Quick Summary
Selling books online has become a booming industry, with millions of books purchased daily from various online platforms. As e-commerce continues to expand, authors and sellers are finding new ways to reach readers and provide them access to their work. The growth of the online book market offers unparalleled opportunities for independent authors and sellers to tap into a global audience.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through five essential steps to successfully sell books online, from choosing the best platforms to optimizing your listings and leveraging marketing tactics. Let’s dive in and turn your books into bestsellers!
Quite frequently, our books lie inactive, gathering dust and being eaten by weevils and different moths. You can earn substantial sums of money by selling your old books on online portals. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to sell old books online.
Also Read: How to Sell Products Online and Start an Online Store?
After analyzing the various sites across the internet, we have listed the top platforms where to sell old books online. Here you go!
If you are searching for platforms to sell books online, you can consider Amazon to be one of the best. You can earn online by selling your old books on India’s biggest e-commerce company. Amazon offers the facility to purchase and sell used books online. Using Amazon’s trade-in program, you can easily sell your old textbooks at a genuine price. You can find many prospective buyers who are looking to buy used books. You must sign up for the Amazon trade-in program to list your books for sale.
Suggested Read: Proven Methods To Make Money On Amazon
Another exciting option for selling books online is e-bay. E-Bay is one of the global e-commerce companies which trades multiple products. You can also sell used books on eBay. There are more than 135 million users are there on eBay. You get a wide range of customers to purchase your textbooks. E-Bay allows you to make your first 50 sales without any charge. After the free session, you can continue listing more books by paying a small fee.
E-Campus is a well-recognized online retailer of new and old books. Generally, school and college students are the main purchasers of this platform. A lot of students prefer e-campus for their books and textbooks. You can sell your old books easily on this site. This site offers great deals for selling your used textbooks. You can get an exciting price for your books on e-campus.
Google Books is a comprehensive digital platform and your go to place developed by Google that allows users to search, preview, and purchase books online. It provides a vast database of books from a variety of genres, including academic, fiction, non-fiction, and more.
Abebooks is a global marketplace for books, offering sellers the opportunity to list both new and used books for a broad audience. It’s especially popular for rare, out-of-print, and collectible titles. With a wide reach across the globe, it’s an ideal platform for niche booksellers looking to tap into an international market.
BookScouter is a bit different. It’s a price comparison tool that helps book sellers find the best prices from over 30 buyback vendors. If you’re looking to sell books quickly and want to compare offers, this is the site for you. BookScouter is mostly used for selling textbooks, but you can list any book you want.
Bookswagon is an online bookstore based in India, but it has a strong global presence, particularly for books in English. Sellers can list new and secondhand books on this platform. It’s a great option for those focusing on educational, self-help, and fiction books, with a vast customer base across India and beyond.
MyBookShop is an online platform specifically designed for independent authors and small publishers to sell their books. It allows authors to set up their own shop, control pricing, and manage their inventory directly. It’s a feasible option for self-published authors who want full control over their sales process.
BookChor is one of the best platforms for selling your old books. By entering your book’s ISBN, you can check the offers available on BookChor. If you want to make quick cash then this website is a good option as it provides you with the option to sell books for as low as 80 Rs, which is a great price from the readers’ point of view; resulting in immediate sales for you. You get a reasonable price for your books on this platform. You can proceed to sell books online on BookChor.
Textooks.com is a popular platform to sell books online when you are looking at how to sell books online. Textbooks.com offers the largest online buyback programs and a free shipping policy. You can find numerous purchasers who want to buy second-hand books online. Textbooks.com sells your old books directly to college students. Considerable price rates are offered for your books.
99Bookscart.com is another good website to sell books online. You can sell your used books on this website at a 45-50% lower rate than the original price but still earn good profits. There are a few terms & conditions that need to be followed, like not posting damaged or pirated books for sale.
