# Why are used books worth so little? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 12, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481 "2014-11-12T22:59:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/21 "2014-11-13T10:41:43Z")
Most books are not worth reselling especially popular fiction. I expect the “bestsellers” genre to be the second to go predominantly electronic, right after textbooks. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/22 "2014-11-13T16:38:28Z")
Because God loves me and wants me to be happy. How else could I walk away from a Friends of the Library sale with a grocery bag stuffed clear full for $5? And if I couldn’t do that, where would be the joy in life? ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/23 "2014-11-13T17:07:47Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Because God loves me and wants me to be happy. How else could I walk away from a Friends of the Library sale with a grocery bag stuffed clear full for $5? And if I couldn’t do that, where would be the joy in life? Ah. **Chronos** I don’t actually know if you are male, female, married, divorced, LGBTQ, into ferrets people, or whatever, but on that sentence alone I would propose to anyone. Except, well, maybe not today. Let’s just say I applaud that sentiment. My biggest thrill is combing through used book stores… or better yet, thrift stores, charity shops, etc and finding hard covers selling for 2 or 3 dollars. Sometimes I find first editions, and I collect Canadian authors in first edition. I have a first edition of The English Patient, found in a Salvation army, excellent condition, not even read, that I picked up for $3.00 this summer. I squealed like a 5-year-old at a birthday party when I saw it. I somehow managed to refrain from clapping my hands and jumping up and down. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/24 "2014-11-13T17:13:11Z")
[quote=“nearwildheaven, post:8, topic:704481”] > [@SandyHook](#): > > I’m a used book dealer. A couple months ago, I saw the Michelle Knight autobiography, which had maybe been out a matter of weeks, at a used bookstore, and bought it (at 50% off that price, because I had a trade-in account at the store). I read it - one of the saddest books I have ever read; everyone failed that girl from the day she was born ☹ - and then put it in the booth I have an an antique mall, and sold it for even more than I would have paid at the used bookstore. 🆒 Interested in a collection of Alaskana? PM ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/25 "2014-11-13T17:39:04Z")
> [@boffking](#): > > You might pay 20 or 30 dollars( or more!) at the bookstore for a book. I tried selling a whole bunch of books after I had a shelf break. I don’t think there was a single one that was worth even one dollar. It seems to be a fairly common, though erroneous, attitude that if you paid $X for something, you think of it as being inherently worth $X and expect it to be worth that much to other people when you try to sell it. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/26 "2014-11-13T17:50:43Z")
And the markup is so high. What ever happened to the 25 cents each used bookstores. I know they don’t pay much more that that for them. I’m at the point where I just donate my old books to the local school/public library. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/27 "2014-11-13T18:04:46Z")
I’m most amazed at what books have no resale value vs. what books have ridiculous resale value. You can’t give away self help books, textbooks (of course), or most bestsellers that are more than about 3 years old (_Da Vinci Code_, various Grishams and Kings, etc.). OTOH every yard sale I’ve had, any Anne Rice books went immediately. Anderson Cooper’s father, Wyatt Cooper, wrote a book called _Families: A Memoir_. I’ve read it and it’s a good book, but I wouldn’t call it life changing or jaw droppingly good, and I know Anderson is popular and all, but somehow this thin paperback book from the '70s sells on eBay and half and other used book sites for $50+ and the hardback for hundreds of dollars. No idea why it has such a cult or why it’s not reissued if it’s really that popular. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/28 "2014-11-13T18:15:23Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I’m most amazed at what books have no resale value vs. what books have ridiculous resale value. > > You can’t give away self help books, textbooks (of course), or most bestsellers that are more than about 3 years old (_Da Vinci Code_, various Grishams and Kings, etc.). OTOH every yard sale I’ve had, any Anne Rice books went immediately. > > Anderson Cooper’s father, Wyatt Cooper, wrote a book called _Families: A Memoir_. I’ve read it and it’s a good book, but I wouldn’t call it life changing or jaw droppingly good, and I know Anderson is popular and all, but somehow this thin paperback book from the '70s sells on eBay and half and other used book sites for $50+ and the hardback for hundreds of dollars. No idea why it has such a cult or why it’s not reissued if it’s really that popular. A first edition signed copy of Michener’s “Alaska” inexplicably sells for $25 and up. It’s not a well-written book, and is very common even in signed editions, so it’s a mystery to me. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/29 "2014-11-13T18:57:29Z")
