So, you have some books laying around? Think selling them online could make you come cash and clear out some space? It’s definitely a possibility, but where should you sell them? There are five major options for the amateur bookseller: Half.com, Amazon, eBay, ABE and Alibris. All five have their strengths and weaknesses, but my biggest concern when looking at selling my extra books was the cost. Seller’s fees, shipping, etc. can take a toll on the bottom line. So I set out to see who has the most seller-friendly pricing structure. This what I came up with:
| Selling | Profit at: | ||||
| Price | Half.com | Amazon | Ebay | Alibris* | ABE** |
| $5.00 | $4.21 | $2.79 | $0.74 | -$0.16 | $0.23 |
| $25.00 | $21.21 | $19.79 | $19.99 | $15.84 | $17.53 |
| $55.00 | $48.36 | $45.29 | $49.02 | $39.84 | $43.48 |
| $125.00 | $112.46 | $104.79 | $116.69 | $95.84 | $104.03 |
| $300.00 | $277.46 | $253.54 | $286.00 | $235.84 | $255.40 |
| $1,000.00 | $949.96 | $848.54 | $963.25 | $795.84 | $860.90 |
| * $19 annual fee divided into a hypothetical 300 books a year, with a $1/book charge for ‘basic’ plan ** $25 monthy fee divided into a hypothetical 25 books |