Smooth Sailing on the big River or Selling books on Amazon
I am often surprised hearing from other booksellers who sell on the Internet and do not sell on Amazon. Selling books on Amazon can be a daunting task, but my own experience shows that it can be worthwhile. I started selling books on ABE in 2005. I chose ABE because I knew ABE and had bought books on ABE. I later added Alibris, Biblio and finally Amazon. I have never regretted my decision to sell books on Amazon, but I have had many more “interesting” experiences on Amazon than on any other book selling site.
ABE , Biblio and Alibris seem to attract a different type of book buyer than Amazon. You are more likely to find people on those sites who are looking for less common books and also who are looking to buy from professional booksellers. Amazon is much more likely to be home to sellers who are selling books for a penny and making a very small profit on the allowance given for shipping a book. Amazon is also much more likely to be home to sellers are NOT “booksellers” per se, but who have a few books that they want sell. You are much more likely to find an expensive first edition book on ABE, Biblio or Alibris than you are to find that same book on Amazon. You are also more likely to find people who are members of professional book selling associations selling on ABE, Biblio and Alibris than on Amazon. What makes Amazon a site to my liking? Amazon is the biggest bookseller on the Internet.
