| -> | | | | values change dynamically and this means you must |
| It was only about a year ago that online booksellers | | | | regularly update your database by downloading a |
| had but one high-tech solution to look up book | | | | new database from the service provider. There is |
| values; they could subscribe to wireless lookup | | | | also the issue with respect to books that do not |
| services to gain a competitive advantage using an | | | | have an ISBN because this is the means of lookup |
| Internet enabled cellular phone. Recently some | | | | for the PDA and database system. This means you |
| creative third-party service providers figured out how | | | | have to pass on all books without an ISBN, take your |
| to put everything into a database so that there was | | | | chances and buy some, or have an Internet lookup |
| no reliance on an Internet connection. Now online | | | | service too. |
| booksellers that are just getting started in the | | | | The cell phone lookup system, using a third-party |
| business face deciding on which type of service is | | | | lookup service is much slower, but if you have the |
| best for them to use. | | | | Internet service on your cell phone, you can go to |
| There are definite advantages to both systems. An | | | | multitudes of other websites to look up books that |
| Internet connection and cell phone will assure you of | | | | do not have an ISBN. |
| having the latest and greatest information available | | | | From my perspective, if you are looking to get into |
| for a specific title, but you have that cell phone | | | | online bookselling as a prime source of income or just |
| connection leash to deal with. If you plan to attend a | | | | to remain competitive and make efficient use of your |
| large book sale and do not have the experience to | | | | scouting time, it is probably best to have both. On |
| be comfortable with choosing the gems to buy, you | | | | the other hand, if you just want to be an online |
| probably want some sort of service to help you. | | | | bookseller for a supplemental income, or if you just |
| However, if you intend to use a cell phone service | | | | want to try online bookselling without making the |
| you will be left in the dust by others that use a | | | | investment in a PDA/scanner combination, the |
| database service to look book values up at a rate of | | | | Internet enabled cellular phone lookup service will |
| ten or more times faster than you. | | | | suffice for most book scouting adventures. |
| The database services require a PDA (or possibly a | | | | The questions you really need to ask yourself as an |
| radically enhanced cell phone) with sufficient memory | | | | online bookseller are: |
| to store a database of book values, usually on the | | | | Do I want this business to grow into a full-time |
| order of 200MB or less. With one of these devices, | | | | source of income? |
| you can enter an ISBN (either via a keyboard or laser | | | | Do I have the time to spend scouting and waiting for |
| scanner) and get an almost immediate display of the | | | | an Internet enabled cellular phone lookup service? |
| book's value and its sales rank. Some of the services | | | | Can my online bookselling business justify the |
| even have other features that allow you to set | | | | expense of a PDA and possibly a scanner, as well as |
| threshold values for the books you are scouting so | | | | a database lookup service? |
| that you can wear an earphone to hear a cash | | | | Do I really want to jump in with both feet and make |
| register ring for the books you want to buy and | | | | an investment in the best tools for my online |
| some other not so cheerful tone for the firewood | | | | bookselling business, or should I start on a shoestring |
| you want to pass on. The biggest disadvantage to | | | | until I know whether this business is for me. |
| the PDA and database system is convenience. Book | | | | |