Every day on this blog, I get to hear stories from my fellow online booksellers: how they got started, what they are looking to accomplish, great finds and missed opportunities… it’s among the most interesting and satisfying things about being a part of this community.

One of the most common complaints from new sellers is that they begin with a big burst of excitement, acquire a bunch of books to sell, are ready to rock, and then… nothing?!?  Temporary slack times can even dull the fervor of experienced sellers.  The motivation to sell books can be fickle.  The bloom is off the rose pretty quickly once the reality of being at the mercy of customers sets in, and they’re stuck with some book-filled boxes sitting around, just gathering dust.

That right there is a big part of the problem – their books are just tossed in boxes, out of sight and increasingly out of mind.  This isn’t how you stay emotionally invested in running an online bookselling business… it’s how you prepare for a featured role on the show Hoarders!

I really feel strongly that proper organization of inventory has immediate and lasting benefits for anyone who is interested in selling used books online (and that includes people who are selling simply as a hobby or additional revenue stream).  Organizing your books is a very tactile, hands-on experience and you are forced to take notice of each book, consider its merits, compare & contrast it with all of your other books based on look, feel, and content.  Taking the time to properly organize your books gets you intimately acquainted with them, which gets you motivated to SELL THEM!

Some organizational considerations:

• Go through your books and figure out a way to organize them that combines common sense with functionality.  You want to be able to find things quickly, so if that means organizing alphabetically, by subject, by your own numbering system, whatever, make it work for you.

• Get your books out of boxes and into the open.  Set aside a place that is specifically for your books – I have a small warehouse, but you could use a room in your house.  Install some shelves and get your books on them.

• Acquiring new inventory is an opportunity to review your stock.  When organizing the new books, take time to review what’s still there and how you might get it sold.

• Even if sales are light, don’t spend too much time away from your books.  If it’s been a couple days since you’ve had to pick & pack, go take a quick look at your books to remind yourself what exactly you are trying to do.  Out of sight is out of mind!

Staying motivated to sell books is extremely important, especially for beginning or part-time sellers who do not have an established routine that helps them stay focused.  The business is books, and the best way to stay invested in them is to take the time to organize them properly.