> [@ALOHA\_HATER](#): > > You sold paperbacks for higher prices than hardbacks? How does that work? The vast majority of paperbacks have little pages, poor typesetting and print quality, and tiny margins that are a headache to read. I thought their only good point was being cheap. Hardbacks take a lot of space. I often buy the HB (say of a new pTerry book) then trade it and buy the PB later when its cheap. OTOH, sometimes i see a book on my watchlist going for 1 cent HB and $5 PB, and buy the HB. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/30 "2014-11-13T20:38:05Z")
> [@boffking](#): > > You might pay 20 or 30 dollars( or more!) at the bookstore for a book. I tried selling a whole bunch of books after I had a shelf break. I don’t think there was a single one that was worth even one dollar. I tried selling a few on ebay, and lost money. Most shops I went to paid between 10 and 25 cents per book. I needed them out quickly because I didn’t have room and I hardly ever read them, so I gave a lot to the library. IMHO, given the way used bookstores operate, you are almost always better off to give your hardback books away for free to friends or loved ones or your library or local Salvation Army outlet or something similar rather than sell them to a used bookstore who will give you practically zero money. By giving them away, you will at least garner some goodwill for yourself and you will feel good about what you have done. The amount of money you will get by selling used books to one of these bookstores is so paltry, it’s really not worth the effort to box them up and transport them to a bookstore. By giving them away, you will at least get the feeling that you have done something worthwhile. If the point has not already been made, from a commercial point of view, used hardback books are worth close to zero. It’s just not worth the effort to try and sell them. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/31 "2014-11-13T20:47:51Z")
Oh dear, I guess I didn’t really answer the question posed by the OP. Why are they worth so little? This is just a guess but, the answer may be that from a commercial point of view, people are just not willing to pay hardly anything for these books. Moreover, the cost of running a storefront that buys and sells used hardback books makes it almost impossible to make a profit. Most every used bookstore that has opened in my neighborhood, has gone out of business within 2 or 3 months after opening. I don’t know for sure, but I suspect people open these stores just to accumulate a large collection of used books and then sell them in some way that we all may not understand. For example, perhaps they get a rate for selling bulk paper to a recycling plant and this is the best way they can accumulate a large bunch of paper and then sell them - not as books - but as scrap. Very similar to selling old defunct autos for their scrap metal value. But I’m just guessing. I really don’t know for sure. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/32 "2014-11-13T21:18:15Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > Most every used bookstore that has opened in my neighborhood, has gone out of business within 2 or 3 months after opening… Recycle books in San Jose has been open for over 40 years, even opened a branch. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/33 "2014-11-13T21:21:11Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Recycle books in San Jose has been open for over 40 years, even opened a branch. Well … I’d really like to respond to that and to incorporate the song, “Do you know the way to San Jose”? Unfortunately, I’m just not smart enough to figure out a clever way to do that. But I thank you for your info. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/34 "2014-11-13T21:55:48Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > Moreover, the cost of running a storefront that buys and sells used hardback books makes it almost impossible to make a profit. > > Most every used bookstore that has opened in my neighborhood, has gone out of business within 2 or 3 months after opening. Opening a used bookstore is a “bucket list” thing for some people. They dream of ditching their day job and having a genteel, quiet life sipping coffee behind the counter and chatting about books with customers. My mom often talked about doing this (but never did). However, as others have pointed out in this thread, the profit margin on used books is razor-thin, and you’re competing with Amazon sellers, eBay, AbeBooks, etc. Most of the surviving used bookstores I’ve seen run a parallel online store, or are very old, well-established businesses with a vast selection. I know one book dealer who got rid of his brick-and-mortar store and went to an online-only business model, and he says he’s doing much better. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/35 "2014-11-13T22:34:49Z")
