Johnny Cash once sang, “Don’t take your guns to town.” Well, for years and years, I have sold a few books on that 800 pound gorilla of selling stuff. However, from time to time, I have lost money by selling items there. Why? Because shipping is a uniform $3.99 for the customer, but USPS media mail fees start above $4, rising if the item weighs more than a pound or two. Also, big A always assesses a commission. So, old books must be priced high or the seller loses money.
Recently, I sold three books via big A and one via eBay. I got $6 and change in my bank account from eBay, but I got a charge on my credit card for $12 and change from big A, but nothing in my bank account. Will I eventually get a payment from Big A, which began as a sales platform for books? Probably, but in the mean time, I have to pay them. As a business plan, this sucks.
I hated to do it, but I spent a while removing all of my listings from big A. I’ve always wanted to put books into the hands of people who want them, rather than just dumping them on a charity. Because buyers begin there, it seemed to be the place to list them, but that is more work than boxing them up! Giving them away would seem to be a better plan, unless I resist them elsewhere.
Many people begin and end their search for a book with big A, but I urge customers to look at eBay or Pango or other vendors for vintage books. New books might be a different matter, but when it comes to used, big A isn’t a great place for sellers, so buyers will have to pay more. It’s just business.
I like for the price to be the price. But, I must be one of the few people who think that way. Fair and square pricing works for me: I can budget for what I need to purchase, and know when it is okay to splurge a bit. However, I have a dear friend who won’t buy anything unless she negotiates a better price. This practice is downright embarrassing at times. Recently, we were in a charity thrift store and she saw a large ceramic vase filled with fake flowers. (I know, taste varies.) Anyway, it was priced fairly, but she stood in line to ask a harried clerk to lower the price by $5. The clerk said, “The price is the price.” My friend walked away. “It’s a charity,” I reminded her. As we got into the car, my friend made up some excuse about the quality of the item. But, I know her. No discount, no sale is her motto.
