BookJingle Blog

Archive for the ‘Sell Used Books’ Category

Today, I thought I would do a little experiment. I wanted to prove to any skeptics out there that BookJingle offers the best prices for your used books. Maybe not empirically prove this fact by using the Scientific Method and stating hypotheses and the like. But I did want to take a comparison of what other sites out there are offering for the same titles. I searched around and found two similar websites that buy used books (I do not wish to specify which sites I used, but it is easy enough to Google and come up with a few). Then, I gathered up a few books, and started my research! These are the books I chose:

Weird Indiana
Weird Kentucky
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Games of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Galore by Michael Crummey
I Like You by Amy Sedaris

Next, I simply entered the book information on each site using either the 10 or 13-digit ISBN code located on the back (or possibly first few pages) of the book. And (drum ro

ll please) here are the results:

BookJingle: I was offered $17.82 for all 6 books.

Website #2: I was offered $13.92 for five of my books (this site was not purchasing Game of Thrones) on this competitor’s site.

Website #3: This final site would only purchase four titles (Weird Kentucky, Game of Thrones, I Like You, and Galore), at an offer of $7.00.

Now, it is time to do what every good scientist does: analyze the data. Really I just want to point out that BookJingle offers the best prices. Not only was BookJingle purchasing all six of my books, their total offer was almost $4.00 more than the next highest offer. Additionally, on average, BookJingle would purchase each of the books I entered at a price of $2.97 each — while site #2′s average was $2.78, and #3 was only $1.75.

Of course, you may find that BookJingle doesn’t purchase each book you enter (due to demand and stock, etc.), but I am sure (like me) you will find that they do offer the best prices for your used books!

For many years, textbooks were the bane of my existence. I would walk into the university bookstore, (while battling the throngs of other students), and search for my required texts. Once I made it to the shelf, I was always astonished that a seventy-five page tome would run me seventy-five bucks. That’s a dollar a page! After gathering no less than ten books, I would fully expect to pay upwards of $500 for my purchase. But the most ridiculous part about the college textbook rigamarole wasn’t the purchasing of the books, it was the selling back of the books.

Sometimes, the bookstore wouldn’t accept my books because they weren’t being used the next semester. So, I was stuck with the 3^rd edition of “Art through the Renaissance” that I fully intended to never look at again. Other times, I would get a measly $4.50 back for a $150 textbook I bought brand new five months prior. To these bookstores, books are like cars – they diminish extensively in value once taken off the lot. Regardless of condition.

After my junior year, I discovered the glory that is online textbook purchasing. No crowds to maneuver, no 75 pound stack of books to balance, and (best of all) cheaper books! Once that semester was complete, I went on to discover the ease of online textbook buyback. When it came to selling back my books, I wasn’t restricted to the pitiful offers of the bookstores. You shouldn’t need a reason to choose online textbook buyback, it just makes sense! You get more money; it’s as simple as that. But, if you need a reason to use BookJingle, I’ll give you four: great prices, quick payment, great service, and free shipping!

On sites other than BookJingle, selling your books can be kind of a hassle: you have to list the book, wait for it to sell, and (once it sells) pay to ship the book. If you have a problem, it might take days for some of these larger sites to respond. But unlike these other sites, BookJingle will buy your book immediately, no listing and no waiting required. Additionally, you will get a fair price for your books, along with great customer service! And as if those reasons aren’t enough, with BookJingle’s shipping label, shipping is free! Clearly, BookJingle is committed to providing its customers with the best book buyback site on the net. And if you need more proof, try it for yourself. Once you do, you will never choose to sell your textbooks back to the campus bookstore again!

When you have used books to sell, you want top dollar for your merchandise.  Have you ever tried to sell used books to one of those bookstores that buys your books?  If you have, I’ll bet you were disappointed at their offer.  Fifty cents for a book that originally cost $12.50?  Really?

