Fair Price On Paperback Books??

[rvgrammy1953]

Okay, gang.....help me out here... A few years ago a lady in the campground bought a bunch of books from me at a campground yard sale. Had like 50 cents on each one.....she was so excited and told me that anytime I had paperback books I wanted to sell, to let her know....well, since then she has bought a few from me here and there......so, now, my sister gave me a bag of paperback books at the beginning of the summer and I told this lady that when I was done with them, would she be interested in buying them....she said YES.......Now, you all know that to buy a paperback book at the book store NEW is going to cost you at least $5-$6 sometimes more....only 3 people have read these books, me, my sis, and her friend....all are in good shape......well, this lady came by this morning, to get the books...(seems she was buying them for a friend, or so she says...suspect she is selling them herself at her "antique shop".) and said that 50 cents per book is too much and that "her Friend" can get them for 25 cents.....now there are about 20 books in that bag and I told her she could have the whole bag for $10....or 50cents per book.....she turned it down and then asked if I had alot of Nora Roberts books in the bag....I said 1 or 2, but that was all....well, then she said she'd think about it then she left........Now, tell me, is 50 cents too much to ask per book? I just don't get people sometimes......It's okay with me that she didn't buy them, but her actions kinda' ticked me off, cause she's been bugging me about the books for about 3 weeks.....and you know what.....I can take them with me on the road and "donate" them to a trading library at the campgrounds we visit......there I know folks will enjoy them......it's just the thing that she wanted to "buy" them.....okay, I'm done venting....lol.....

lori

[Bethers]

Lori,
I've discovered yard sales, etc with paperbacks anywhere from 10 cents to a dollar each. Now, me, if it's a book I want, I'd pay the price asked - depending on the condition of the book. If she's trying to resell them - she probably can only get 50 cents or thereabouts for a lot of them - so yeah, she probably wants them for less. I wouldn't budge if I was you either - would rather donate them (which I do) by trading them at the parks, or taking them to a local library.

When I lived in WI I went to a used book store a lot - and would take my books there - they would pay me about 10 cents a book, but would give me a credit towards purchase of up to around 50 cents a book (they sold the books at 1/2 price - sometimes some less) - I didn't argue with them, as I always did the credit and got a book or two I was having trouble finding - or a brand new book at 1/2 price that I really wanted to read - with the additional discount for the credit. And I knew they were in business and I knew just what to expect.

Yep, I'd want to hit that lady over the head with the bag of books. LOL

[Cedar518]

Heck Lori,... I'd be thrilled to pay 50¢ per book! That's very reasonable.
Best price i have found recently for new paperback is at Sam's Club where I paid $3.33 for some fluffy summertime reading.

Stick to it and keep price at 50¢ or like you say,... donate them at a campground. it will leave you with a better feeling inside, right?

[SeeyaGal]

I'd stick to 50 cents too......especially if she is trying to resell them! I can't remember if I had 25 cents or 50 cents on mine in March but they sure went like hotcakes at the sale! Things that sell the least unless it is dirt cheap is clothes.
Just the other day I put 2 frying pans in the free box in the laundry, still good but not as stick proof and I had gotten new ones....yep something in something old goes back out. Next week I'm taking over the old Little green machine and put it in there. It sucks up but does not spray out and so I bought a new one. Let someone else figure out the machine....hey for free they'll figure it out.

[snowball]

hey she was getting a bargain. In "Q" at one of the laundramat's you either did 2 for 1 or $1.50 for a book and guess what if I wanted it I paid it and I still go to WalMart or where ever for the monthly fix
sheila

[dpf]

Fifty cents is reasonable for a book...just bought a new Debra Malcomber because I wanted it now and it was 5.95 at Wally World. If I could have picked it up for .50 from someone who had already read it I would have been tickled pink. I don't usually sell my used books,they get passed around to friends then donated to the local library if they don't have a copy. If the library doesn't want/need them I send them to the women's prison.