Saying goodbye to your beloved books can be such a sweet sorrow. but chances are there are people looking for the books that are gathering dust on your bookshelf. And at the very least, selling a few books you know you’ll never read again can earn you some money for your next book purchase.
You are reading: How to price used books
Here at pangobooks, we’ve created tools to make selling your used books as quick and easy as possible. But when making new listings in the pangobooks app, you still need to think about how you’re going to price each book you list.
So how can you make sure your books will sell? Ask yourself the following questions and follow these guidelines to find a price that’s fair and will get your books selling in no time.
1. How much was it originally sold for?
Checking the original selling price or msrp is a great way to find a starting point you can work from based on the condition of the book and the other considerations below. You can usually find the original retail price printed next to the barcode on the back of the book or on the inside cover or dust jacket. these prices will vary depending on whether it is a hardcover or a paperback and other factors related to its original publication.
Using the original selling price is obviously not a one-size-fits-all solution. First of all, if the book was printed years ago, the price of the book will not always be as reliable. In these cases, it would be wise to look up the latest retail price online. And for a book with a lot of current inventory available, both at PangoBooks and elsewhere, the market rate will often be much lower than for books that aren’t as readily available. conversely, a newer version with little used inventory will likely sell closer to retail since there isn’t as much supply to meet demand.
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There’s a lot to consider, but the main point is that a book’s retail price is often a useful starting point.
If you lower the price on one of your Pango listings, the book will pop back up to the top of the main feed.
2. What condition is the book in?
The condition of the book is a very important factor in the price. Here are some quick guidelines for determining your book’s condition:
- Sell a book directly from an authorized retailer or something you published yourself? list it as new!
- if you bought it but haven’t read it (or read it once and treated it carefully), list it as new.
- if it’s in excellent condition, but maybe just a little more worn (no dog ears!), mark it as excellent.
- if you’ve read it multiple times and it shows, please do so.
- if it’s well-loved with a few blemishes but is still sturdy and intact, list it as regular.
- if you’ve devoured it plenty of times and weren’t shy to put the cover and Pages wrinkle and wear, count as poor.
Note that you should only list a book as new if it hasn’t really been read or used at all. While a new or like-new book may be priced closer to retail, remember to be fair and realistic about what others will be willing to pay for a new copy. listing any book at full retail price probably won’t get you many bites, as they’ll be available at other bookstores for the same price.
For books that appear as new, start with a base price of 70-75% of the retail price. For example: If the book is currently selling for $15.99, you shouldn’t list it for more than $12. If it’s in excellent condition, you can price it at around 55% of the retail price. in good condition, think 40% retail.
If your book is in poor or fair condition, price it accordingly: think 20% of retail price for poor, 30% for fair.
remember: it’s easier to sell books with more aggressive prices!
3. what is the current market for the book?
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While it’s not always easy to figure out, the current market around a particular book is very important when thinking about its selling price. Search for your book on pangobooks to see how many are available from other sellers, what condition they are in, and what their price is. current trends and increases in the popularity of a particular title or series can also play a role here. if a book is currently hot on #booktok, for example, it will often fetch a premium on the used market.
And sure, there’s a chance your book is a super rare first edition with a telltale misprint or something. if that’s the case, it could be worth a lot, even used. If you suspect you might have a rare copy on your hands, it’s worth investigating further to be absolutely sure.
note: this tip does not apply to bows. the ethics of selling copies for advanced readers depends on the reader/seller, but many authors have expressed their discomfort at seeing their bows for sale. sell them at your own discretion.
4. why are you selling it?
Perhaps the most important consideration of all is to pause and ask yourself why you are selling the book and what you hope to get out of the sale. some sellers are happy to free up shelf space and see their books go to a loving home. If that’s the case, pricing your books to be affordable to all types of buyers makes sense. If you’re hoping to sell fast for some quick cash, pricing on the lower side is also a good strategy. If you know you have a valuable book and you want to sell it to someone who has been looking for it for a fair price, list it at the best price based on your market research.
Tip: If you want to sell a bunch of books at once, consider offering a package deal. At pangobooks, you can offer free shipping to people who buy multiple books from you at the same time.
With all of these considerations in mind, you’ll be able to find the best price for your books and make room on your shelves for new additions. And remember, you can also lower the price of a listing after it’s published if you decide you want to be a little more aggressive. Thanks for reading and, as always, don’t hesitate to contact the pangobooks support team if you need help putting your books up for sale. happy sale!
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