The following comment was posted anonymously yesterday on my post about me selling books on eBay and Amazon. I think it brings up a valid point, and is worth discussing here:
you do see the irony in running a campaign to support your local bookshop while flogging a whole pile of books on web-based auction sites yeee-eees?
I think this may be my fault for describing what I’m doing as a “business”. In fact, what I’m doing is getting rid of a load of old books and other stuff that is cluttering my house, in an attempt to make some room for all those things a baby apparently needs – cot, pram and the like.
So, essentially I have about 200 books or so I’m planning to get rid of, along with loads of other bits and bobs – from video games to comics – and I’m listing these anywhere I think I may be able to sell them. Do I think this hurts independent bookshops?
I hope not – at least, no more than people selling books at car boot sales does, anyway. You can buy second hand books in a vast number of places – car boot/jumble sales, charity shops, classified ads, etc – and this has always been the case.
So, let’s say I took all these books to a car boot sale, where the going price would be about 50p per book. Considering most of the books have never been read and are ‘as new’ this would be MASSIVELY undercutting pretty much every bookshop in the land.
Listing the books on eBay or Amazon, I’m putting them up at much closer to their actual value. Once postage is added, it could well be cheaper for a buyer to get their book at a local bookshop, meaning I’m no longer undercutting them. Also, if you look at the books I’m selling, most of them are either out of print, or very hard to find. Is your local bookshop likely to have out of print titles from the 1960s or 1970s? Possibly, but possibly not.
Like I said at the start of this post, the commenter raises a valid point. I do see the irony in me trying to encourage people to use their local bookshop while selling books myself online. I still say local bookshops offer much, much more than an online retailer can, and if it’s a choice between buying one of my books on the web, or getting the same title from a local shop, buy local without any hesitation.
But it’s the buying of books which is the important thing, regardless of where you get them. If, like me, you live over a hundred miles from your nearest independently run bookshop, I encourage you to buy your books from wherever you can get them – whether that be a chain store, a charity shop, a car boot sale or on the internet.
I hope that answers the anonymous poster’s comment. I’d love to hear what other readers of this blog think, though. Maybe you agree that I shouldn’t be selling books online? Drop me a comment and let me know.
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July 2nd, 2009 at 9:43 am
I work in a bookshop… doesn’t stop me wanting to give away lots of books! I just want to get people reading. It’s important that people realise the importance of it and take it up as a hobby; it’s a culture that has been with us all our lives. Music and movies change three to four times a lifetime, but the books don’t follow fads like that (well, in children’s books they do…) There’s stability in books, people can learn from them, and they’re cheaper and last longer than movies and music! I think what you’re doing is good, especially considering the publication dates. No chain stores, and I don’t think many Indos, supply publications from the 60s and 70s. They’re generally ordered from somewhere far away, or a newer edition has to come out. That rarely happens. Good man for putting them back into circulation!!
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:53 am
Thanks for contributing, Paul. I couldn’t agree more – getting people reading is the most important thing of all.
Anyone else like to join the debate?
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:03 pm
I think you should continue selling books online, just for the simple fact that not all bookshops have every book. Many a time I’ve searched and searched for a book only to find out they didn’t carry it.
July 2nd, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I agree – keep on selling. I also promote buying from independent bookshops (I advise schools to order their copies from an indie I love in Scotland) – but I also run events at Borders stores around the country and have just bought a couple of second-hand books from sellers on Amazon.
I genuinely believe there is room for everyone – chains, independents and the Internet. After all, surely the idea is to make books as easy to get hold of as possible, isn’t it?
To say it’s wrong to promote independents then sell off your surplus books online just doesn’t wash. For, even if you set it up as a business – you’d BE an independent bookseller, just like the other bookshops and sole trading sellers who use eBay, Amazon and others to increase their customer base.
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Ok I’m responsible, and I feel a bit bad now – I was feeling a bit cheeky and being a sneaky agent provocateur for comic effect – but got taken seriously (gulp – forgot emotional nuances don’t always come across in text).
I’m well aware of the difference between second hand book selling and massive multinational book supermarkets (who have furnished me with many fine books and will continue to do so, given I have the opportunity, not living in Fort William).
Mr Donbavand is of course correct in all respects with the only addition being that the internet itself is a source of lovely writing (and indifferent writing, and bad writing). And, as it turns out, naughty blog commenters. I guess that’s my first lesson in the responsibility, as well as the freedom, that anonymity and comments facilities provide…