KidsHappen Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 :confused: I am getting ready to clean out my shelves. I have an unbeliebable amount of stuff that doesn't need to be passed on to dgs and that I don't see a need for in the future. Much of it is brand new textbooks ot kit that are heavy. I can't see being able to even sell them for the cost of shipping and I hate to just give them to Goodwill. What a waste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74Heaven Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Is it because homeschool curriculum sellers are coming out with newer editions more regularly? Is it because there is so much new curriculum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 <donning my Captain Obvious bloomers> Why don't you sell them plus shipping? I've never purchased anything from a private person (or even Amazon marketplace) without shipping being additional... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 <donning my Captain Obvious bloomers> Why don't you sell them plus shipping? I've never purchased anything from a private person (or even Amazon marketplace) without shipping being additional... Selling them implies a buyer willing to pay. (refer back to several recent threads on the topic) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I think most used buyers want a BARGAIN. As in less then 50% of the new cost, shipping included. I'd rather give my stuff away then sell it for only a few dollars and the hassle of shippin, KWIM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tohru Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I agree on all points. I sometimes browse Homeschool Classifieds (or whatever it is called) and I'm floored by what people ask for used stuff. It's literally the same price as new sometimes. I don't know if they are just hoping someone does not notice or they didn't bother to look that up. :iagree: Yep. I buy new to honor the writer's work, but I buy used to save money on our slim budget years. Whenever I sell something, I generally don't have a problem finding a buyer right away since I'm not trying to "re-comp" what I paid, which is what I think most sellers are trying to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 It depends, for me. I'm buying more used than ever... but there are still things I buy new. I'm buying the new MCT editions, but plan to use them for 4 children. I bought my oldest's MCT used... and it has not been updated yet. I bought an old edition of BJU Cultural Geography...but it included all of the necessary parts (tests, keys, etc.). I would be less likely to purchase used if parts are not available. I bought a used edition of Physical Science and Biology (both Abeka), because it had everything I needed. Same with Literature (Of People, Of Places). I bought WTM stuff new... and usually buy new from small publishers and things that are difficult to find complete sets of used. I bought used TEs for editions of things I have... I buy almost all of our reading books used (novels, historical fiction, etc.) I have a mixture of old and new... but in general, if I've got to pass something down, I generally buy new simply because it's going to get used a LOT. The only used purchase I've made I've been dissapointed in as a Foerster's textbook that is truly used (not what I'd consider "good") it has writing everywhere. I do plan on replacing that with a new copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarreymere Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Can't you donate used homeschool curriculum? I think there are some places that will then send it out to families who want to homeschool but can't afford to buy anything....... Book Samaritan http://www.thebooksamaritan.com/ Second Harvest will buy your books then sell them at a discount to others http://www.usedhomeschoolbooks.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 (edited) I've done ok selling (online & in local used curriculum/book sales). I'm not necessarily trying to recoup all my $, but to make some cash & clear out some space. So far, it has worked well for me to both buy & sell used materials. You could also try: * Posting an ad on craigslist or w/ some local hsing groups w/ the specification that the person picks up the materials (or you meet them somewhere locally to do a hand-off) * Putting some of your books on PaperbackSwap &/or BookMooch (if you don't want other books, you can sell book credits to others [on PBS at least]; I'm not on BookMooch, so I'm not sure how that works) * Have a yard sale & advertise it as hs/educational materials Edited June 16, 2011 by Stacia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I think most used buyers want a BARGAIN. As in less then 50% of the new cost, shipping included. I'd rather give my stuff away then sell it for only a few dollars and the hassle of shippin, KWIM? I agree. I sell for 50% or less and include shipping. It has to be an expensive enough curriculum and in demand or I won't waste my time listing it. There are a lot of things on my shelf just not worth selling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I feel the same way. In the beginning I didn't buy much but I sold every bit of it for about half of what I paid and then used that to buy the next year's stuff. no more! I sold at our state convention one year but the hassle wasn't worth it. So I didn't last year. or this year....and locally I only sold a handful of items. I have so much stuff right now!! I want it out of here and would gladly sell it for pennies to just get it out of the house. I HATE going to the post office and I usually lose money on the sale when I have to ship....it's always more than before so I lose out. If people keep selling stuff so cheap then I can't get half of what I paid even though it's often in prime condition. I have no answers, but I completely agree and have no idea how I will ever get this curriculum off my shelves :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyinTN Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I always buy our stuff new and donate to the library when we are finished. I don't want the hassle of weeding out the bad sellers and getting taken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Why not give them to local homeschoolers? Our co-op has a sign-in table where folks often leave give-aways - clothes, shoes, boxes of books or hs supplies. As folks sign their kids in to co-op, they also peruse the offerings. If you don't do co-op, do you have a