Half.com vs. Ebay

**paelthom** · 02-13-2006, 10:57 AM

I have some books that I'm getting ready to sell and I need some advise on how best to sell them.

Some of the books are lots with maybe a box of fiction - paperback or a box of fiction in hardbacks - I'm guessing that ebay would be best for those. Older books, nothing rare.

But then I have some books like the ones by Fred Brock and Tim Covell that were discussed on here last Spring. If you sell a book like that which is relatively new, would half.com be better? I've never sold on half.com and am clueless.

Also I have some cookbooks and since I'll be selling them in lots, I'm guessing ebay again, but what about one that is new and was put out by the American Medical Assoc?

Help, please. Which would work better and why - half.com or ebay for selling books?

**FrugalMomof3** · 02-13-2006, 11:54 AM

Can you list the books you have, maybe I or someone else might be interested in them.

~Tracy~

**paelthom** · 02-13-2006, 12:26 PM

Yes, once I get the list in order, I will post them in the FSOT section if anyone is interested.

**FrugalMomof3** · 02-13-2006, 02:05 PM

Thanks for letting me know!

**freedeal** · 02-14-2006, 01:38 PM

I don't know about the difference in $$$ you would get but I listed a few things on half.com last Friday and several have already sold. They are extremely easy to list. You might want to try half.com with a few things. If you have an eBay account it is really easy to set up half.com.

Good luck with your sales.

**paelthom** · 02-14-2006, 01:40 PM

Thank you.

**tlenad** · 02-16-2006, 12:00 PM

I sell on Half.com a lot. For your items that you want to list in lots, I would definately go with Ebay. Half doesn't have the option and a lot of their fiction books and such you have to list a very low selling price in order to be competitive.

As far as your cook books, and such the best thing I can tell you is to go onto Half and see what the book is selling for. You may be surprised. I've done pretty well with cook books there. Also personal finance does really well.

I typically list any none current fiction on Ebay or trade it in at the local second hand book store, if they'll take it. Mainly because once a book isn't the hot new book prices tend to take a dive on Half. That isn't alway the case though, if you have books that might be used in a college lit class or such those do really well as well. I find that a lot of college students use Half to get their school books.

Also if you go to Half.com and click on the Books Tab there is a menu option for the Top 200, most of them are text books but there are a few fiction and such. If you have a book that is listed there, they sell really fast too.

**paelthom** · 02-16-2006, 12:26 PM

Thanks Traci.

**NoDebtMom** · 02-17-2006, 10:02 AM

I looked up some books that I was contemplating on selling (never have done anything like that before) and they were going for around 0.75 on half.com! Bummer... not worth the trouble, right?

**Telephus44** · 02-19-2006, 03:31 PM

I sell books on Half.com because it requires less time and maintainence (you just list it and it stays there forever or until it sells).

I have had the WORST luck with popular fiction - even in hardcover. This includes anything by Oprah's book of the month club.

The books I have the best luck with are textbooks.

If you're thinking of selling on Half.com, I'd try listing the book and see what it says in terms of others out there - it will tell you that there are currently 120 other copies for sale, 30 of them are Very Good, and that the average sell price is $4.50 (or whatever the information is). Then you can judge whether you want to list it or not.

I have been trying to pick up books and yard sales and library sales and selling them on Half.com - I make maybe $15-$20 a month, but I'm not putting a full time effort in. And I like that fact that I can just put all the books in one section on my bookshelf until they sell. I have had some books sell even after they'd been listed for a year and half!