BookJingle offers fair prices for used books.  Selling used books to BookJingle makes sense because the shipping is free, so you’re not losing any of your money there.  BookJingle wants to give you a good deal for your book; if you happen to find another online bookbuyer who is offering more for your book, let BookJingle know.  If possible, they will beat the price. 

Another huge advantage to BookJingle: the BookJingle database is very large, which means there’s a good chance that BookJingle is buying a book that you have right now.  Purchasers of used books can be limited in what titles they accept, but BookJingle will even consider books that are out of circulation.  If you are looking for a textbook buyback program, definitely give BookJingle a try.  Instead of hauling those heavy textbooks to a bookstore, ship them for free to BookJingle.

Of course, when you’re trying to sell books online, you probably need your cash quickly.  BookJingle prides itself on fast turn-around time for your payment.  Within three days of receiving your books, BookJingle will issue payment in the method of your choice, check or PayPal.  You’ll have the money you need, the best price for your books, and you’ll have it fast.  Get cash for books and get it quick at BookJingle.

We have been receiving a lot of orders from college students these past few weeks. Here are the most frequent questions we get from students using us for textbook buyback.

Will you purchase books with missing supplements? (i.e. CDs, DVDs, online access codes)
Yes. We do accept books with missing supplements; however, we will reduce the original offer price once we receive the item and it is missing a supplement. Our typical deduction is 50% of the offer price.

Will you purchase books with writing, highlighting, or underlining?
Yes. We accept books with writing, highlighting, and underlining without any reduction to the original offer price if less than 25% of the pages are affected. Books that contain such markings on more than 25% of the pages may be rejected or receive a reduction to the original offer price. Workbooks or manuals must NOT have any answers written in the blanks.

Do you purchase International  editions? No. We cannot purchase International editions of textbooks. International textbooks are prohibited to be sold in the US.

Do you purchase Teacher’s Editions? No. We do not purchase Teacher’s Editions.

Do you purchase old textbooks? Most textbooks that are older than 3-4 years old typically do not receive offers. Our offers are based on supply and demand and there is little or no demand for outdated textbooks.

BookJingle wants you…

…to join our Book Scout Program

Are you looking for some extra cash?

Want to sell used books for even more cash?

Let us show you how to turn your love for books into a business.

Get even more cash for books.

Visit our book scout page for more details!

In a word, yes!

And the good news is, only minimal effort is necessary to have a substantial impact on your revenue. You can sell used books through our website at www.bookjingle.com and some libraries may even be eligible for one of our portable scanning devices. Simply enter the ISBN numbers of any books that are donated or discarded by your library on the site, receive instant offers, ship the books and get paid!

Several libraries across the county are already using us and making hundreds of dollars for their library each week!

If we sell our books on the site, will we still have books available for our regular sale?

We understand and appreciate the goodwill and community awareness that a local book sale generates.  It has been our experience that less than 4% of all books will meet our criteria for online sale.  More than likely, this small percentage will not cause a noticeable decline in the amount of books available.  Furthermore, this small percentage of books will account for a much larger portion of your overall revenue.

Why is selling our books online more profitable?

Not all books can be sold for greater profit online.  However, there are select books that will command a higher price in the internet market.  Unlike most book sales, BookJingle is not limited by a physical location.  Through the internet, we are able to market these books to individuals across the globe.  This international exposure allows us to distribute your books to individuals actively pursuing that title; thereby receiving a greater price for that item.

Assume you have a copy of a book titled “Sinkholes and Subsidence: Karst and Cavernous Rocks in Engineering and Construction”.  If you attempt to sell this item at your normal sale, you have to hope that someone in your community is interested in this exact title.  By placing this title on the internet, you are able to make this book available to individuals who are actively seeking this title.

Why shouldn’t we just sell our books online ourselves?

