Libraries as Entrepreneurial Booksellers: Counterintuitive Cha-Ching Roselle Agner Better World Books

Agenda Introductions Let’s get to know each other Online Book Sales Listing & Shipping & Questions, oh my! Outsourcing Move over IT, here comes Acquisitions Q & A You’ve got questions, I’ve got answers

Introductions: Audience

Online Marketplaces Auction Marketplace List any item, based on a listing name created by its seller for an open auction. Ebay.com, Overstock.com, Yahoo!Auctions Catalog Marketplace List catalog items for sale (i.e. books, cds, dvds, etc.) based on their unique catalog numbers (i.e. isbn or upc) at a set price. BetterWorldBooks.com, Alibris.com

Marketplaces Considerations Size Number of Categories Listing Options Popularity Are you familiar with this site? Costs What are the costs associated with selling/buying on this site? Competition Multiple Sellers Multiple Listings

Marketplaces Considerations Search Features It is easy to find items? Reputation Is this site known for certain types of items? Seller Rating-Buyers feedback from previous transactions Condition Rating-Overall condition of the item Payment Check, Credit Card, Money Order, etc Shipping Are there any shipping requirements for the buyer/seller? Standard, Expedited, Consolidated

Online Book Sales Sorting Researching Listing Picking Shipping Returning Customer Service

Outsource! Let someone do the work for you!

What’s involved? Your job Sort Pack Ship Their job: Sorting Researching Listing Picking Shipping Returning Customer Service

Show me the $$$! A percentage of net proceeds are payable to the library. Net proceeds are defined as the sale price of the book minus any market place commissions and reimbursements.

Sign me up I have tons to send!! Acceptance Guidelines Some are more specific than others (type, volume, condition, etc) Basic Guideline: Send what you would buy Sorting and Prescreening Tools Help determine which books to send Continue to have multiple revenue generating projects

Discarded and Donated Material… ACCEPTABLE  Books that are in saleable condition no water damage, mildew/mold, missing pages, spine damage, etc.  hardcover fiction/non-fiction  Textbooks (1998 or newer)  travel books (2003 or newer)  dictionaries  trade paperbacks  DVDs & Books on CD  Mass Market Paperbacks  rare/collectible books

ACCEPTABLE  Ex-Library Books  Markings on the Spine  Stickers  Labels  Due Date Cards  Stamps  Plates  Etc. Discarded and Donated Material…

NOT ACCEPTABLE  Complete or Incomplete Encyclopedia Sets  Magazines/Periodicals/Academic Journals  Catalogs/Directories/Desk Reference Books  Tax Documents/ Government Documents  Volume Serials  Reader’s Digest Books  LP Records, VHS, Cassettes, or CDs  The Following Series:  Book Club Editions  Harlequin Romance Novels  The Modern Library Series  Reader’s Digest Condensed  Marquis Who’s Who Discarded and Donated Material…

Additional Services Online Sidewalk Sales Affiliate Programs Antiquarian, Rare & Collectable Processing Book Drive Fundraisers Marketing and PR Support

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions What’s important to your library? Costs? Flexible Options? Social and Environmental Impact? Find a service that best meets your needs and those of your library