The Pitfalls of Being an Online Bookseller

I'm not going to focus completely on the negative aspects of being an on line bookseller here. Rather, I'm going to outline my experiences as a way to help you avoid complicated situations and things of that nature.

Keep your stock updated:

There are a lot of sellers out there that want to be the "cheapest" price or want to move their stock quickly. Determine what prices best suit your needs, research what the comparable price is and offer a good deal to your customer. Let's face facts, no one profits from selling books for $.01 and it shouldn't be done. This is solely my opinion and not fact, so you don't have to follow that guideline. You have to admit, though, it does make sense.

Once you've determined your pricing, enter all your information into your store. Be sure your quantities are accurate and, when something sells, double check that the inventory has been adjusted accordingly. There's nothing more frustrating than selling two of the same title, but you only have on in stock. If this does happen, refund the multiple sale promptly and offer a link to an alternative seller offering the same title.

Do price changes:

If your stock isn't moving, consider lowering prices. Not to $.01, we've already discussed that. Take a certain percentage off and make note of this in your descriptions or your store profile. Do these mark downs periodically to keep stock moving and offer extra incentive to your customers. Advertise yourself when possible to groups you belong to on line (don't SPAM!) and people in your address book.

Update your inventory with fresh titles frequently:

If you have access to a lot of books or the opportunity to receive additional inventory often, take advantage of updating your stock frequently. I've seen good results form adding ten titles to my inventory each business day. (until I run out of books, of course) This keeps my store fresh and brings customers back looking for new items. This also give me the opportunity to quickly update expired listings. When you add fifty titles in one day, the task of relisting what doesn't sell is daunting. Spread it out with what you think you can handle. if it's more than ten titles, fine - if it's less, that's also fine.

Packaging:

Be sure you're packing your books so that they're protected from being bent, protected from the elements and unable to be caught in a machine somewhere. If you don't have the budget to buy bubble mailers, wrap books in a plastic bag and secure them in the envelope with pieces of cardboard. When taping your package, avoid snagging in machinery by ensuring all the flaps are taped down flat.

If you're unable to use a printer for labels, be sure to write very clearly and use your best penmanship.

Be dependable:

Your customers are expecting you to ship items promptly. If you put in your description that an item will be shipped within twenty-four hours of their payment clearing, then do that. If you say you'll ship with a delivery confirmation number, email that number to them and explain to them how it's used. If you say you ship only with Priority Mail service, then don't ship using Media Mail.

Yes, all of this seems obvious. You'd be surprised how many sellers make these simple mistakes, though, and customers end up very unsatisfied.

Communicate:

Once the item has shipped, send an email to your customer thanking them and altering them of the shipment. This is your opportunity to provide confirmation numbers if applicable. In the case of ebay, be sure to update your account with the tools provided so customers can see what's going. Be prompt. If you wait, the customer will assume the item hasn't been shipped at all.

Leave feedback for all your buyers:

Feedback seems to be the backbone for sellers these days. If someone leaves you negative or neutral feedback, it throws the mechanics of the store off completely. If you leave feedback for each of your customers, it'll remind them to reciprocate. What kind of feedback they leave for you is the gamble, so it's best to offer the best customer service as possible with each and every purchase. Remember, no matter how frustrating the situation, the customer is always right.