children's Hospitals

Children's hospitals also accept book donations, especially if the books are age-appropriate. If you have a lot of kids' books, early education texts, or young adult novels, find out if your nearest children's hospital will accept them.

Schools

You can even donate books directly to schools looking to expand their libraries. Call local schools near you and find out if they are looking for the kind of books you have available.

Charities

Finally, consider charities in your area or state that manage donated books. There may be a great charity near you that directly accepts books or finds a suitable home for them.

Tips for First-Time Book Sellers

If you want to become a reliable book reseller, there are a fewthings you need to do:

• Know how to clean books. Get rid of any damage, dust, or mildew before selling.
• Be honest about the condition of the book. If there are damaged corners or missing pages, say so. If someone has written in or highlighted huge portions of the book, make that known. If the book has remainder marks (an indication they've been returned to the publisher), mention that, too. Fudging on the condition won't get you more money. When the buyer receives your book and finds it lacking, they will adjust the offer and might even reject it completely.
• Package your books carefully. If a book was in excellent condition when you shipped it but arrived in fair condition, you will be paid the fair book rate. You're responsible for getting the book there in one piece, so take the time to wrap it well.
• Pay to ship your books.Offer to pick up the tab for the shipping costs.

Places to Sell or Donate Your Magazines

Do you have a lot of magazines to clear out? Sell them in your next yard sale, or consider donating them to a nursing home or art teacher. If you have copies of a now-defunct magazine, you may be able to sell them on eBay for a small profit. Otherwise, recycle them and enjoy the extra space in your house.