Best places to sell books online

We have selected the top 5 places for selling books online that will help you increase sales and improve your business.

If you have decided to sell books online, it is very important to choose the right platform for your future work. This will determine how successful your sales will be and the future possibilities for your business. We have selected the five best places to sell books online and we are sharing them with you.

AbeBooks

AbeBooks is a global book marketplace founded in 1995. The platform is divided into six international sites. AbeBooks operates in Germany, Italy, France, Australia and New Zealand, and Canada. In addition to regular books, you can sell the following items on the site:

• Rare, collectible, and vintage books
• Artworks
• Maps
• Comics
• Collectible items, such as postcards

To start selling on AbeBooks, you need to register on the website and provide basic business information. After that, marketplace representatives will contact you and explain the methods for uploading products to the site. The platform charges a monthly fee from users for the right to sell, which depends on the number of items and starts at $25 per month. The service also takes a commission from each sale. The commission rate is 8% of the item's price, but not less than $0.5 and not more than $40.

The marketplace is international, and products are automatically listed on all its sites. Therefore, orders need to be shipped not only within the seller's country. If a seller refuses international shipping, it will lower their rating. When the rating drops below 90%, the marketplace will terminate cooperation with the seller.

Amazon

Amazon is the world's largest marketplace that allows selling thousands of categories of products, including books. Amazon has a well-developed section dedicated to books on its website. On the platform, buyers can find various genres and types of books, so any seller's assortment will be in demand here. The product catalog is divided into numerous subsections, which significantly facilitates the search for the desired item. Amazon calls itself the world's largest bookstore.

On Amazon, sellers can list both new and used books. There is also the possibility to sell audiobooks. Optionally, sellers can use Amazon's fulfillment service or handle logistics themselves. For the right to sell on the platform, the company charges a $39.99 monthly subscription fee and a commission on sold items. This cost includes various promotion tools within the platform. If the assortment is small and sales are low, Amazon offers a tariff plan where the seller pays $0.99 per each sold item and a commission. For books, the commission rate is 15%.

The advantage of Amazon is that it is widespread worldwide and has high popularity. The marketplace provides sellers with all the necessary tools for successful sales and attracts a large number of visitors who can potentially become your customers. However, such conditions create high competition on the site, which sellers need to be prepared for. Amazon also has high customer service standards, and sellers need to meet them.

BookScouter

BookScouter is a book aggregator that collects offers from more than 30 sellers. The platform allows buyers to compare prices for books from different sellers, read reviews, and check store ratings. The list of offers can be filtered based on various criteria, such as new or used, electronic or paper.

The unique feature of BookScouter is that users can offer their books for purchase to online stores. For example, if a person has a book like "The Godfather" that they no longer need and want to get rid of, they can click the "sell" button on BookScouter. Then they will see how much and which store can offer for such a book. This way, the stores on the platform can not only sell but also replenish their assortment with rare and interesting books that are not available from suppliers.

BookScouter collaborates with a limited number of stores, so in order to sell there, you need to negotiate with the platform. The book aggregator does not publicly disclose the terms on which it works with partners. However, the cost of access to the Pro version of the platform is published on the website, which unlocks additional opportunities for sellers and buyers. BookScouter charges $29.99 per month for this version.

Biblio

Biblio is an international book marketplace for independent sellers. The website sells new and used books from small online stores that cannot compete with market giants. Biblio brings together sellers from dozens of countries on its platform and has separate versions for Spain, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and others. In addition to the product catalog, the platform has a store directory, which allows users to find sellers based on specified criteria. Sellers have their own small page with a store description and a list of the products they sell.

To work on Biblio, a seller needs to provide their information and upload products to the website. The platform offers two collaboration options. In the first option, a store can sell on the website without a monthly subscription fee and pay a 12% commission on each sold book. However, the commission cannot exceed $40 or be less than $0.25. If a seller's inventory includes more than 150,000 copies, they need to pay an additional $10 per month. The second collaboration option requires a store to pay an 8% commission on sold items and a $10 monthly subscription fee. The subscription fee may increase depending on the number of books listed for sale.

eBay

eBay is one of the most well-known online marketplaces for e-commerce worldwide. eBay's main feature is its popular auction sales model. Sellers list their books with a starting price and specify the auction duration. They then wait to see the final price offered by buyers. Alternatively, sellers can choose to sell products at a fixed price.

eBay is known in many countries, allowing sellers to reach a larger audience. The platform charges a 14.95% commission on each book sale. However, there is no listing fee for putting items up for sale. The commission rate can be reduced or even eliminated by subscribing to an eBay store. The basic subscription costs $27.95 per month for monthly payments or $21.95 per month for an annual payment.

Conclusion

There are numerous effective places to sell books online. Stores can combine their efforts on multiple marketplaces while also selling through their separate website. This approach helps reach a larger audience and achieve high sales.