How do I price used curriculum for a local HS sale?

[ListmakerMel]

Our HS group is having a used curriculum sale this week and I'm wondering what is the generally accepted cost of used books in very good or like new condition? I was thinking about asking for half of what I paid for them; does that sound reasonable? Thanks.

[Mommyfaithe]

Our HS group is having a used curriculum sale this week and I'm wondering what is the generally accepted cost of used books in very good or like new condition? I was thinking about asking for half of what I paid for them; does that sound reasonable? Thanks.

 

I always seel for 1/2 or less. I figure it is helping out another hs Mom and helpong me out too.

 

Faithe

[CalicoKat]

I always seel for 1/2 or less. I figure it is helping out another hs Mom and helpong me out too.

 

Faithe

I use the 1/2 price criteria too.

 

And I go to sales with my list of wants and the prices I would have to pay for it new (including shipping). If I find it and indeed it's new then I'm looking for at least the savings on shipping costs + perhaps 10% off.

 

If it's not on my list I really have to talk myself out of it. I must stick to the list at all cost or I'll be out of cash.

[silliness7]

When I price for used book sales I look up what it would cost brand new at Amazon or Rainbow Resource and mark it according to what one would pay brand-new at those places. After all, if they're taking the time to hunt and dig for bargains in a crowded used book sale I'm pretty confident that the majority of the shoppers are familiar with the online discount stores.

 

I try to put myself in the place of the seller and determine from there. If it's an item I think people would have on their LIST then I would price it a bit lower than the Amazon/RR price if it was brand-new and keep marking a few dollars off as the condition deteriorated.

 

If it's an item that is obscure or a supplement that would be an extra I price that considerably lower.

 

I just recently sold at a used fair and had opportunity to shop as well. I was looking for a used SOTW Vol. 2 for less than I could get it new at Amazon...which was $11+. Someone had a used copy for $15. No Thanks. I don't know what she paid for it and that doesn't factor into my decision at all. After the sale, I took my earnings and placed my order at Amazon.

 

I sold about half of my stuff. Maybe I should have gone even lower on some things. I thought my prices were good. I was quite shocked at how high some people price their used stuff and wasn't surprised that they were packing it up at the end of the sale.

[angela in ohio]

Prices will be lower at a local sale than online, but you can peruse the boards here or at someplace like HomeschoolClassifieds.com (they tend to have higher prices) to get a starting idea. It depends a lot on what you have. If is a general how-to resource or teacher-store type book, you need to mark it pretty low (lower than half) to sell it. If it a specific curriculum that is popular, you can mark it higher (25% or a few dollars off of new price.) If you have a complete set of something, you can charge more than if you are missing the student book. It pays to look up the current editions of BJU or A Beka. If you can mark it "current edition," you will be able to sell it more easily and for more. An older edition of any curriculum will need to be sold for quite a bit less.

 

Like a pp said, it doesn't matter what you personally paid for it, it matters what the lowest new price at RR or Amazon is currently.

 

I am currently marking books for my local sale. For more expensive items, I am cutting the description and price out of last year's RR catalog to tape to the sticky note. Organizing your space (if you get your own table) by category is helpful. Take some plastic grocery bags and plenty of change! :001_smile:

[Mad Jenny Flint]

Rebecca's advice is good. I usually look on ebay, though, and see what the "buy it now" price is for an item. It will be about the lowest price to be found online. Then, I knock quite a bit off of that- often up to half- and sell for that. However, I do price to make it worth my while, when selling online, to leave my house and box something up at the post office. That alone is worth some money to me. I can donate it for free, kwim?

[ListmakerMel]

Prices will be lower at a local sale than online, but you can peruse the boards here or at someplace like HomeschoolClassifieds.com (they tend to have higher prices) to get a starting idea. It depends a lot on what you have. If is a general how-to resource or teacher-store type book, you need to mark it pretty low (lower than half) to sell it. If it a specific curriculum that is popular, you can mark it higher (25% or a few dollars off of new price.) If you have a complete set of something, you can charge more than if you are missing the student book. It pays to look up the current editions of BJU or A Beka. If you can mark it "current edition," you will be able to sell it more easily and for more. An older edition of any curriculum will need to be sold for quite a bit less.

 

Like a pp said, it doesn't matter what you personally paid for it, it matters what the lowest new price at RR or Amazon is currently.

 

I am currently marking books for my local sale. For more expensive items, I am cutting the description and price out of last year's RR catalog to tape to the sticky note. Organizing your space (if you get your own table) by category is helpful. Take some plastic grocery bags and plenty of change! :001_smile:

 

Going by the lowest price at RR or Amazon makes more sense than going by what I actually paid for it. Thanks, I hadn't really thought about that.

Thanks also for the suggestion about bringing plastic bags, I hadn't thought about that either! I'll bring my copy of the latest RR catalog with me as a reference.

 

I appreciate everyone's help. It makes sense to ask for a bit more for items that are popular and in good condition and less for obscure stuff.