Is it me or is or is used curriculum getting more expensive??

[HeatherLynn]

I agree with you, people ask too much for used curriculum. I get that a lot of time they can GET that price. However, I would just rather buy new and not take any risks for just a few dollars. For example: I found a Teaching Textbooks for just $20 under the new price, but the workbook had some writing in it (that could be erased). NO! Not for over $100, I am not having writing. Knock it down to 50%, and we'll talk.

[Melissa in CA]

Maybe you should list your stuff without a price and ask people to make an offer. I bet you would get more potential buyers that way.

 

Tara

 

Good idea, and I have tried that....but the offers are still 50% or MORE off retail. ;)

[Lovedtodeath]

 

I don't see that most people "overvalue their used stuff." Sure, there are some who do, but on average I think most people are pretty fair in what they ask (of course, I don't shop ebay either). I personally feel that it is the buyers who are often unfair in their expectations. I know people who have unopened, unused still in SHRINK WRAP BJU curriculum and people want THAT at 50% off too. :confused: To me, that is just plain wrong. Sellers should be able to sell like-new, or new unused, curriculum for 20%-30% off retail and get buyers...but that is a rarity indeed.:tongue_smilie:

 

I know what you mean. But sometimes the reason is because the original vendor offers so many discounts that it just isn't worth it. For example, Winterpromise... You get the Guide for free if you buy from them, and would have to pay through the nose to get it without the rest of the program from them... so it makes it not worth it to buy a partial curriculum. Or Sonlight with discounts and free shipping when you buy a whole core. KWIM?

[Guest sarathan]

Maybe you should list your stuff without a price and ask people to make an offer. I bet you would get more potential buyers that way.

 

Tara

 

That is a *really* good idea!! :)

[Guest sarathan]

50% off is fair if something is in excellent conidtion. However, I will not buy used when the price is discounted only a couple of dollars. It's much easier to buy new and pay one shipping fee. Used has to be a bargain.

:iagree:

[Melissa in CA]

I know what you mean. But sometimes the reason is because the original vendor offers so many discounts that it just isn't worth it. For example, Winterpromise... You get the Guide for free if you buy from them, and would have to pay through the nose to get it without the rest of the program from them... so it makes it not worth it to buy a partial curriculum. Or Sonlight with discounts and free shipping when you buy a whole core. KWIM?

 

Oh, I definitely agree! Seller's should always take those things into consideration when posting their items for sale. When I used SL, I sold my Cores at 35%-50% off and I always tried to keep them intact....meaning complete. It's not worth it for many to buy a packaged curriculum if the package is not complete. It oftentimes ends up costing more to peicemeal it together than to just purchase new. Plus, the more 'complete' it is, the better price you can get for it.

 

It is hard to buy WP used and intact, with their policy of not allowing you to sell any of their exclusives. :glare: When I used WP, I purchased the Guide and the WP exclusives new, and got most of my books from the libray. I saved a ton. ;)

[Lovedtodeath]

It is hard to buy WP used and intact, with their policy of not allowing you to sell any of their exclusives. :glare: When I used WP, I purchased the Guide and the WP exclusives new, and got most of my books from the libray. I saved a ton. ;)

Yes. I plan to just know up front that if I sell it when I am done, I will probably only get back 25%. That is worth it to me, after all when a child is enrolled in private school, you don't get to keep the books. But, you should go into it with your eyes open. ;)

[Scuff]

The truth is, even if you end up getting a book that's like-new condition and was never used, when you buy a used book, you take a risk. You risk that person not having the same standards and the book not being like new, you risk the person not mailing it in a timely manner or taking off with your money. You risk it getting lost in the mail. ect, ect, ect. All these risks are negated when you buy new from a reputable company. So used curriculum, even just sat on a shelf, brand spanking new, used curriculum, needs to be priced low enough to compensate for these risks.

 

Overall, I've had wonderful experiences. especially buying on hs sites. But I've had enough not so great ones lately that I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth it. Well, really I've decided that it's not worth it for the smaller things. But for really expensive curriculum or things I want to look at, I wouldn't be able to get if now for used.

[Kelly in IL]

I thought this was a really interesting thread. I have been using Sonlight for 10 years now and have been buying as much used as possible. I have never been able to buy used Sonlight books for less than 50% of the list price plus shipping, and have paid as much as 70% the list price! I am currently trying to sell a lot of books from the upper grades and have them listed for 50% plus shipping, which is standard. In two weeks, I have had 8 inquiries. Three people purchased the books and the other 5 have all told me my prices are too high! Very discouraging when I'm trying to sell at what has always been the "going rate" to buy for next year!

