AuctionCut

I have a number of old computer instruction books, including MS Word 97, Excel, Word Perfect, etc. I'd like to know if there is a market for any of these books on E-bay, or if I should simply toss them out.

Well, one mans junk is another mans treasure is a great saying I like. I always use eBay advanced search to look at completed listings, to see if similar items have previously been sold.

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/ebayadvsearch/

It should give you some indication of whether your items will sell or not. You do have to log into eBay to see the results, if you haven't signed up yet now is a great time to do so.

Thanks, Spencer! I'll certainly give this a try! I appreciate your prompt response.

Hi seller784,

As what spencer had suggested, try to do a Completed Listings search to find the sell-through rate and the average selling price of these products.

Try selling them instead of tossing them out. You will be surprised to find what items people buy and sell on eBay. If people buy things they can't even use, I am sure you will have people looking for and are ready to buy computer instructions books.

Good luck!

Cheers,
Haydee

Salehoo, I thank you very much for your in-depth reply! I was on the verge of throwing the books out! With you and Spencer giving me guidance, I've decided against the discard idea. Thanks again! seller784

Hi seller784,

The very first thing that eBay founder, Piere Omidyar sold online was a broken laser pointer. Amazed that it sold for $14.83, he contacted the winning bidder to confirm that he is aware that the item is broken.

"I'm a collector of broken laser pointers," was the buyer's reply. (http://ebay.about.com/od/ebaylifestyle/a/el_history.htm)

And that was how eBay started.

If you have stuff lying around the house that you find no use of, why not sell them on eBay or online. I always advise those who are new to online selling or those who are looking for things to sell to start by selling stuff from home. This way you will get your feet wet without much risk as it doesn't require a start up capital. This is also a good way of finding out what sells well and what you buy more of to resell. Then, you can move on to buying wholesale lots and when you're ready, you can source volumes through liquidators or direct from the manufacturers. I know that this doesn't happen overnight and it won't be that easy. It takes time, a lot of effort and money, too but if you start now, you might get there sooner than you think!

I wish you all the best!

Cheers,