> [@erysichthon](#): > > I know one book dealer who got rid of his brick-and-mortar store and went to an online-only business model, and he says he’s doing much better. Pretty much every used bookstore depends on online business. The few percent that are left, that is. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/36 "2014-11-13T22:37:16Z")
> [@erysichthon](#): > > However, as others have pointed out in this thread, the profit margin on used books is razor-thin, When I worked as a book buyer for the store, we sold most used books for half-price. Bought them for 1/10 cover if you wanted cash. So the margin is nice, the issue is the large inventory you have to have. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/37 "2014-11-13T22:49:53Z")
I once bought a used book from one of these online sellers (probably Abe Books) for about $10. Then I loaned it to someone and never got it back and forgot who I loaned it to. And now that book is selling for about $90. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/38 "2014-11-13T22:59:58Z")
Many used books sell on Amazon for only a penny but they charge four bucks for shipping costs. Since shipping costs are obviously not four books they’re making a small profit. I do online surveys here and there and mostly get paid in Amazon gift certificates so that’s how I buy the majority of my used books. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/39 "2014-11-13T23:03:07Z")
I was looking into ways of disposing of the large accumulation of books in my parents’ house. I found one book reseller nearby who would make house-calls for large collections, but specifically excluded “Fiction bestsellers in hardcover more than 3 years old”. Think about it - look at the best-seller list from the NYTimes or wherever from 20 years ago. How many of those are flash-in-the-pan books that nobody really cares about any more? The very few who care either already read it or can get it at the library. the exceptions tend to be genre books like mysteries or science fiction. Authors in those genres can (used to?) make a steady living form their back catalog of books, much like rock musicians from the 50’s through 70’s (but not as lucrative). Agatha Christie and Isaac Asimov still sell books. Romances, however, are less memorable because it seems they are formula churned out by the bucket-load. The NYT best-seller list for a week in Sept. 1970: > [@](#): > > 1 LOVE STORY, by Erich Segal. 1 38 > 2 ISLANDS IN THE STREAM, by Ernest Hemingway. 3 5 > 3 THE CRYSTAL CAVE, by Mary Stewart. 2 20 > 4 RICH MAN, POOR MAN, by Irwin Shaw. 6 6 > 5 THE CHILD FROM THE SEA, by Elizabeth Goudge. 5 9 > 6 GOD IS AN ENGLISHMAN, by R.F. Delderfield. 4 10 > 7 GREAT LION OF GOD, by Taylor Caldwell. 7 29 > 8 CALICO PALACE, by Gwen Bristow. 9 26 > 9 THE SECRET WOMAN, by Victoria Holt. 8 17 > 10 THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT’S WOMAN, by John Fowles. Except for the ones made into movies (and who reads those either?) and Hemmingway (also made into a movie at that time?) I assume the rest sunk into oblivion. Holt and Stewart were prolific historical romance writers, IIRC. Does anyone read Taylor Caldwell any more? Unless you are a small library looking for a cheap way to expand your collection, what value are these books? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Joker_and_the_Thief)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481/40 "2014-11-13T23:55:43Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > Many used books sell on Amazon for only a penny but they charge four bucks for shipping costs. Since shipping costs are obviously not four books they’re making a small profit. I do online surveys here and there and mostly get paid in Amazon gift certificates so that’s how I buy the majority of my used books. That price floor is definitely a big boon for sellers, though I think it’s going to gradually slip away as Fulfillment by Amazon becomes more popular and prices slide below the $4 mark. Also, taking in $4 cash but only having to pay the post office four books helps too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-used-books-worth-so-little/704481.md?page=3)