| Used bookstores thrive on customers who bring in | | | | shun fiction. Do your homework and be prepared to |
| unwanted books for cash or store credit. You can | | | | go to more than one store to unload all of your |
| trade in your books for a tidy amount of cash, or for | | | | books. |
| even more in store credit at almost any used | | | | Decide if you want cash or store credit for your |
| bookstore. Here's how to get the most for your | | | | books. Some stores offer credit exclusively, so be |
| used books. | | | | prepared to make a trade. Other stores offer a |
| First, figure out what books you want to get rid of. | | | | better rate of return if you choose credit, often as |
| Take all the books off your shelves that you won't | | | | much as 25% more than cash. If you are a frequent |
| read again or won't ever get around to reading. Don't | | | | book buyer, then credit might be a better way to |
| forget cookbooks you never use and children's books | | | | go. On the other hand, cash is cash. |
| your kids have grown out of. Then, do some | | | | On the day you are going to take your books in, |
| research to figure out what your local used | | | | take a look at the weather. If it is raining, it isn't a |
| bookstore specializes in. Do they mostly carry fiction | | | | good day to bring in your books. Some booksellers |
| and poetry? Or are they into biographies and self | | | | don't accept books at all on rainy days, since the |
| help? Depending on what you have in your personal | | | | process of getting them from car to store can make |
| library, you may need to find more than one store to | | | | books wet. Save this errand for a sunny day. |
| take all of your books. Out of date reference books | | | | Put the books in sturdy bags with handles or small |
| like atlases and encyclopedias will probably be | | | | boxes for easy carrying. Even if you only have a |
| rejected, unless they are unique or collectible in some | | | | few, transport them in a bag to protect them on |
| way. Most bookstores will pay more for recent | | | | your way to the bookstore. Get a friend to help you |
| releases in good condition, the exception being | | | | if you have a lot of books. The bookstore staff will |
| extremely popular back titles of authors such as John | | | | not help you transport the books into the store. |
| Grisham or Dan Brown, since they usually already | | | | Make sure you understand how the bookstore staff |
| have tons of those. | | | | is evaluating your books for resale. Often they will |
| Once you have the books culled from your collection, | | | | offer you a percentage of what they believe they |
| make sure they are clean and in the best condition | | | | will sell the book for, not a percentage of the cover |
| you can get them in. Take a moment to dust them | | | | price. Ask what their formula is before you begin. If |
| off, check for dog-eared pages, erase any pencil | | | | you think you can get more for a specific book |
| markings and remove Post Its stuck to pages. Most | | | | elsewhere, don't be afraid to bargain. However, the |
| stores don't want highlighted or otherwise annotated | | | | bookstore employees are experts at pricing and |
| texts. | | | | know what the market for each type of book is, so |
| Call ahead to the used bookstore to check when | | | | when in doubt, defer to their judgment. |
| they accept customer trade-ins. Often they will only | | | | Don't forget to be pleasant and polite to all |
| accept them on weekdays, since weekends are | | | | bookstore staff. They will be more likely to accept |
| busier. Sometimes they have a special buyer who is | | | | your books in the future if you maintain a friendly |
| only in the store on certain days of the week. Some | | | | and professional attitude. Take pride in the fact that |
| only take books by appointment, especially for larger | | | | you are allowing your books to find new homes and |
| amount of books. While you are finding out when to | | | | freeing up space in your own home. If you traded |
| bring in your books, also ask what types of books | | | | your books in for store credit, don't forget to use it! |
| they most welcome and which they don't ever take. | | | | Even if you don't need a book, used bookstores can |
| Some stores don't accept cookbooks, while others | | | | be great places to find unusual gifts. |