Really cheap stuff!

or; how do they make money?

Published on May 7, 2006 By SanChonino In Misc

So I've been bumming around Amazon a lot as of late (I've already posted my gripes about Amazon proper, but mostly I just buy stuff from others with the site as a go-between). It all started with me looking for books by Unamuno (another post!), and then it evolved into the search for Red Dwarf books. I've been reading the first one to arrive, "Better Than Life", and thoroughly enjoying myself. (Red Dwarf and I just have so much history . . . I've been watching the show late on Saturday nights on the public TV station for years).

Last night I decided to try and see if I couldn't find some Buffy the Vampire Slayer books for a decent price. My last book about the crew of the crimson short one was only forty-four cents, so I figured that maybe I could find some cheap books. I didn't know if I would even like books about the Buff, but I figured if I could find something inexpensive, I'd give it a try.

And I did. Boy, did I. All of them are reportedly in "Like New" condition, which is better than I expected for the price . . . because the most expensive one was all of three cents.

My only thought at that moment - how can people make money selling me books for three cents? The other two were only one cent apiece! How does this work? I figured that people would be into this to at least make a bit of money, but obviously not much.

Granted, shipping is 3.50, and usually the postage is a buck-sixty to a buck-eighty, depending on where it's shipping from. But then add in the costs of the shipping material, and they make at tops one dollar. So why are they selling these so cheap? I almost feel like I'm robbing the person, only giving them three bucks and fifty-one cents for a book, shipping included.

Not that I'm complaining, just curious.

Comments

Texas Wahine

on May 07, 2006

I bought a whole bunch of books for a penny each a while back. All total the shipping was around $20. I was HAPPY!

And if they have books lying around that they're not going to be able to sell, why not spread the love and make at least a little on them? I mean, people give books away all the time too.

Dr Guy

on May 08, 2006

I would wonder too, as if I really did not like a book, I would donate and not waste the time to resell it. But you might as well check it out. At worse, you will be out a couple of bucks. At best, you found a diamond in the rough.

SanChonino

on May 08, 2006

that's exactly what I thought. A lot of the ones that I've purchased have actually been from libraries, but none of them have been ex-lib. They've been in awesome condition, though . . . it's a great way to get some books delivered straight to your door and grow your collection.

Locamama

on May 08, 2006

I guess they get their merchandise super cheap or free and do high volumes. Maybe they have make a little profit from shipping. You couldn't even get it at a garage sale that cheap.

dynamaso

on May 08, 2006

Wow, don't tell my wife this. Her one big obsession is books (not that I mind - she has great taste). We have a small library already and it is only getting bigger. We occasionally go through and pull out books we think we wouldn't read again and swap them at second hand shops for... more books! If we could get them for three cents each, I'm sure we wouldn't have much space in our house.

Sally jacobs

on May 09, 2006

I get quite attached to books, and I do find it quite difficult to get rid of them. I know that really I should share the wealth, but I just can't bare to get rid of books. There are a few books I have that are like a security blanket, when I am feeling low, or upset, I reach for these books again, and they work their same magic all over again. I'm just a strange one I guess.....

SanChonino

on May 09, 2006

I'm with you, Sally. It's tough for me to get rid of my books, but I sure love to get some more. I'm too young to have all that I do, and my mother is always saying that if I fill up my two bookshelves completely, I'm out of the house . . . but I keep filling them up anyway.

Sally jacobs

on May 09, 2006

I'm too young to have all that I do, and my mother is always saying that if I fill up my two bookshelves completely, I'm out of the house . . . but I keep filling them up anyway.

Hehe that's what I like to see, a book rebel! My book situation is a little bad, I have a book shelf full of books, and two suitcases under my bed filled with books. So maybe it is time to share them with other people, and to make room for new ones! I wouldn't even want to sell them, just knowing someone else would get the same enjoyment out of them is enough for me!

SanChonino

on May 09, 2006

I wouldn't even want to sell them, just knowing someone else would get the same enjoyment out of them is enough for me!

That's the ticket. But if other people want to sell them to me for next to nothing, I'm going to take them up on it.

island_gurl12

on May 10, 2006

But if other people want to sell them to me for next to nothing, I'm going to take them up on it.

That's it dont worry about how come they're cheap, worry that someone else might buy them before ya, hehe

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