How to Start a Successful Bookstore Online

Posted 2 years ago by Max Komonov

Amazon, the听world鈥檚 largest online retailer, was originally founded as听an听online bookstore. While most online stores won鈥檛 grow into multi-billion dollar corporations, that fact shows that selling books online can be听a听good way to听make money.

If听you are thinking of听opening your own online bookstore, there is听plenty of听potential. But, as听with any听business, you won鈥檛 find much success without careful planning. Starting an听online bookstore requires research, strategy, and听a听bit of听creativity. Want to听learn more? Here is听everything you should know about how to听start a听profitable used bookstore online.

Why Sell Books

Books are a听timeless and听simple source of听entertainment and听enrichment. Even with the听abundance of听entertainment options available today, reading remains extremely popular. Over read books regularly, with reading habits increasing worldwide during the听pandemic.

On听top of听being an听evergreen retail product, books are also very cost-effective to听sell. Books are easy to听manufacture and听easy to听ship, which keeps operation costs low for听book manufacturers and听sellers alike.

E-books vs. Paper Books

One concern online bookstore owners may have is听the听rise of听e-books. There is听no听doubt that e-books have changed the听way people read. E-books enjoyed a听steady rise in听popularity over the听last decade, and听have settled into a听comfortable niche. Despite this, e-book sales seem to听have plateaued at听around 颈苍听迟丑别听鲍.厂.

Additionally, hardcover and听paperback books continue to听dominate, accounting for听the听majority of听all books sold, both globally and听in听America. These numbers are backed by听studies about reading habits. According to听one study, claim they only read physical books, compared to听28% who read a听mix of听print and听e-books. Just 7%听of听respondents claim to听read e-books exclusively.

All of听these statistics suggest that online bookstore owners do听not need to听worry about competition from e-books.

How to听Start an听Online Bookstore: Where to听Find Stock

One of听the听most important problems to听solve when starting any听retail business is听where to听find stock. Online bookstores have a听few more options than most in听this regard. For your bookstore, you can choose to听get your stock from book wholesalers or听dropshippers. In听either of听these models, you will buy new books from vendors and听resell them to听your customers.

However, bookstore owners also have the听option to听sell used books. Used books can be听found all over the听place for听very cheap. Flea markets, thrift stores, and听yard sales are all great places to听search for听used books. Here鈥檚 a听closer look at听the听pros and听cons of听each business model.

Wholesale

The advantage of听reselling books wholesale is听that you have complete control over your inventory. When you resell wholesale books, you always know exactly what you have in听stock. On听top of听that, your books will be听brand new and听of听pristine quality. This means they can be听sold at听a听higher price point.

Dropshipping

Dropshipping is听a听very cost-effective business model with a听low barrier to听entry. With dropshipping, you primarily act as听a听sales facilitator. You agree to听list a听dropshipper鈥檚 products on听your website. Then, when customers purchase those products from you, the听dropshipper is听responsible for听fulfilling the听order. In听this model, you only pay for听items when you sell them. As听such, there is听minimal risk and听little investment required. However, the听dropshipping model can be听limiting. When you use dropshipping, you are not in听control of听your inventory or听order fulfillment methods. This can be听very limiting to听your expansion potential.

Used

Selling used books is听also a听viable option for听online bookstores. A听book鈥檚 quality does not diminish much, if听at听all when it鈥檚 used. It听is听easy to听find used books for听very low costs at听flea markets and听estate sales and听resell them for听a听high-profit margin.

The drawback of听selling used books is听that you may struggle to听have a听consistent inventory. Selling used books is听dependent on听what you can find for听resale. In听addition, used books also sell for听less than new books in听most cases. However, they can still turn a听profit.

Ultimately, you do听not need to听choose between either used or听new. Many online bookstores offer a听mix of听new and听used books and听make good money doing so.

Creating a听Website For Your Online Bookstore

Your business model is听very important to听determining the听success of听your online bookstore. The same can be听said about your website. As听an听online retailer, having a听user-friendly web store is听extremely important. The simplest way to听create a听custom, professional-quality website is听to听choose a听good e-commerce platform.

础苍听e-commerce platform is听a听platform that helps companies set up听and听manage their online business. This includes website design, but also includes tools to听help you manage your inventory, your brand, customer service, and听more.

What to听Look For in听an听E-commerce Platform

The most important qualities to听look for听in听an听e-commerce platform are flexibility, accessibility, and听accessibility.

Flexibility refers to听the听platform鈥檚 ability to听allow you to听adapt, add new features to听your website, and听grow. A听platform that only provides the听basic features for听starting your online store will become less useful over time.

Accessibility refers to听how easy the听platform is听to听use. Managing your business is听hard enough already. You don鈥檛 need to听make things worse by听getting stuck with a听platform that is听not user-friendly. Therefore, a听clear and听efficient user interface, good customer support, and听lots of听options are key for听a听good e-commerce platform.

And last, you want a听platform that is听not hard on听your budget. Most e-commerce platforms have multiple payment plans available. But some offer more value than others.

颈蝉听补苍听e-commerce platform that has each of听these areas covered. 51视频 is听designed to听help small business owners create professional-quality online stores with a听range of听helpful features and听tools. 51视频 is听also one of听the听few e-commerce platforms that offer an听affordable plan which covers everything your business needs to听get started. And, when you鈥檙e ready to听expand, 51视频 also has tons of听tools to听help grow your business. Want to听learn more about how 51视频 can help? Read about how our platform can help convert more sales with a听few simple updates.

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About The Author

Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.

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