Monthly Archives: March 2010

Running a successful used bookstore

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In this article I will show from experience the top ten rules of running a successful bookstore.

1. Greet every customer with a smile and a hello. Sounds simple enough, but surprisingly this does not happen in most bookstores. I can’t tell you how many bookstores in the United States I have been to that do not even acknowledge most of the customers that walk through the door. Treat your customer like how you want to be treated sums it up.

2. Carry The New York time’s top ten bestsellers. People want to read what’s hot. Keep in it stock! Disappointed customers may never return.www.nytimes.com

3. Keep the aisles clean. Too many used bookstores have piles of books on the floor, stacks leaning against a shelf. This not only presents an unorganized view of your store but can also be a danger to others. Appearance is everything.

4. Quality stock. Books that are falling apart, library discards, books with excessive tanning, extremely creased spines are just some examples. Poor looking books will not keep you in business if it looks like your competing with a local thrift store.

5. Keep at least three copies of all the classics. Steinbeck, Fleming, Thompson, Fitzgerald, Salinger among others. Little house on the prairie, Anne of Greene Gables are among many sets that customers will always want.

6. Do not carry out of style books that are no longer relevant. This can include exercise books from the 70s and 80s.How to file your tax return 1995 and travel and or motel guides that are more than three years from the print date. Relevant and current content is a must.

7. Cull or weed out your stock every 2 years. If a book has sat there for more than two years its time to say goodbye to it. Mark down the price by half and have a bargain shelf or cart for old stock. Keep it there no longer than a month then donate the rest to a local charity or nursing home.

8. If your store is themed around particular subjects, such as religion or metaphysical, then invite local authors who write on those subjects to host a book signing or talk about that subject. This will increase interest in your store and bring in new customer.

9. Be involved with your local chamber of commerce. You are part of the small business community so you should meet with other owners, share ideas and grow together. This is one important rule so many small business owners overlook.

10. People do not have to buy from you. I know many old bookstore owners that still feel they are the only place in town for people to come and buy from. Since the mega stores such as Barnes and Nobles and Borders have come to town and the advent of the internet, people have more choices than ever. Make your shop the place to go.

Running your own bookstore can be a fun and even profitable way to live. Follow the ten rules above and you will find success.

John Hedges is a used book dealer in Denver Colorado. For the last five years he has helped run and advised bookstores in Boulder, Ft Collins and Denver Colorado.
Many free articles on the book trade are located on his website at
www.abacususedbooks.com

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The task of weeding out books

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One of the many tasks of a librarian is the deacquisition or weeding of books. This process has been made easier due to technology over the years, yet and the end of this process, one question remains. What do I do with the books?

Most libraries have a book rack that discards can go on and generally sell from anywhere from one to three dollars a piece.

This can bring in a small amount of cash flow for your used books, but space is generally limited.

Some have hosted their own book sale, though with layoffs of library staff and other factors, these are becoming less common. The time for preparation, staff and many other time consuming factors make this more often that not a burden.

Some libraries have chosen to work with third parties to help with their discards. Most run on the plan of you pack and ship your books to them, and whatever sells is split on an agreed upon percentage.

The companies list the books on the internet, and use aggressive pricing software that quickly brings down the books in value. They have large overheads, so they must constantly attempt to sell the books at whatever price they can get. [1]

For a lot of discards such as common fiction this is fine, but what about better non fiction? Or perhaps a collection that you as a librarian feel has some importance.

We suggest reaching out to a local book dealer. Many will be happy to offer you better prices for these books. Most can be found through your local yellow book.

At abacus books, we work with libraries in Denver and Boulder, with the business model of offering payment up front. We come in and generally are there less than an hour, and write a check on the spot.

These relationships we have formed are beneficial to both us and the libraries we work with. Libraries are still able to still host a book sale or a used book rack and charge prices the public enjoys, while still getting top dollar for books that the general public can’t pay or have no interest in the subjects.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to call or use the contact form.

www.abacususedbooks.com

[1] I have had discussions with some librarians on why a multivolume set or an important science book was sold for a penny. The pricing software many of these companies use, aggressively bring the price down every few hours.

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Where do I sell my books?

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For many different reasons there comes a time when a book collection must be sold. Perhaps a death in a family, a new interest in a new genre or sometimes money is just needed.

In the old days, that is before the internet people would call there local book dealer and he would come to their home and after a bit of friendly haggling an agreement would be made.

Then came the internet. People figured out how to list on sites like Amazon or eBay, at first this was considered fun since the whole concept was new. As time progressed important factors that were overlooked started to become apparent.

For example, people were selling books considered first editions. I belive that more often than not sellers were simply uneducated but this did not help the buyer.

Tens of thousands of books were sold that and still are, that were never catalogued correctly.

Another factor was time. Not only do you have to list a book (correctly!) which can take up lots of time the more complicated the book, you have to take pictures, answer emails etc ECT.

I think your getting the picture that the trend is starting to reverse.

 From our own experience here at Abacus Books we are seeing more and more people calling us to outright buy their books. Let me give you an example of a recent acquistion.

We had a customer  whose father had passed away whocalled  us about purchasing his book collection. After talking to her for a while she admitted she tried the eBay thing.

“I’m a full time professional businesswoman” she exclaimed and went on to say that dealing with the constant questions about various titles was a full time job in itself.Let alone trying to describe and find the right buyers.

After talking to the lady, which Im sure we both bored her about the trade, we came to an agreement  on a price we both felt was fair.

I could cite many more examples but I think the point is clear. When you want to sell your used books, just  give your local book dealer a call.

My next article will be what to expect when dealing with a used book dealer.

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Abacus Used Books Denver

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We buy books.




Looking to sell your book collection?



We are an online used bookstore located in Denver Colorado serving institutions and individuals. we buy books in Ft. Collins, Boulder, Longmont and of course the Denver metro area.

If you’re looking to sell your books, an estate or institutional collection or have any questions please call either of the phone numbers you will find at the bottom of this page or email us at info@abacususedbooks.com

We travel anywhere in Colorado and other states and will pay top dollar for your books. Don’t hesitate to call us with any questions.

Abacus Books is not your typical used bookstore, because we come to you.

We also post relevant articles related to the book trade so please check back often.

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