[Kelly in IL]

That is a *really* good idea!! :)

This sounds like a good idea, but sometimes people are unrealistic in what they want to offer. I have most of the Sonlight Core 300 books available right now, and the price I am asking for them all together (at 50% off the retail price) is$ $91.50 plus 5.50 for shipping (the exact shipping cost). I had someone ask me to drop it to 75 ppd for everything, which would drop the books to something like 30% of retail - and these are for books which are mostly in very good condition!

[Heather in VA]

This sounds like a good idea, but sometimes people are unrealistic in what they want to offer. I have most of the Sonlight Core 300 books available right now, and the price I am asking for them all together (at 50% off the retail price) is$ $91.50 plus 5.50 for shipping (the exact shipping cost). I had someone ask me to drop it to 75 ppd for everything, which would drop the books to something like 30% of retail - and these are for books which are mostly in very good condition!

 

This was my thought too. I have had some rather insulting offers too. I was selling a product that was $95 new. It was still in it's shrink wrap. I was asking $40 which included media mail shipping. Someone asked to pay $25 and then to upgrade the shipping to priority mail (included in the $25). I've also had people ask to trade crafts they make for my curriculum.

 

Heather

[WiseOwlKnits]

Here's one of the problems I've had with buying used curriculum. One of the things I need for next year is the Horizons Grade 1 set. I've seen a lot of people posting the TM for $30 ppd. So let's do the math:

 

List price from Horizons: 72.95 + shipping = 83.35

Curr. fair price: 58.36 + free shipping

 

So let's say I buy the TM for $30 from someone here since that's the most common price I've seen. I still have to buy the student workbooks:

List price from Horizons: 14.00 x 2 = 28.00 + shipping = 34.75

Curr. fair price 11.20 x 2 = 22.40 + free shipping

 

The used TM + the workbooks from Horizons = 64.75.

The used TM + worksbooks at the curr. fair = 52.40.

Or I can buy the entire set brand new for $58.36 + free shipping.

 

It's just not worth it to buy it used to me to save $6 when I'm taking the risk of it not getting shipped, it not being in the shape it's promised to be in, etc.

 

As it turns out, I did buy the TM used from someone on here. They were selling it for $15 ppd. So I bought the workbooks at the curriculum fair this weekend and will have spent 37.40. But that's not including the *hours* of my time I've spent searching for that TM.

[Haiku]

I have had some rather insulting offers too. I was selling a product that was $95 new. It was still in it's shrink wrap. I was asking $40 which included media mail shipping. Someone asked to pay $25 and then to upgrade the shipping to priority mail (included in the $25).

 

But the thing is, any object is only worth (in monetary value) what you can sell it for. The original post that I was responding to was from someone who was trying to sell items and had no bites. It doesn't matter what someone thinks their curriculum is (or should be) worth. A curriculum is not worth $100 if no one will pay that.

 

I guess it comes down to how much you really want to sell it. If you want it sold, period, you take what you can get. Just this evening I sold some books at Half Price Books. They paid me about 1/2 what I was hoping for, but I took it, no questions asked, because these were books that I had taken off my shelf because I would never use them again. Some money was better than no money, right?

 

Tara

[HomesteadMommy]

I run into the same problem a lot. Especially with the area I live in, I don't often find curriculum at yard sales. To order used books from the USA or even with in Canada the high shipping cost eats up any savings from the new price. So most of the time I buy from places that have free shipping, or that I can pick up. Since I have 5 little ones and probably will have more, I need my books to be in good shape so they will last.

[asta]

But the thing is, any object is only worth (in monetary value) what you can sell it for. The original post that I was responding to was from someone who was trying to sell items and had no bites. It doesn't matter what someone thinks their curriculum is (or should be) worth. A curriculum is not worth $100 if no one will pay that.

 

Tara

 

 

:iagree:

 

Basic economics.

 

And the economy right now is bad. It isn't a matter of "getting something for nothing" at this point; it is a matter of no one having funds. Historically, this is how any economy "re-sets" its price points.

 

Unless, of course, you remember the 70s, when hyper-inflation blew everything to bits...

 

 

a

[yvonne]

But the thing is, any object is only worth (in monetary value) what you can sell it for. It doesn't matter what someone thinks their curriculum is (or should be) worth. A curriculum is not worth $100 if no one will pay that.

 

:iagree:

 

As a frequent buyer :blush:, here are things that make me not buy something I'd otherwise be interested in....

 

1) "Make an offer" ads... Don't know why, but those always make me feel like the ebay ads with a secret minimum bid. You bid and up comes a "Minimum bid not met yet" message. Why bother. If you have a minimum, state it.

