Flipping books to earn money is a great way to start a side business or make some extra cash.
What’s the best thing about buying and selling used books, anyway? Anyone with a few dollars can start!
You can find books at a great price if you shop yard sales, thrift shops, antique stores or on Facebook Marketplace.
This article will give you some tips and insights on how to make money by selling books.
Table of Contents
How can you make money flipping books?
How to choose books to resell for profit?
What types of books are best to flip?
Where can I find books to flip?
Where can I check book selling prices before buying?
What should I be careful about when flipping books?
Final Thoughts
How can you make money flipping books?
Flipping books, like any new side hustle or business, isn’t just passive income in the beginning. Flipping books is not as lucrative as flipping houses but as you increase your book inventory, the more money you’ll make.
Profits from book sales are dependent on genre, book availability and price. If you select the right books, you will be able to make a good profit.
You could make a few hundred dollars per month, or turn it into an actual business. Some successful people in this field are reported to earn $6,000+ per month from flipping books.
Flipping a book takes how much time?
How much time do you have?
A bookseller who is experienced and has the correct software can spend 1-2 hours per day searching for books. Profitable books are not only found at yard sales. They can also be found in other locations, including online.
Researching and finding books can take a lot of time, especially until you find your rhythm and learn what to do. You will also spend time on listing, shipping, or setting up a marketplace online to sell your used books.
You can then use this platform to sell furniture, clothing and other items from thrift stores.
How to choose books to resell for profit?
Textbooks
Textbooks are very popular as a book flipping option. This works because every year, there are new students who study the same courses and use the same recommended texts.
Book flippers can buy cheap (from graduating classes) and sell high (to incoming classes). With 19 million+ college students enrolling each year, there are a multitude of textbook options.
In college, I worked for a firm that bought textbooks from the students. I was able to scan barcodes, and I then provided cash on the spot. I received a commission for the number of books that I returned, but it was always a nice cheque to compensate me for two weeks’ worth of work.
The word spread quickly that most textbooks sold for more than the bookstore. The school bookstore wasn’t a fan. But they shouldn’t have ripped off students with ridiculously low buyback prices.
Where can I sell textbooks
Textbooks.com
BookScouter.com
Chegg.com
eCampus.com
CampusBookRentals.com
Rare Books & First Editions
First edition books can also be a good choice as they often generate higher profits than textbooks. They are rare and therefore in high demand. Not all first editions are expensive. Do your research first before you buy.
The copyright date or the words “first Edition” will help you identify the first edition. But, be aware that the “first edition” dates for paperbacks and hardbacks may differ.
Rare books are in short supply, and this increases demand. You would also need to ensure that these books are in mint condition in order to achieve the predicted profit. Mistakes in this market can be very costly.
Search for rare books on sites such as Biblio.com or scan barcodes using a book app. There are many available in the app store. ).
Where can I sell rare and first edition books?
Abebooks
Buy eBay Tickets
Amazon
Open Online Store
Local Used Bookstores
What types of books are best to flip?
Education books such as textbooks are in high demand, unless online versions replace paper copies.
Religious books are expensive. People pay a lot for vintage Bibles, for example.
Books on arts and crafts are selling well, especially as people look to do more crafting at home now that they’re bored.
Non-fiction books include biographies, learning guides, travel guides and history books.
Where can I find books to flip?
You know now more about how to sell books and where you can do it. Are you still interested? Now you just need to get some good books for a bargain to make a profit.
It’s not a good idea to buy books in bulk at a bookstore to sell. You will need to spend some time looking for places where the books are cheaper and have a higher resale value.
Thrift Stores: You can find books and other items in these stores. There are some hidden treasures in books that you may not find worth flipping. Search for thrift shops near you.
Garage Sales – Take the mornings of your weekend to visit a few garage sale in your area. Many people just want to get rid stuff, and don’t realize that some books are worth more than what they ask for. Garage sales are a great place to find a variety of items.
Antique stores – Similar to thrift shops, you can also find good bargains on books in antique stores. Antique stores may not always sell things at super low prices, but you can still get some great deals.
Craigslist: You may find books on Craigslist for free or at a discount. Try other sites, such as Craigslist.
Amazon – While you won’t likely find a great deal for flipping through books on Amazon, it can be a useful tool to do research. It’s possible to find a few deals, but this shouldn’t be your primary source.
You can also ask your friends, family or neighbors if they are willing to give you their unwanted books. You may get them for free, or they might ask you to pay a small amount. It’s worth a try!
Where can I check book selling prices before buying?
Always check the price of the book you are considering before purchasing it. You can then calculate the profit you will make and avoid unnecessary risk by buying books that may not sell.
Check out these places to find book prices.
ScoutIQ: Helps you to find books on Amazon for flipping and integrates the listing technology of the site.
BookScout allows you to create alerts and be the first to know about new titles that match your search criteria.
TexTrader – This tool allows you to scan barcodes and buy low & Sell high. It is a browser add-on. The extension can help you decide if you should buy a book to flip online.
eBay: eBay has one of the biggest book selections online. This is especially useful for finding second-hand books, and for comparing average prices.
Flipping Books: What should I be aware of?
You need to monitor your books just as you would any other side hustle. You may lose money if you’re not careful.
You should consider a few factors when you are considering flipping books to make money.
- Check the condition of your book
Books that aren’t in mint condition can have a significant impact on the price of a book. This is especially true for rare and vintage titles, like First Editions. - Current selling prices can be found by researching the price.
Some books are not worth much. You can use a barcode scanner to easily determine the average or lowest price on Amazon. These tools will help you avoid overpaying and being surprised. - Make sure there aren’t any cheap electronic copies available
Many second-hand book sellers are caught in a trap: Prices and demand drop significantly when ebooks and online copies become readily available. This is particularly true for textbooks. - Watch shipping costs
Shipping heavy books is expensive. They can weigh as much as 20 pounds or more and require special packaging for protection during transit. Do you charge shipping separately or include it in the price of your book?
Final Thoughts
Flipping books at a profit is a good way to earn money. You can either do it passively and make a few hundred dollars or put in some more work to potentially earn a full-time salary!
Do your research and find low-cost books to properly mark up. Also, keep an eye on any shipping costs.
Also, be upfront about any damage or condition of the book. You don’t want people to return your book because of damage or condition.
You’re going to have a lot of fun flipping books!
