It’s almost been 3 years now since I first listed and sold my first book on Amazon. It seems like it was so long ago. At the time, I considered selling my used books to be as simple as holding a garage sale. Like most people, I thought I had a lot of "junk" laying around and just wanted it gone. I never would have dreamed that would turn into an actual registered business with taxes, employees, supplier relationships and everything else that comes with running a business.

Selling a used book, however, is sure a lot different than creating a business, setting up recurring sources of inventory and continually thriving to grow the business yet not go broke in the process. It’s something that I love doing. It has also sparked many more entrepreneurial interests in myself and allowed myself and my family to live a better life. I owe used books, my employees and my family a great, big thanks for the joys they have brought to my life.

I sometimes think what if I would have never tried to sell a book on Amazon. Where would I be now? Would my family and I be struggling to maintain our current lifestyle on my full-time salary or would my wife have had to get a job? I will never know but what I do know is if you’re not selling books online or at least starting up some kind of side business you’re totally missing a great opportunity.

For starters, one of the big advantages of selling used books is lots and lots of extremely cheap inventory! Used books can be bought for close to nothing if bought in bulk. Luckily, the majority of people out there still don’t even consider a book to be valuable unless it’s "old" and even then they’re probably wrong. Equipped with the right knowledge and gadgets you can easily turn a weekend of book scouting into a many hundred dollar profit weekend. Once you’ve got a system down for sourcing, listing and sending out orders it comes second nature to make those big sales numbers.

Have you sold your first book yet? If you’re reading this not because you sell books but because you may just be looking for another source of income for your family have you at least got your feet wet? Reading a blog or "researching" the opportunity can only get you so far. You can dink around on the Internet all day making yourself you’re being productive but odds are you’re probably just procrastinating and making excuses as to why you’re not ready yet. The only way to start something new in your life is to just do it. Drop a few hundred bucks on a book scouting package. Offer to buy thousands of books that you have no idea where you’re going to store them. After you’ve committed to something the mind has a way of just figuring things out.

I’ve blogged about how I’ve taken the leap off the deep end of the pool and every, single time I had no plan at all. I just relied on my gut and the fact that I believed I would find a way to make it happen. Every single time, that is exactly what I did. Obviously, it’s not going to work 100% of the time but if you’re wiling to take a little risk, it will pay off in the long run. If I would have never offered to buy 8,000 books only a few weeks after my first book on Amazon sold I would have never started a business that first has given me more than enough money to supplement my income but at the same time piqued my interest to pursue other opportunities.

Used books are just one small niche in the huge area of things that you can do to supplement your income. Start something you’re interested in. If you don’t make as much money as you had originally thought who cares? At least you should be proud of yourself you started and I promise once you get past the initial hurdles things will start to fall in your lap and you’re going to be kicking yourself you didn’t start earlier.

- Adam

Why Selling Books Online May Be the Best Decision You Ever Make [ 5:05 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (118)