Selling books on Amazon? Many sellers are not aware of this trend.

Bücher verkaufen auf Amazon: Lohnt sich das?

Selling books on Amazon. It sounds somewhat reasonable – after all, this was the very first product category on the trading platform – but at the same time, you’re probably not hearing the imaginary cash registers ringing. In recent years (or decades?), selling books on Amazon has fallen out of fashion. For a while, the demise of the entire book industry was even predicted. Before long, it was said that only e-books would be sold, and physical books would become obsolete.

But is all of this true? For some time now, books have even been trending on TikTok under the hashtag “BookTok,” and many publishers and retailers have built successful social media profiles (e.g., Thalia). The overall revenue of the industry increased by 2.8 percent to €9.71 billion in 2023 compared to the previous year. And the market continues to grow: “The share of online book sales in the total market was 24.8 percent in 2023. […] Compared to 2019, online sales increased by 29.5 percent last year, while traditional book retail saw a decrease of 5.5 percent during the same period.” (Source: börsenblatt.net)

Does that sound like people are no longer reading or only opting for electronic goods? Not really. Additionally, a stable market for e-books has established itself since the 2000s. And where do many online shoppers go when they want to order books? That’s right, to the most popular trading platform on the internet, known as Amazon. Selling books there sounds much more appealing, doesn’t it?

Of course, the competition is fierce; the book segment is no different from other product categories on the marketplace, and as always, there are advantages as well as disadvantages to selling books. Amazon sellers can attest to this. In this blog article, we will take a detailed look at who the book market is suitable for, whether selling is worthwhile, and when sellers should consider stepping back.

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Used vs. New Books – A Significant Difference

Gebrauchte Bücher zu verkaufen, kann für Amazon-Händler ein lukratives Geschäft sein.

Most sellers who sell books on Amazon have used goods in their inventory. And there’s a good reason for that: selling new books is quite costly. New books are typically distributed by publishers or wholesalers, which means that the buyer must purchase large quantities. Such an initial investment is not feasible for many marketplace sellers. Additionally, most new inventory in the book segment is sold by Amazon itself, making it even more challenging to build a profitable business.

On the other hand, selling used books on Amazon is more rewarding. Typically, no huge investments are required, and sellers have better chances of competing against the competition. At the same time, sourcing the products is more demanding and time-consuming.

New BooksUsed Books
CostlyLow investments
Large purchase quantitiesTime-consuming sourcing
Amazon as a Direct CompetitorLess competition
B2B business relationship requiredNo business relationship with wholesalers

For these reasons, and because there are hardly any independent sellers selling new goods, we will focus from this point on the sale of used books.

Product Sourcing: Where to Get It If Not Stealing?

Reselling books, also known as book reselling, can be a lucrative business model. However, those interested should be aware that sourcing the goods can be demanding and time-consuming.

  • Bookstores: The obvious first. Keep an eye on bookstores in your area. There are often discount promotions where you can purchase books at a low price.
  • Online Shops: The same applies to well-known online shops as to bookstores – you can also purchase discounted goods here that can be resold at a higher price on Amazon.
  • Secondhand Stores: Many shops for used goods also offer books. However, you should invest a bit more time in researching which books are worth it and which are not.
  • Flea Markets: When private individuals sell books, Amazon is usually not the first choice due to the time investment involved. However, flea markets can uncover hidden treasures that can be resold on the e-commerce platform.
  • eBay, Classifieds & Co.: Books are also frequently offered here, often even as a book bundle. Multiple books are sold together, usually at a very low price. If you have pictures or information about the content, you can research the Amazon price. Otherwise, you should consider how much financial loss you would incur if the bundle turns out to be a disappointment.

In general, it doesn’t matter much where you source your goods. Reselling and arbitrage are legal, both on Amazon and other platforms. The only important thing is that the purchase price is lower than the selling price and that the profit margin achieved is worth the effort.

Selling Books on Amazon: Step by Step

Bücher zu verkaufen, ist auf Amazon nicht kostenlos möglich.

In the following section, we would like to provide an overview of the steps aspiring marketplace sellers need to take to sell new or used books on Amazon.

  1. Seller Account
    Amazon offers two selling options: Individual Seller and Professional Seller. Typically, the Individual Seller account is unsuitable for anyone looking to seriously build their own business, as sellers pay a fee of €0.99 per sold item. Therefore, a professional seller account, which costs €39.99 monthly, is worthwhile starting from 40 sold items per month.

    A seller account can be easily created at https://sellercentral.amazon.de/. You will only need your contact details, bank account information, and the relevant tax information such as your business registration.
  2. Selection and Listing of Books
    Now it’s time to select the first books for sale and list them on Amazon. Particularly suitable are:

    – Bestsellers and popular titles
    – Rare titles, collectibles, and antiquarian books
    – Well-preserved books, especially hardcovers
    – Books from the categories of memoirs and biographies, self-help, religion and spirituality, health, fitness and diet, or political and social sciences
    – Textbooks, especially at the beginning of the school year and semester

    To sell these books on Amazon, they need to be listed. To do this, log into Seller Central, click on “Catalog” at the top left, and then select “Add Product.” You can now search for the listing of the respective book using the ISBN number. By clicking on “Sell Your Own Items,” you can add your offer to the listing.
  3. Pricing Calculation
    During the listing process, you will also be asked at what price you want to sell the book. Use the typical market price as a reference. However, do not forget that you also have costs that need to be covered, and you want to make a profit as well.
  4. Selection of Shipping Method
    Those who want to sell books on Amazon can choose between two shipping options: Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM).

