Marketing & Getting Clients

How to Get Clients for Your Used Book Reselling Business

Getting clients for a used book reselling business means finding people who want to buy books from you at a profit. Your clients fall into two categories: people selling you their books (inventory sources) and people buying books from you (revenue sources). The best marketing strategies focus on making both groups aware you exist and trust you to give them fair deals.

The good news is that book lovers are active online and offline, and they talk about books constantly. Your job is to position yourself as the reliable, knowledgeable person who buys and sells quality used books in your area or online.

Who Your Ideal Clients Are

Your primary buying customers are budget-conscious readers, students, educators, and collectors looking for specific titles. They include people downsizing their libraries, students needing textbooks without paying retail prices, and enthusiasts hunting for out-of-print or rare editions. These customers value affordability, selection, and convenience—they’d rather buy from a trusted reseller than navigate marketplace fees or unreliable sellers.

Your inventory sources—people selling books to you—are often estate cleaners, people moving homes, teachers refreshing their shelves, and readers who buy frequently and want to recoup money from books they’ve finished. They care about getting fair value quickly and hassle-free pickup or shipping. Building relationships with these suppliers means steady inventory and repeat business.

Your Best Marketing Channels

Facebook Marketplace and Local Groups

Facebook Marketplace is the fastest way to reach local buyers and sellers. Post book listings with clear photos, titles, conditions, and prices. Join local buy/sell/trade groups and community pages—post there too, but follow group rules. These groups also help you find inventory sources. Many people post about needing to clear out books, and you can reply directly offering to buy.

Online Marketplaces (eBay, AbeBooks, Alibris)

eBay reaches millions of book buyers monthly and charges 12–13% in fees. AbeBooks and Alibris are specialized for used and rare books, attracting serious collectors and book hunters. Your initial listing fees are low ($0.30 per item on eBay), and you only pay commission when books sell. Start here if you have specific or harder-to-find titles that command higher prices. These platforms handle payment and buyer protection, reducing your risk.

Your Own Website

A simple website with a catalog of books builds credibility and gives you control over pricing and customer relationships. You can use Shopify, Wix, or WordPress with WooCommerce. A website costs $20–50 monthly and removes marketplace fees (typically 10–15%). This works best once you have consistent inventory (500+ books) and can invest time in SEO to drive organic traffic. Start with marketplaces first; move to a website after you validate demand.

Email Marketing

Collect emails from repeat customers and newsletter subscribers. Send monthly updates about new arrivals, themed book collections (mystery, sci-fi, local authors), or special pricing. Email is one of the highest ROI channels—your cost is near zero, and repeat customers spend more than first-time buyers. A tool like Mailchimp is free up to 500 contacts.

Local Partnerships

Partner with libraries, schools, community centers, and estate sale companies. Libraries often sell withdrawn books at minimal prices—buy in bulk and resell online for profit. Estate liquidators need someone to handle book collections; offer to buy them outright or take a commission. Teachers and schools may need bulk discounts on books; becoming their supplier builds recurring revenue. Local partnerships also generate word-of-mouth.

Content and SEO

Start a blog about book collecting, first editions, or how to find rare books. Posts like “10 Valuable Sci-Fi First Editions Worth Money” or “How to Identify First Edition Books” rank on Google and drive free traffic to your site. Include links to your catalog. This takes 2–3 months to produce results but creates long-term passive traffic once established.

Getting Your First 3 Clients

1. List 20 books on Facebook Marketplace and eBay this week. Use clear photos, accurate titles, conditions, and reasonable pricing based on comparable listings. Don’t overprice—your goal is sales volume to build feedback and reputation.
2. Join 5 local Facebook buy/sell groups and post once in each. Mention you buy book collections and resell quality books. Include a phone number or message link so people can reach you directly.
3. Contact 3 local estate sale companies, thrift stores (Goodwill, Salvation Army), and library systems. Introduce yourself as a book buyer. Ask about their processes for disposing of books and whether they’d accept your offer to buy collections or overstock.
4. Post on your personal Facebook that you’re buying and selling used books, and ask friends to share. Personal networks close deals faster than cold outreach early on.
5. Price your first 20 books competitively—aim to move them within 2 weeks. Once you have 5–10 sold listings and positive feedback, your credibility increases and people start seeking you out.

Building Referrals and Word of Mouth

The best long-term clients come from referrals. When you buy a book collection from someone, ask them if they know others looking to sell. Offer a small discount or gift card for referrals that turn into sales. Buyers also refer friends—if someone has a good experience, they tell others. Make returns and communication easy so customers want to recommend you.

Ask happy customers to leave reviews on Facebook, eBay, or your website. Social proof matters enormously in used goods. A reseller with 50 five-star reviews on eBay gets more clicks and sales than one with none. Encourage feedback by including thank-you notes in packages or a simple request to leave a review in your follow-up emails.

Your Online Presence

At minimum, you need a professional Facebook page with a clear description, hours, contact information, and sample photos of books. Customers should know immediately what you sell and how to reach you. Update it weekly with new listings or announcements. Include your location if you do local pickups, or clarify that you ship.

A simple website (even one page with a catalog and contact form) signals you’re professional and legitimate. People are more likely to buy from or sell to someone with a domain name and website than a Facebook page alone. If you’re selling on eBay or AbeBooks, link to those from your site so visitors can browse your full catalog wherever you list.

Social Media Strategy

Facebook is your primary platform—it’s where local buyers and sellers congregate, and it has marketplace integration. Use it daily: post new arrivals, special finds, themed collections, and testimonials from happy customers. Instagram works too if you enjoy photography; post aesthetically pleasing shots of book hauls, organized shelves, and rare finds. Instagram drives traffic to a website or shop link in your bio.

TikTok and YouTube can work if you create content about book hunting, valuation tips, or collection hauls, but these require consistency and time to grow. Start with Facebook and Instagram while you build inventory and sales. Expand to other platforms once those are producing consistent traffic.

Paid Advertising

Hold off on paid ads until you’ve tested free channels and have positive reviews and sales history. Once you do, Facebook and Instagram ads work well—target people interested in books, reading, and collecting within a 20–50 mile radius of your location. Start with a $5–10 daily budget ($150–300 monthly) and test ads promoting your best-selling categories or a seasonal sale. Track which ads drive clicks and sales, then increase spend on winners. Google Shopping ads are worth testing once you have a website; you only pay when someone clicks your product listings.

Client Retention

• Send monthly email newsletters highlighting new arrivals and special offers to repeat customers.
• Offer loyalty discounts: buyers who return get 10% off their next purchase; sellers who bring multiple collections get premium pricing.
• Create a wish list feature so customers can request specific books you’ll hunt for.
• Ship orders fast and include thank-you notes or small gifts (bookmarks) to stand out.
• Handle complaints gracefully—offer refunds or exchanges without friction to build long-term trust.
• Ask inventory sources if you can contact them when you find books in their favorite genres.

For more tactical advice, check out the fastest ways to get your first 10 used book reselling customers, explore the best marketing tools for your used book business, and learn local marketing strategies for used book resellers.