 

2) Batched books.

 

I've already built up a good library of classic and often recommended books. I'm usually looking for a single title or couple of titles, so I don't want to buy a pre-set batch.

 

The exception is curriculum/text book batches... Ie, "RS4K Bio Level 1, teacher/student/lab books... $x."

 

I think batched books do work well when one is just starting to build a library. I used to look for those ads myself. So I know there is a market for batched books, but I think you'd have a broader market if you just list the books w/ prices and let people choose their own batch. And you would still cut down on having to deal single item sales which are such a pain for sellers.

 

3) Books/Curr. priced the same as I could get new from RR, with no risk.

 

The implied "advantage" in those posts is that you don't have to pay RR postage, but that's not enough of an advantage to risk buying something secondhand even if it says "like new."

 

4) Sellers who have stated in previous posts that they have been "insulted" by certain offers. I definitely keep track of those folks and am a lot more careful with their FS posts.

 

Personally, I do sometimes offer less than the asking price. I offer what the item is worth to me for my intended purposes. Obviously, if I know I'm going to use something, it's worth paying more to get it. If I just intend to read it, glean what I can from it, it's not worth paying as much. To me! If the seller is happy to sell for what I'm happy to buy for, that's totally fine. If not, well, it is nothing personal. Just say no if you don't want to sell at that price. Don't take it personally!

 

So, no, if I know sellers are likely to take a lower offer personally, I don't offer even if their item is worth something to me, just not what they're asking.

 

5) Posts where shipping is $5 or whatever plus .50 per book after that. Yow, does that add up! Actual shipping plus some flat rate of $2 or so for the box or time & trouble is much more tempting when I buy used. (I may just be hyper-sensitive to this because so many ebay listings seem to be trying to make more money off shipping than off the actual item!)

 

 

What I do like is when someone has a long list of good books/texts and they price everything individually, charge "actual shipping, discount if you purchase multiple items. Offers welcome." Those posts get me every time!

 

yvonne

[Heather in VA]

:iagree:

 

Basic economics.

 

And the economy right now is bad. It isn't a matter of "getting something for nothing" at this point; it is a matter of no one having funds.

 

 

a

 

Actually it is a matter of something for nothing. When I have gotten these offers (20% or less of retail or how about I send you this craft I made) just about always I have gotten a nasty email back after I've declined saying that they don't have much money and need a break. To me that attitude is ' I want something for nothing'. They've chosen to homeschool and now feel like it's my responsibility to cut my price down to what they can afford. Since those who do buy what I sell regularly tell me I have great prices, I don't think I'm being unreasonable. I have had times where someone has offered something less with reasons to back it up and I have had no problem complying. Usually it was a price I was considering lowering anyway because I wasn't sure it was reasonable.

 

There is a store in our area whose motto is 'An educated consumer is our best customer'. That's how I feel. Someone who is familiar with the market is going to do very well with me.

 

Heather

[swimmermom3]

This thread has brought up so many questions for me as both a buyer and a seller of used curriculum. Can I ask here or do I need to start another thread?

[Haiku]

What I do like is when someone has a long list of good books/texts and they price everything individually, charge "actual shipping, discount if you purchase multiple items. Offers welcome." Those posts get me every time!

 

I think sellers (and I have been one myself) just have to accept that you can't please everybody. What I like is to have the item listed with the price including postage; Such and Such Book, $15 ppd. If I don't know what the shipping charge will be (e.g., if they say "actual shipping" but I don't know how much that will be), I doubt I will offer to buy because the shipping may turn what I consider to be a great deal into a dud. Bottom line is, I want to know what the total cost will be, no fuss, no muss.

 

I recently purchased some RightStart items. The asking price seemed high, but I had been looking for a while and hadn't been able to find (or be the first to get) these items. I went to the RightStart website and totted up the price for new items. It didn't seem like so much of a savings until I added in RS's shipping costs. What I discovered is that by buying used from the seller I was considering, I was saving 26% off the new price for items that were new, unused, still in original packaging. I don't see how that isn't a huge savings on my part ... why would I need to demand 50% off?

 

Tara

[chaik76]

I'm curious...

 

When you buy something used, but in excellent like-new condition for 50% off, and then you sell it the following year still in excellent condition, what do you charge?? Do you charge 50% off the retail of the books when new (basically what YOU paid for it so you in essence got to use the curriculum for free), or 50% off what you actually paid for it?