    Shipping by Amazon: The FBA program is convenient and popular. With this service, the online giant takes care of all logistical steps related to an order. They store the products in advance, package them, and ship them. Returns management and customer service are also included.

    Self-Shipping: Those who ship via FBM handle all these steps themselves. This obviously requires your own logistics, including storage space.

    Both options have their pros and cons. Most marketplace sellers use a mix of FBM and FBA. However, for smaller items like books, the convenient FBA option is recommended. Additionally, many sellers do not have the space, resources, or manpower to store and ship hundreds or thousands of products themselves.
  5. Creation of the FBA Shipment
    If you are using Amazon’s shipping, you now need to create a shipment so that your books are stocked in the e-commerce giant’s warehouse. You can do this in Seller Central under “Manage Inventory” – “Send/Restock Inventory.” Here, you will set the shipping address and specify how many items your shipment contains.

    Additionally, you must indicate whether the type of product being shipped requires special preparation (which is not the case for books), what the dimensions of the package are, and how much it weighs. After completing the process, you can print the shipping labels to attach to the boxes. You then just need to arrange for pickup by your shipping provider (e.g., DHL or DPD). Typically, such a shipment takes about one to two weeks to arrive at the Amazon logistics center.
  6. Marketing the Books
    Marketing is an essential part of any online business. Beginners can find many helpful resources in the Amazon Seller University to familiarize themselves with this area. Especially Amazon Advertising and promoting their own listings on social media are important. Sellers should also ensure that they have their seller performance under control and win the Buy Box.

Tip: Identify and Avoid FBA Errors

As mentioned earlier, Amazon FBA is a super helpful service. But nothing is perfect, and sometimes even trained Amazon employees make mistakes or there are technical difficulties. For example, items can get lost in the Amazon warehouse. Marketplace sellers can lose up to 3% of their annual gross revenue due to FBA errors – a significant amount of money. Money that you can easily reclaim within a day.

SELLERLOGIC Lost & Found Full-Service is the reliable solution from the German market leader and your partner for professional FBA error analysis and reimbursement. The service is a true milestone on your journey from seller to bestseller, as you benefit from many advantages:

  • Higher reimbursements – no effort: No need for your own analysis of FBA errors. Lost & Found handles every step on the path to a successful FBA reimbursement completely independently.
  • AI-powered FBA audit for maximum reimbursements: The AI-driven system ensures smooth processes and maximum reimbursements. The SELLERLOGIC software monitors your FBA transactions 24/7 and automatically detects errors that other providers may overlook. It promptly enforces your claims, allowing you to receive the maximum reimbursement amount for FBA errors with SELLERLOGIC.
  • Historical analysis: Lost & Found Full-Service identifies FBA errors up to 18 months retroactively. Every month that you do not register, you are losing real money.
  • Professional support for professional sellers: The customer support experts take care of every detail, ensuring that you receive your money back effortlessly.
  • Transparent fees: You only pay when you have actually received your reimbursement from Amazon. The commission is 25% of the reimbursement amount. There are no base fees and no hidden costs.

Have an audit of your seller account conducted now and receive the money you are owed from Amazon today.

Conclusion: Is it worth selling books on Amazon?

Bücher bei Amazon verkaufen: Auch privat ist das möglich.

Although books were long considered a less lucrative sales product, a positive trend is now emerging: the book market is growing again, and platforms like TikTok are generating new enthusiasm – the physical book is experiencing a renaissance. Selling books on Amazon can therefore be profitable, especially in the area of used books. Here, less capital is needed, and there are good opportunities to compete against the competition.

Selling new books, on the other hand, is difficult for smaller sellers. Amazon itself usually offers many new titles, and the high purchase quantities as well as price competition are additional hurdles. In contrast, reselling used books – whether through bookstores, flea markets, or online marketplaces – is easier to start and less costly.

Ultimately, selling books on Amazon can generate a lucrative side or main income if one is familiar with the peculiarities of the market and is willing to invest in marketing and product sourcing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you sell books on Amazon?

Yes, you can sell both new and used books on Amazon. Amazon offers sellers two options: Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM), where the seller handles shipping, or Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), where Amazon takes care of storage and shipping.

Which books sell the best?

Bestsellers and in-demand titles often sell well, as do guides, textbooks, collectibles, and rare editions. Categories such as biographies, self-help, religion and spirituality, as well as health and fitness are also popular.

How can I sell books on Amazon?

To sell books on Amazon, you need a seller account: either an Individual or a Professional account. In Seller Central, the items can then be listed by entering the ISBN.

How much can you earn with a book on Amazon?

The profit per book varies greatly depending on the category, demand, condition, and selling price. The average profit often falls within the single to low double-digit euro range, as sales fees and any shipping or storage costs must be deducted.

How much does it cost to sell a book on Amazon?

The costs depend on whether you are using an Individual or Professional seller account. The Individual account charges a fee of €0.99 per sold item, while the Professional account costs €39.99 per month. Additionally, there are sales fees that vary depending on the book category and book price.

What do I need for Amazon KDP?

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) allows you to publish your own eBooks or paperbacks. All you need is an Amazon account, a finished book file (in eBook format or print template for paperbacks), and a book cover.

Is Amazon KDP free?

Yes, using Amazon KDP is free. Authors do not pay setup fees, but Amazon retains a percentage of each sale as a commission. Royalties typically range from 35% to 70%, depending on the selling price and other factors.

Image credits in order of appearance: © stock.adobe.com – Shanti / © stock.adobe.com – hobonski / © stock.adobe.com – Omri / © stock.adobe.com – eugen

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