How Would One Sell Some Books And DVDs (and a brand new router)?

[Tom Scharpling]

Hello -

I would love to get some advice from you all here. I have a seven page list of DVDs and books that I would like to say goodbye to, and I am torn. I could take the DVDs to a place like Princeton Record Exchange and unload them, or I could sell them on eBay, etc. (I also considered putting a list up on this site and selling them directly, but ultimately I don't know whether the time is worth it to pack the orders  and collect the money, etc.)

Should I just dump them off at a store? Who in the NJ area gives the best $$ for DVDs and books? I would want a check or cash - no store credits.

There's about 100 DVDs, some new/sealed, most used. A few box sets, a bunch bought used from Blockbuster.
The books are fifty percent mystery/true crime, with the rest being fiction and non-fiction that I get sent to the radio station over the last year-plus. Almost all these books would be considered new.

I also have a Netgear router still sealed in the box. The model number is WNR854T. I would sell that to anybody on this site who is interested for a real bargain.

Any and all advice is appreciated.

Unloading items -

Tom.

[bruce]

There are some used book stores that will pay cash, but they really low ball the prices. Unless its store credit which is only a minor improvement.


This is exactly why I pass along any Advance Reading Copies to my family at least I know they will read them.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Amazon used to be great for this - one year I almost survived just selling books and CDs on there - but I think they now charge a seller subscription fee.  If you can take the lousy attitude and BO, I've unloaded some books at the Strand in NYC and got a fair price, though I don't think it would be worthwhile for mass market paperbacks, just trade books, hardcovers, art books, and stuff like that.  I used to sell old CDs to the shops on St. Marks place, too, and I bet they offer decent cash for DVDs.

I've always found eBay to be more trouble than its worth, especially if you're looking to sell stuff in bulk, though someone else might know some trick that I don't. 

There's also the option of going to one of those "sell your stuff on eBay" places, though the one time I tried it, I didn't meet their requirements, which seem pretty particular.  The advantage of this is that you can talk to them on the phone about it before making the trip, and can probably get a better deal than selling to a used book or record store.

[Andy]

I've had good luck with secondspin.com for selling dvd's and cd's.  You enter all the info for everything you want to sell, they give you a prepaid shipping label and you send them the stuff.  They send you a check.

You'd probably get more for some items selling them to a resale place, but to me it's the most convenient because I don't want to schlep my stuff around and then stand there while the guy at the store goes through it and tells me how much it sucks and then offers me a nickel for it.

also, you'd obviously get the most if you sold the stuff individually, but that would be a major time killer.

What about breaking the stuff up into groups, then posting them here for sale?  No splitting of the groups.  First come, first served.  Priced as you see fit.  That would probably be a good compromise between hocking them to a big online retailer and trying to sell them indivually.

[dave from knoxville]

Geez, Tom, flop your moniker on the items with a Sharpie, and sell them to the faithful at twice the price you could get on ebay.

Or drop a hint to Laurie's dad that the entire batch would make a terrific investment that would mature during the month after your film blows up the box office, and he might give you 3 grand for them.

I just hate that the strike has driven you to this. Can I send you a tenner?

Maybe this week I should make my Used-DVD-Store Confession.

[KickTheBobo]

the problem is this: selling stuff piecemeal will yield more $ in the end, but is ten times the work/waiting of just unloading a collection all at once.

perhaps you should try a craigslist ad. just list the entire lot of stuff, and set a price. it's free.

[Emily]

like secondspin, barnesandnoble.com lets you enter your ISBN & find out what they'd pay for your books. i haven't used it, but here is the link:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/frames/selltextbooks/index.asp

hmm & since you have a lot of crime/mystery/detective you might want to try here:

http://www.crimepays.com/webuy.htm

it's a very cool little store with very cool staff/owners. worth making the trip. i think there's another specialty crime/detective store in the city - but i can't remember the name. black dahlia or something with a spider? if i find it i'll post it, if they buy too.

[Andy]

murder ink?

[Emily]

Black Orchid!

http://www.ageneralstore.com/

i don't see anything on their site about buying used books, but what a great use of ad space!

[Gilly]

perhaps you should try a craigslist ad. just list the entire lot of stuff, and set a price. it's free.

I'll agree to this. At least give it a shot. Set a price you'd be happy with and if it doesn't happen it doesn't happen. There have been a lot of times when I've been looking for used LP's and I see record collections being sold at absurd prices (which I would have loved to have) and they went fairly quickly. Of course, vinyl is a different thing but I would consider putting out a number on Craig's List and seeing if somebody bites.

I would think if you went the route of bringing a collection to a used store you'd get a terrible offer. I think the only way those stores are able to stay in business these days are from buying collections at very low prices from people who already have the CD's or DVD's backed up.

[yesno]

I sell books on Amazon all the time.  I don't think they charge a fee, unless the item sells.

RECOMMENDED A+++

[Omar]

I've had good luck with secondspin.com for selling dvd's and cd's.  You enter all the info for everything you want to sell, they give you a prepaid shipping label and you send them the stuff.  They send you a check.

Spun.com > secondspin in my opinion.