Selling and Reselling

There are several important factors to keep in mind when you go to sell or resell an item.

1. Check condition
   This one should be a no-brainer. Is the item clean and gently used or like new?  This is especially important for books, in general I don't try to resell unless they are in "Very Good" condition at the worst.  There are simply too many paperbacks out there to waste my time buying an "Acceptable" copy, especially when prices are often so close.  No stains, no rips, no funky odors- if you wouldn't want it, someone else probably wouldn't either. }
   
   
2. Check the market
   Sure, you can get an excellent copy of a paperback book- but is there a market for it?  This is where Smart Phones are actually super helpful. A quick check on amazon may show that "Very Good" copies of a book are selling for a single penny.  I've found typically that it's very difficult to sell even a "Like New" copy of a book for a profit in cases like this, as the market is flooded.  Check ebay for items like clothing and purses.  Don't pay as much attention to what the prices people are asking for the item are, look and see what the prices are that have bids!
   
   
3. Write good, detailed descriptions
   As a buyer, I don't have a problem at all paying a few extra cents to know what I am getting in an item.  I hate to see those generic "100% satisfaction guaranteed, we ship daily" ads on Amazon.  I hesitate to purchase from ebay when I see "Nice coat, worn twice."  What do I want? "Book is like new, tiny crease in the right corner, pages are clean, spine isn't even creased.  Never read!"  or in the case of ebay, the more details you can give me the better.  Smoke free home? Pet free home? Stored in the closet?  These are things I like to know about.
   
   
4. Set reasonable prices
   Remember, you are selling used.  In most cases, it's used, common items like books or clothing.  It may even be new, but you still owned it for X amount of time.  You are not dealing in antique paperbacks and I will not pay you those prices.  Can I get a "Very Good" version of the same paperback for $2.00 cheaper? Then I will not pay you what you are asking for your Like New copy.  I just won't.  I'm cheap and so are most buyers out there who aren't purchasing new.   I try to sell my items as quickly as possible.  In the case of paperbacks, who knows if 100 people aren't logging in right at the same time to sell their copies too?  Soon the market is glutted with my book and everyone is going a penny less than everyone else- so my $4 book is now only worth $2- if I can get that much!  I am not saying you sell the only "Like New" copy online for the same price as an "Acceptable" copy, but don't ask retail value either- you won't get it.
   
   
5. Sell Seasonally
   You'll get more money for used winter clothing if you start selling it in the Fall rather than in the Spring. The same pretty much applies to everything you want to put online.  Try to stay a month or two ahead of the holidays.  The best time to sell those old True Blood box sets is a month or so before the new season starts.  A little planning can net you more money!

-Kristen