PustakKosh is a website that not only has the option to sell used books but also lets you rent out your books. This means that if you don’t want to sell your books, you can rent them for a time and charge a lease amount. This sell books online website is mostly used by school and college students who want to rent or buy used books online. Students can find books from big publishers like Arihant, Oswaal, and NCERT on this site at a very reasonable rate. So, if you have academic books from your previous years that you wouldn’t be using again, then sell or rent them to other students through this website.
Books Yaari is a platform started by two booklover friends who wanted to provide new and used books to other students and people like them at an affordable rate. On this website, you can find books from different genres, from adventure to academics, and you can sell any used books that you have. They also provide you with various options to receive your payments online after selling books.
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Now that you know where you can sell old books online, let’s look at what types of books can be sold. Usually, every genre of books can be sold but there are certain books which are quite in demand among readers.
Who doesn’t love to dive into the world of magic and moments of surprise? This makes the books of literature and fiction the most sold-out books in the world. So if you have a copy of Harry Potter or Little Women tucked in your bookshelf somewhere that you don’t find yourself reading anymore, then why not pass it to others who would love to explore that world, just like you did once?
With around 70% of students buying used books instead of new ones, the market for used academic textbooks is quite big. You can sell books online from previous classes or semesters online; this will not only help other students but also earn you some extra cash.
From reading The Alchemist to Atomic Habits, we all have sought inspiration and motivation from the books at some point. Many people love to read self-help books to find purpose in their lives or start something new. You can help such people by selling used books at a lower price. So, you can list any self-help book that has helped and can help others, too.
Every religion has its own sacred books, which help people learn about their religion’s history, origin and more. Such books are always in demand and the older the version, the better its chances of getting sold.
Buying and selling old books has emerged as a trending trade option. You can clear your old collection of books by selling them online. Simultaneously, you can gain a nice profit along the way. There are various benefits of selling old books online. Let’s discuss them.
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We all know paper is made from trees, which results in cutting hectares of forest land. You can make a small contribution to saving those trees by supporting the cause of buying and selling used books. When you sell used books, you save a tree that would have been cut down to make paper for a new book.
Leaving books in the corner of your room to collect dust and complaining about not having room to live comfortably is not cool. When you sell books online, you make room for other things that you need. So, stop hoarding books unnecessarily, even after reading them, and sell them.
In conclusion, when considering how to sell books online is a rewarding venture that requires careful planning, research, and consistent effort. From selecting the right niche and setting up your store to marketing and managing customer relationships, there are several steps involved in building a successful online book business. By following these steps and continuously refining your approach, you’ll be on the path to success. So, why wait? Start selling books online today and tap into the growing digital marketplace!
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Amazon is one of the best website to sell books as it is very easy to sell books on the platform and they also have a large amount of buyers.
To sell books online in India, you can:
1. Self-Publishing Platforms: Use platforms like Amazon to publish and sell books.
2. E-commerce Websites: List your books on Flipkart, Amazon etc.
3. Social Media: Promote via Instagram, Facebook etc.
4. Website: Set up your own online store via Shopify.
Yes, you can sell an online book. Use self-publishing platforms like Amazon to distribute e-books. You can also sell through your own website, e-commerce sites like Flipkart, or via social media marketing.
Amazon is the biggest seller of books online in the world.
To sell your book locally, approach local bookstores and sell your book on a profit-sharing basis. Participate in local events, fairs, and literary festivals. Promote on social media targeting your local audience and offer direct sales through a personal website or local platforms.
Authored by, Amay Mathur | Senior Editor
Amay Mathur is a business news reporter at Chegg.com. He previously worked for PCMag, Business Insider, The Messenger, and ZDNET as a reporter and copyeditor. His areas of coverage encompass tech, business, strategy, finance, and even space. He is a Columbia University graduate.
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Chegg India does not ask for money to offer any opportunity with the company. We request you to be vigilant before sharing your personal and financial information with any third party. Beware of fraudulent activities claiming affiliation with our company and promising monetary rewards or benefits. Chegg India shall not be responsible for any losses resulting from such activities.