local Yahoo group for homeschoolers? Ours has 800 subscribers, so stuff offered free goes *fast*, and stuff sold for local pick-up does too. You can just leave it on your front porch and have the requester pick it up from there. OR perhaps you know a new homeschooler who does co-op and such and could take your stuff and distribute it as needed to the community? Or perhaps you could sell it, not with the intention of making money, but with the intention of blessing someone else with a real bargain. Or Amazon has a new scheme where you send them your textbooks and they take it from there, giving you store credit. A minimal amount, but might be worthwhile as you avoid the hassle of selling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I have started donating mine to local nonprofits and the Friends of the library. I can then determine the worth and claim it on my taxes. WHat I claim is usually half of the new cost. The organization can then make money by selling and I can make some back on my taxes the next year. Way easier than selling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertDweller Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Not really sure. I know back in the day I bought and sold curriculum every year with great success. I would guess that newer editions are making it hard at times to sell used. The other thing is the cost and hassle of shipping. I don't really like to sell anything anymore because of the shipping costs. It's more expensive now to ship even media mail, and I also have to either round up packaging materials or purchase something to send it in. And, I just dread the trip to the post office. It's dumb on my part, but I don't like standing in line. Our post office is always busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 And, I just dread the trip to the post office. It's dumb on my part, but I don't like standing in line. Our post office is always busy. By the way, you can ship Media Mail from home, via PayPal. I just print out my mailing label, stick it to my package, and put it in my mail box. No post office trip, and it comes with DC automatically. Here's the link: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now You can take it to the PO for them to scan it if you want to be sure it gets in the system before going out to never-never land, but you don't have to, so for less expensive items (which you can afford to have go astray) it's a nice easy approach. (You do have to have a way to weigh the package.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I don't find what I'm looking for used so I buy it new. It's also hard to beat Amazon prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Because it is so easy now with the Internet to find the cheapest copy of any given material. A college textbook, previous edition, that would cost new $120 can be found for $5-10 - you have to sell really cheap for a buyer to consider YOUR stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readinmom Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 As a new hs, there's always the thrill of getting the new box, everything nice and shiny. As I've gotten older, it's not about the "prettiness" of it all. Our budget most definitely drives what I buy. I only sell the items I know are in want/need. Last night we dropped off boxes of books, including science related books from ds 14. He was into everything that crawls, creeps, or shoots venom. These books had sat out at our garage sale for two weeks in a row. Not one book, fiction or non-fiction sold. :confused: We also donate to the Discovery Shop, which supports the American Cancer Society. Our local store is desperate for books, and is delighted to receive all we can donate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMary2 Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I agree on all points. I sometimes browse Homeschool Classifieds (or whatever it is called) and I'm floored by what people ask for used stuff. It's literally the same price as new sometimes. I don't know if they are just hoping someone does not notice or they didn't bother to look that up. There are people on HS Classifieds that sell at retail, NEW, not just used. I sell new items, at a slight discount and get quite a few orders. My prices include shipping. That said, so many people do not bother to read the complete listing or read the note on seller pages. Many people don't have a clue what a new item actually retails for, as I have had more than one person try to educate me about a retail price for an item and they are completely wrong. I also get emails with questions that are answered in the listing. It gets frustrating, but it goes with the territory of doing business online. **I use NEW as the description becuase they are NEW, never used or previously owned. I am a retailer, former owner of a brick and mortar store so I have leftover inventory and access to new inventory. I have had people try to tell me that because I am selling it on HS Classifieds it can't be new. Well, yes it can, it came straight from Apologia (or wherever) and it still has shrinkwrap or in box etc and I am a retailer, therefore it is new and in the same condition you'd get from RR or CBD. Just to clarify that not everyone on HS Classifieds is selling used or trying to get one over on people who may not realize what retail prices are. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I think it's becoming harder to sell used because: 1. people want to pay less than half new, and with the cost of shipping that can be hard to do 2. people (like me) have been burned buying used....it's happened twice in a row to me now I've taken to listing everything I no longer need onto paperbackswap. I no longer buy thinking that it will be possible for me to re-sell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick_Mom Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 (edited) Agreeing with what previous posters have said. I sold on HS Classifieds for two years (after saying I would never do it -- it just seemed like too much of a hassle). I priced things very reasonably -- I *started* at 50% of retail and then reduced the price based on condition. My goal was not to make a killing or even to recoup what I originally paid -- it was to put hsing materials in the hands of people who needed something I had, for minimal cost. And like another poster said, I didn't sell just anything -- there are things that, frankly, no one wants or that are not worth it to sell. (A $3 answer key? Not worth the