I love to read. And so do the three other humans who live in my house. As a result, our shelves are often flooded with volumes spilling onto the floor. This is both a delight and a problem. In the early years of our financial journey, I sold some of our books to help pay off our debt. While the platform I used isn’t still out there, there are others where you can both sell books you’ll no longer read to reduce clutter and score some cash at the same time.
Which Books Should You Sell?
Before you fly around your home emptying shelves in boxes and bags, you need to make sure you don’t have regrets about the books you choose to sell. I use three criteria for determining whether or not to get rid of books.
- Will I read this book again? Some books are just that darn good that you read them as an individual or as a family more than once.
- Will I want to loan this book to someone else? Nothing feels better to me than matching a book with its perfect reader.
- Do I have an emotional connection to this book? I may not want to read it again or loan it to anyone but this book has a special connection to my soul and down the road, I’ll be sad that I let this particular volume go. Especially those books that have the handwriting of our parents or grandparents in the front cover may prove to be much more valuable as the years pass.
I’ll cover a number of places where you can sell your books, but think broadly. Many of the websites specialize in particular books like textbooks. Some buy other media like DVDs, games, and even electronic devices.
Half Priced Books
In my greater metropolitan area, there are two brick and mortar Half Priced Books stores. I checked and stores nationwide are still accepting in person books for appraisal, but you’ll need to wear a mask when you go. You bring your books into the physical store and drop them off for someone to evaluate their worth. From past experience, I suggest going on a weekday morning if you can. They can get pretty backed up on weekends and the evenings.
You won’t net a treasure trove at Half Priced Books, but you’ll probably be able to buy dinner somewhere not too fancy. They also accept books, DVDs, and games, too.
Powell’s
You can sell books in person at Powell’s, too. But they also offer an online platform for you to sell your books. They are particular about the condition of products. So, you’ll want to verify you meet their standards. All you need is the ISBN (the 10 or 13 digit code you’ll find in the front matter or back cover of your book) to get started. After entering the information, Powell’s will give you a bid for your books and allow you to choose whether or not you’ll ship them. Powell’s does cover the UPS cost if you accept the bid.
Indie Bookstores
If you have a local independent bookstore you love to support, don’t forget to see if they purchase books. Then you’ll not only pick up a little extra cash, but also support a local entrepreneur and reading spot. Or you might consider donating your books to these locations instead. Reach out via their website or social media channels to find out current safety procedures.
Bookscouter
Bookscouter actually helps you find out which bookselling website will give you the best price for your books. They have a focus on textbooks; however, other books show up too. All you need again is the ISBN. Some of the companies who buy books also require you to sell them a minimum dollar amount and you’ll see that information displayed on the Bookscouter site.
Barnes & Noble
Book retailing giant Barnes & Noble buys back textbooks. It’s possible that some classic literature and supplemental reading might qualify, too. Again, you need the ISBN to search. As with most sites, the buy back amount is based on basic supply and demand. So your books could render plenty of cash or very little depending on how many are in circulation. For Barnes & Noble, you’ll need to be selling at least $10 worth of qualifying books to take advantage of their site.
Decluttr
This site has an easy to use app that allows you to simply scan barcodes to sell your books. Even better, they also buy tech like phones and tablets, CDs, DVDs, games, and even LEGOs. So while you’re lightening your load at home, you could also be making some cash. Win, win. Items ship for free and you can choose to be paid by check, PayPal, or direct deposit.
Paperback Swap
If you know the inevitable will happen – that you’ll use any money you make to simply buy more books – you may want to try out Paperback Swap. This site allows you to basically exchange books, along with buying and selling them.
Craigslist
Craigslist might be a good idea if you have a specialty book or collection of books to sell. Especially if those books have a connection to your local community, you’ll want to consider listing them there. Be prepared for more potential human interaction and perhaps the time to meet up with someone.
Student2Student
If you’re looking to sell college textbooks, Student2Student might be a great option. This site helps you find college students on your campus who need the volumes you’re finished with. No shipping will be required since you’ll simply meet up with the potential buyer to unload your books. You can also use the search tool to find the cheapest price for books not available through their portal.
GoTextbooks
Endorsed by online retailer Chegg, GoTextbooks offers a straightforward selling platform. All of your questions (and more) will be answered on their page. Items ship for free. Payment takes between 7 & 14 days and is remitted either by check or PayPal.
Who knew there were so many options for selling books you’ll no longer need or read?! What are you waiting for? Get busy and start getting some quotes to put some cash in your pocket.
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