Sell used books online, described the way collectors expect

1. 01

   Start with the copies worth listing

   Every listing takes time. Start with the copies people search for (first editions, signed books, out-of-print titles and complete sets) and keep cheap paperbacks for the shop floor.

2. 02

   Grade every copy the same way

   Use the trade’s terms: as new, fine, very good, good, fair. Grade the book and the dust jacket separately, and name each flaw, such as foxing, a cracked hinge, an inscription or library stamps.

3. 03

   Identify the edition carefully

   Give the publisher, year, edition and printing (check the number line on the copyright page), and the binding. Collectors pay for a true first printing and skip vague listings.

4. 04

   Photograph the copy you’re selling

   Show the cover, spine, copyright page and every flaw, never a stock image. Buyers of used books want to see the exact copy they’ll get.

5. 05

   Import a bigger catalog

   On the Growth plan, import listings from a spreadsheet with titles, conditions, prices and SKUs, then add photos to the copies that matter most.

6. 06

   Buy books through your website

   Add a page where people can offer you their collections, with a request form for what they have and where it is. Requests land in your Inbox, and you reply by email.

• Selling in the shop and online

  A book sold over the counter stays listed online until you set its stock to zero. Keep online copies on their own shelf, and update stock at the end of each day.

• Pack against corners and damp

  Wrap each book in paper or a plastic sleeve, protect the corners with card and box it with no room to move. A bumped corner or a damp patch turns a very good copy into a refund.

• Be sure before you say signed

  Only call a book signed or a first edition when you’re certain. For valuable signatures, say how you know, such as provenance or a dated inscription, and say what happens if a buyer has doubts.

General information to help you get started, not legal advice. Rules differ by country, state and product, so check the ones that apply to you.