 

I don't see that most people "overvalue their used stuff." Sure, there are some who do, but on average I think most people are pretty fair in what they ask (of course, I don't shop ebay either). I personally feel that it is the buyers who are often unfair in their expectations. I know people who have unopened, unused still in SHRINK WRAP BJU curriculum and people want THAT at 50% off too. :confused: To me, that is just plain wrong. Sellers should be able to sell like-new, or new unused, curriculum for 20%-30% off retail and get buyers...but that is a rarity indeed.

 

I always, ALWAYS, take a huge loss when I sell my curriculum. Always. And more often than not it is curriculum I have purchased and not used. Is it worth more than I charge? You betcha! But can I get even one person interested unless it is at least 50% off...nope. Selling curriculum is frustrating business, but having it sitting on my shelves serves no purpose whatsoever...so I sell. Then I start the process all over again with new curriculum. It's a sickness. :lol::tongue_smilie:

You'd hate me.:D While I won't ask you to price your curriculum cheaper, I look for very cheap prices. I won't pay more than 25% of original cost as it's not worth it to me. Online, I find those prices hard to find. But I can find them at used curriculum sales (I once got SL Core 5---ALL of Core 5 for $20. I got the entire Robinson Curriculum for $20 too). I like the search component of looking for used curriculum too, so I'm willing to really look for something. For BRAND new curriculum, never cracked, still in shrink-wrap type I'm willing to consider 50%-to 60% off. For me it comes down to the fact that once a person buys it, it is used.

 

You mentioned that you should be able to sell new curriculum for 20%-30%

off. Between amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Borders, I can get it at least 20% off new. So for me, 20% off used or 20% off new is a no-brainer...I'm obviously going to go for the new.

 

Maybe you should list your stuff without a price and ask people to make an offer. I bet you would get more potential buyers that way.

 

Tara

I have to admit, I never even look at things where I have to offer a price. I want it to be stated.

 

ETA: For me, the way I purchase used is good economics...I can usually get a SL core for about 75% off, some of my math was free, I got an entire Abeka 2nd grade curriculum for $50...that's worth waiting around for, where I would feel really bad if I had paid 50-75% of the original price for used materials and then found these deals later.

Edited June 28, 2009 by chaik76

[Haiku]

 

I have to admit, I never even look at things where I have to offer a price. I want it to be stated.

 

I have never offered a price for something, either. But there must be braver, bolder people out there who do, based on some of the posts in this thread. :)

 

Tara

[chaik76]

I have never offered a price for something, either. But there must be braver, bolder people out there who do, based on some of the posts in this thread. :)

 

Tara

Lol! They must be (braver, that is)!

[shinyhappypeople]

You'd hate me.:D While I won't ask you to price your curriculum cheaper, I look for very cheap prices. I won't pay more than 25% of original cost as it's not worth it to me. Online, I find those prices hard to find. But I can find them at used curriculum sales (I once got SL Core 5---ALL of Core 5 for $20. I got the entire Robinson Curriculum for $20 too). I like the search component of looking for used curriculum too, so I'm willing to really look for something. For BRAND new curriculum, never cracked, still in shrink-wrap type I'm willing to consider 50%-to 60% off. For me it comes down to the fact that once a person buys it, it is used. ...

 

ETA: For me, the way I purchase used is good economics...I can usually get a SL core for about 75% off, some of my math was free, I got an entire Abeka 2nd grade curriculum for $50...that's worth waiting around for, where I would feel really bad if I had paid 50-75% of the original price for used materials and then found these deals later.

 

:iagree:

 

 

For me, I'm only able to buy things very inexpensively. That's just reality. I'm not trying to get something for nothing, I'm trying to get something that fits my minuscule budget :) I need things to be at least 50% off (usually). It's nothing personal against sellers who also need to be paid more than that.

 

It's a trade-off, though. I browse for sale ads knowing that I might need to compromise on edition and, to a degree, condition. I still won't bother with trashed books, though. But books that look used but are still very usable are fine.

[swimmermom3]

I've asked for a discount once...I'll never do it again.:D I ordered one book that was ppd. I found another book from the same seller, also ppd and asked her to add the book. I believe the total was what was listed. Amazon wanted $24.24 for the books with free shipping. The seller wanted around $21.00 ppd. I had both books home from the library and knew what postage should cost based on weight, factoring in packaging materials, and Paypal fees. I asked for a discount based on shipping more than one item. My request was granted but I don't think happily.

 

The books were nice, but not new. They were sent in a padded envelope without cardboard, so they were scrunched into our mailbox:(

 

After reading the responses on here, I couldn't gather up the nerve to ask for a discount again. However, next time I would bypass any items that came that close to the new price. For $1.60 per book I could have had new and I wouldn't have offended anyone.