Selling books online requires work on a daily basis. The amount of effort and attention directly impacts the speed and price at which a book sells. To effectively sell books online, a bookseller must have staff available to perform the following tasks:

* Books must be cleaned and cataloged each time new stock is acquired
* Books must be described and listed for sale using appropriate terminology
* After a sale, the books must be picked, packed, and shipped
* On a daily basis, customer emails must be answered.  These emails include topics such as general inquiries, shipping questions,  concerns, and returns.
* Inventory prices must be constantly monitored in order to command a great price while remaining competitive

Finally, the online bookseller must have the appropriate infrastructure in place.  In order to effectively sell books online, we truly believe you need the following:

* Adequate storage space for books and shipping supplies
* System to catalog and locate books
* Computer and scanner system with Internet access
* Subscription to various online bookselling websites
* An understanding of the many rules,and Terms of Service agreements among various bookselling sites
* Knowledge of what will sell online and for how much it will sell
* Knowledge of terminology to accurately describe book condition

Want to know what your books are worth quickly?  Don’t have the time to enter ISBNs on a regular basis?

Perhaps our portable scanning device is for you. Prior to your regular book sale, we will ship the appropriate number of bar code pricing scanners you need.  These scanners will display an instant cash offer for any books we are purchasing.  Prior to the opening night of your sale, have your volunteers scan the books.  Then box up any books that receive an offer and send them to our warehouse using the label we will provide. You will be  paid within 48 hours of our receipt of the books.

It’s that easy!

Sell your textbooks for the most money here.  BookJingle wants to give you the best textbook buyback experience.  We are the best place to sell books online and we will prove it.  If your buyback order contains a textbook, you can receive an additional 10% on your orders by entering coupon code “TB2010″ when you check out.  Remember to hurry! This coupon code expires 9/30/2010.

One question we receive on a regular basis is “Why is my payment different than the amount shown when I place my buyback order?”

There are many reasons why this occurs:

1. The shipment contained books that were not on the Packing Slip
If books were shipped to us that were not included on the Packing Slip, we may still be able purchase those books. If we are currently purchasing that title, we will add the offer to your total.

2. The shipment was missing books that were not on the Packing Slip.

The amount offered for the missing books will be deducted from the payment.

3. Book(s) did not meet our condition requirements.

We examine each book upon receipt, if a book does not meet our condition guidelines, it will be rejected and the amount will be deducted from the total. Here are reasons why a book would be rejected:

• Books with front cover torn to indicate disposal or marked “not for resale”

• Water damage / Moisture damage
• Staining
• Missing/loose/torn pages
• Books with an odor (smoke, musty, etc.)

• Advanced Reading Copies/Uncorrected Proofs/Galley Copies
• Teacher’s Editions and Annotated Instructor’s Editions
• Workbooks/Manuals/Study guides that have been worked
• Teacher Solutions Manuals and Answer Keys
• International/Foreign Edition Textbooks
• Books without an ISBN printed anywhere on the book
• Sets with missing volumes
• Pornography
• Calendars

4. Book(s) were missing supplemental items

If upon examination of the book, we see that a book is missing a CD, DVD, online access code, etc, 50% of the offered amount is deducted for that particular book.

5. Hardcover books were missing dust jackets

If we receive a hardcover book that is missing the dust jacket, 50% of the offered amount is deducted for that particular title.

We do send out an email upon receipt of the books indicating the total to be paid and explained why payment is more due to extra books received or less due to the condition of the books received.

Our customers are able to get back any books that are not accepted. If the customer wishes to have their book(s) back, they must pay the shipping costs. Payment for the return shipping can be made via check or Paypal within 15 days. After 15 days, the item is either destroyed or recycled in accordance with our company policies.

BookJingle wants you…

…to join our Book Scout Program

Are you looking for some extra cash?

Want to sell used books for even more cash?

Let us show you how to turn your love for books into a business.

Get even more cash for books.

Visit our book scout page for more details!

Well, it is that time of year again.  BookJingle is busy purchasing textbooks from across the nation.  We love being able to help our customers receive the most from their used books.

Why do you think that the local college book buyback store offers such poor prices?  When you sell used books, have you been able to get good prices at your college bookstore?  Have you ever had your college bookstore tell you that the professor has decided to change books next semester?

Use the comments to share some of your textbook buyback experiences.