Selling Textbooks on Ebay
 

What's the chance of it actually being picked up?

It depends on the book and the popularity/demand. Half.com, amazon.com are other possibilities that you can check out.

I have sold over 100 books on half.com, let me be the first to tell you that if the book is popular it will sell relatively quickly. Textbooks are generally purchased at the beginning of a sememster; you may have to wait till then. Though, list the book as soon as possible.

Any questions about how do use half.com, don't be afraid to ask.

Are you saying that I should list second hand textbook around december or something prior to the next semester?

Also, I never heard of half.com until this thread. I just visited it and noticed that it was part of ebay, how is it any different from ebay?

You can list as long as you want - you don't pay a fee until you sell the item. It's got pros and cons. Id id alot of half.com, sometimes Amazon. Sometimes I list on both.

Listing around the beginning of the term is good cause that's the student rush. But you can list now and not worry about it. When it sells, you will be notified. Good luck.

Listing at the end of August, the end of December, and the end of March are usually your best times. Sometimes the end of June can also be good for people doing summer school.

If it's a big, expensive science, engineering, or math textbook that you're pricing significantly lower than the bookstore would sell it, chances are it will sell.

When I was in school I could make $50-100 a month doing textbook dealing via Ebay. The biggest tip I can pass on is to keep your books looking as new as possible--then you can sell them for more. Also, if it comes bundled, make sure to hang on to all of the things it was bundled with. That sells for more.

Good luck :)

I've sold a few old textbooks on Amazon.com, and they've all happened near the beginning of a semester or quarter. As long as it's a fairly popular book and there isn't a new edition out, I'd say you have a good chance of selling it, and you'll definitely get more than you would if you sold it back to an actual bookstore.

hey,

I'll chime in for amazon.com. I've sold about a dozen or so textbooks on there with no problems (well, except that only one of my buyers left feedback).
Listing is free and they take a commission out of it - I just sold one for $47 (only 3 or 4 days after putting it up there, and it wasn't the cheapest one) and after shipping, I ended up getting 43.75 (plus $6 for priority shipping, which I broke even on).
For all of my books except for one (took over a month), they've sold within the week that I put them up.

I've never sold anything on half.com, but I bought once from there with no problems.

cya,
keyshawn