Are you selling many books these days on eBay? I still have an eBay store and pay about $30 in fees a month, but the sales (a couple per week?) hardly cover the rent these days. It seems that eBay has gotten away from what made it great — collectibles, auctions, and a growing user base.
I have not even bothered to figure out whether the upcoming integration of Half.com and eBay is going to totally replace the need for eBay Stores or not. What do you think?
Skip McGrath has a great article today on a relatively new site that sounds like it has the sizzle that eBay had in its early days: Bonanzle. Skip prints this recent note he received from a lady who’s had success on the site:
I’ve only finished my booth, but I’ve sold 5 books in launching it. So, we’ll see, but I’ll tell you what is really cool about Bonanzle. One, there are no insertion fees, you can use Pay Pal, Google Checkout, allow money orders, etc. and can post up to 4 pictures on an item for free.
Get the rest of the details here at Skip McGrath’s blog.
By the way, on a totally different topic — have you tried Twitter? I’ve been on it a week and am addicted. If you are on there (or want to join), give me a “follow” here. I will be posting some bookselling items there when they are too short to include on this blog.
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9 Comments
Hi Steve! Almost exactly a year between posts, with not a word? Where on earth have you been?
I’ll certainly check out Bonanzle.
Oh, you have a new follower on Twitter.
Yeah Steve, we missed you!
I was wondering if you went into the Book Addict Protection Program, or was it something I said? Good, to have you back. I dropped my store – not worth it. Not sure if this Half.com + ebay.com dual listing offer is worth. Last time they did something like this a few years back – it didn’t really do all that much (my opinion only). Would like to hear opinions of you and others about this half/ebay program. -Gene McParland, N. Babylon, NY-
Yeah, I decided it was so much more convenient to write once a year instead of once a day.
I guess I was burned out for a while but am trying to pick it back up.
Steve
Good to see you back, Steve.
I abandoned half.com a while back. I originally listed on both Amazon and half, but it was so much hassle, and the return on half was not worth it.
I never tried eBay stores either, but it sounds like I’m not going to start now!
I’m curious if those of you who are not having sales on ebay are using the store listings or the fixed prices listings?
And I’m asking, because I have better sales on eBay than Amazon or Abe or Half or Biblio. So for once, I’m doing something right and I’m trying to figure out WHAT?
Beth
@bethcherkowsky
http://www.depressionglasswarehouse.com
Hi steve,
Glad to see your blog again-
-I am looking for a portable book scanning device to locate selling prices of books on auction sites. Any ideas?
Also has your 2005 book on selling books online been updated to include any new sites and info?
Thank you,
Babs
Hi Steve,
I stumbled on this topic while searching how to upload via csv or comma separation to Bonanzle. I have 1700 items on half and maybe the integration with eBay will help that company. If you can append any information on how a ISBN/CSV file should look for newbies done in notepad or editpad if possible that would be great. I am less than a year old and trying to shim into the mindset of online bookselling like a pro.
Take care and it is a rough life selling books sometimes but most edifying.
- Chris
Bonanzle has other marketplace beat on certain features. I do believe that in time, Bonanzle can be bigger than ebay.