time and effort.) Those things went to Book Samaritan. It blessed me to bless other homeschoolers. I can't donate to other homeschoolers locally, because I can count the number of local homeschoolers on the fingers of one hand. ;) And one time when I tried to sell something to someone for just the cost of shipping, I never got paid. Other than that, though, my transactions were satisfying for both me and those who purchased from me. There was just something great about knowing that someone needed X, I happened to have X, and I could put it in their hands. And as another poster said, it drove me nuts when someone didn't bother to read the info in my listings. I took the time and trouble to list condition and edition, and to note that shipping is included. But some people asked me those questions anyway. :confused: Edited June 16, 2011 by Maverick_Mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschooltoone Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I think most used buyers want a BARGAIN. As in less then 50% of the new cost, shipping included. I'd rather give my stuff away then sell it for only a few dollars and the hassle of shippin, KWIM? :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I think most used buyers want a BARGAIN. As in less then 50% of the new cost, shipping included. I'd rather give my stuff away then sell it for only a few dollars and the hassle of shippin, KWIM? :iagree: I had more than one potential buyer try to talk me into offering free shipping because the item was used. Sometimes I felt like the person was taking advantage of me to the point where I wondered if I should purchase a plane ticket and hand deliver the item to them on a silver platter. I understand trying to find a bargain but to come across as the buyer is doing the seller a favor just got on my last nerve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sushi's Mom Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 You could always organize a curriculum swap. No money would change hands. There are different ways to do these, you would have to research that. Here are two ways. Free for All-everyone brings their books, puts them out on the tables, and everyone can go around and take whatever they want. All remaining books get donated. One for One Swap-people get a ticket for each book they bring. Everything gets set up, then people can 'shop';one ticket per book. I have also heard of people using tickets combined with some sort of payment, but I don't remember the details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I'd rather give my stuff away then sell it for only a few dollars and the hassle of shippin, KWIM? This is me. I rarely find it worthwhile to sell my stuff online. Besides giving it away really helps folks in this economy and makes me feel good. I'm fortunate that our homeschool group has a twice yearly curriculum sale. It makes it really easy to sell or swap curriculum, give it away, and/or buy more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 (edited) NT Edited June 16, 2011 by radiobrain there are just days you realize, what am I saying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZooRho Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 I I sold at our state convention one year but the hassle wasn't worth it. So I didn't last year. or this year....and locally I only sold a handful of items. I have so much stuff right now!! Really I have done it a few years. Yeah it isn't totally an easy thing to do but I have made pretty good money doing it. We shall see this year. There were only 4 things left for me to pick up and I turned around and dontated them. I only took a paper ream box full of books. I like taking it to the convention since it is easier to just give it a price. and it will probably sell. and for buyers they can see exacty what they are getting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 One reason that might be contributing is that there are so many more options in the past few years. More curriculi (sp?) have been developed recently so perhaps people are spread out a bit thinner. For me for the coming year, I have bought some used, but in other cases I have had to buy new. In some cases where the publisher has come out with newer editions, I prefer to buy those, so I will also buy new for those products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 I don't buy used just because twice I've been had at auction sales. Even if I'm only losing $15-20, it is still a loss. I don't want to take another chance at dealing with a dishonest person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeBeaks Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 Frankly it's hard to beat Amazon's prices, and that comes with free shipping with Amazon prime, which gets here weeks before media mail. For me, it often means I would pay more for used than I would new. I do a lot of sewing too, and the same phenomenon happens - people want to sell fabric (unused obviously) but by the time you tack on expensive shipping it is cheaper to just buy it from a retailer for "full price" but free shipping. I personally also use a charter school. They buy a lot of my materials for me, and deliver them at the start of the year. I don't have to buy a lot of it. That helps us stay a one-income family. What that doesn't cover and the library has, I often look there too before buying. Times are tough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 Can't you donate used homeschool curriculum? I think there are some places that will then send it out to families who want to homeschool but can't afford to buy anything....... Book Samaritan http://www.thebooksamaritan.com/ This is how I'm handling the excess these days. I tried selling at the local curriculum fair a couple of years ago and found it wasn't worth the frustration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolamum Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 Without having read the other replies I'd say: Shipping Charges are HUGE now; especially overseas HS companies are great for making their new clients feel they should ONLY buy NEW from THEM; I could rant about this, but I'll hold my tongue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tohru Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 NT :lol: I LOVE your reason for editing! It's something that I'm going to write down to keep in mind for those special days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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