[Reefgazer]

The overall condition of the text (including the cover and binding) is important to me because I plan to use that text with more than one student and I want it to be durable.  In addition, I resell my books after we are done, so I get a higher re-sale value on texts in good condition.

Ok, here's what I don't get.... does it really matter what the book looks like? I mean as long as all the pages are there and not torn or written in completely- who cares if some pages are bent/creased/smudged a little or just looks like it has been used by a few kids? The INFORMATION in the book is the same, regardless of the condition. It's not like there is any less info if the book is used.
Of course if something is in pretty bad condition, then no, it shouldn't be listed close to retail price. But if there isn't much wrong with it other than the fact it was read by a child/parent, why not?

 

[...................]

I usually end up almost selling at a loss.

[Reefgazer]

I'm curious...

 

When you buy something used, but in excellent like-new condition for 50% off, and then you sell it the following year still in excellent condition, what do you charge?? Do you charge 50% off the retail of the books when new (basically what YOU paid for it so you in essence got to use the curriculum for free), or 50% off what you actually paid for it?

 

I don't see that most people "overvalue their used stuff." Sure, there are some who do, but on average I think most people are pretty fair in what they ask (of course, I don't shop ebay either). I personally feel that it is the buyers who are often unfair in their expectations. I know people who have unopened, unused still in SHRINK WRAP BJU curriculum and people want THAT at 50% off too. :confused: To me, that is just plain wrong. Sellers should be able to sell like-new, or new unused, curriculum for 20%-30% off retail and get buyers...but that is a rarity indeed.

 

I always, ALWAYS, take a huge loss when I sell my curriculum. Always. And more often than not it is curriculum I have purchased and not used. Is it worth more than I charge? You betcha! But can I get even one person interested unless it is at least 50% off...nope. Selling curriculum is frustrating business, but having it sitting on my shelves serves no purpose whatsoever...so I sell. Then I start the process all over again with new curriculum. It's a sickness. :lol: :tongue_smilie:

I know this question wasn't directed at me, but I sell for as much as the market will bear.  And I shop for something at the cheapest price I can get for something I want in the condition I want.  Sometimes, the value of a book goes up or down depending on how much easier or harder it is to find, and if it goes up, I will charge more if the market will bear it.  TO me, that's being a smart shopper and consumer.

[AimeeM]

Ok, here's what I don't get.... does it really matter what the book looks like? I mean as long as all the pages are there and not torn or written in completely- who cares if some pages are bent/creased/smudged a little or just looks like it has been used by a few kids? The INFORMATION in the book is the same, regardless of the condition. It's not like there is any less info if the book is used.

Of course if something is in pretty bad condition, then no, it shouldn't be listed close to retail price. But if there isn't much wrong with it other than the fact it was read by a child/parent, why not?

 

Why would I pay close to retail price for a book that is obviously very used, readable/useable or not, if I can buy it for little more BRAND NEW? There's no incentive there.

I like the look of nice books too :)

 

[Reefgazer]

:iagree:

 

Basic economics.

 

And the economy right now is bad. It isn't a matter of "getting something for nothing" at this point; it is a matter of no one having funds. Historically, this is how any economy "re-sets" its price points.

 

Unless, of course, you remember the 70s, when hyper-inflation blew everything to bits...

 

 

a

 

I agree with this; a person sells for what the market will bear, or they can't sell their product.  That works both ways, too; I've upped my price if I can sell for a higher price.  I have been in sales situations where I can't sell something for a reasonable price, and I donate it and enter it in It's Deductible and I often come out ahead with donating something and taking the deduction off my taxes.

[warneral]

FYI this thread is from nearly 5 years ago

[nukeswife]

Holy Zombie post.  This was from 2009 

[pitterpatter]

It's the high and increasing cost of shipping and losing PayPal fees. There are a couple of books I can't even sell because I would have to charge full retail to break even or keep from going into the hole after shipping, etc. I try to keep most of my curriculum priced at half price, plus shipping (I eat the PayPal fees).

 

If someone is charging $20 shipped for a used book in very good used condition when my only other option is to buy it new direct from the publisher for $24, plus something ridiculous like $7 shipping and handling, I will buy the used version for $20 shipped. Savings is actually $11 at this point.

[pitterpatter]

I don't get it. Where do these "zombie" posts come from?

 

 

Holy Zombie post.  This was from 2009 

 

[dzingirl]

What I really don't get is I recently bid on some levels of AAS on eBay. They ended up selling for more than they cost new from Rainbow Resource!

[nukeswife]

I don't get it. Where do these "zombie" posts come from?

By Zombie post I mean a really old post that's been resurrected.   I'm guessing they come from someone doing a search and then not noticing when the original post was from