I went to the yearly BIG used homeschool book sale yesterday and....

[sandalwood]

Everything was so darn expensive!!! What gives? Last year, I got great deals. This year people had almost full price on items and a lot of it sat there, too. The expensive things were not selling at that price. What gives? I'd say a lot of the high school stuff was marked at 3/4 or more of retail & they'd be beat up. Plus, I saw a lot of stuff with used portions (like worksheets written on). Oh, and lots of resellers where there too grabbing stuff. At this sale, they let you pick up whatever you want and go sit against the wall in chairs and then go casually through it. So, if you went early you could pick up stacks of books, then go hold it till the end as you go through it. I think I am skipping next year:rofl: No deals to be found this year -- at least at the high school level. Maybe the younger grades had great deals.

Edited July 1, 2012 by sandalwood

[GoVanGogh]

I have noticed that, too.

 

I sent out an e-mail to the local homeschool group recently trying to sell stuff. I priced everything really low, as I just wanted to get rid of stuff. I did sell some, so I was happy. But I have received several e-mails from other homeschoolers in this past week with things priced crazy high -- like $25 for a used book that sells new for $29. :001_huh: And here I was trying to sell the same item for $10.

[happyhomemaker25]

Everything was so darn expensive!!! What gives? Last year, I got great deals. This year people had almost full price on items and a lot of it sat there, too. The expensive things were not selling at that price. What gives? I'd say a lot of the high school stuff was marked at 3/4 or more of retail & they'd be beat up. Plus, I saw a lot of stuff with used portions (like worksheets written on). Oh, and lots of resellers where there too grabbing stuff. At this sale, they let you pick up whatever you want and go sit against the wall in chairs and then go casually through it. So, if you went early you could pick up stacks of books, then go hold it till the end as you go through it. I think I am skipping next year:rofl: No deals to be found this year -- at least at the high school level. Maybe the younger grades had great deals.

 

Hmmm... we were probably at the same sale. I noticed there was not as much stuff and things were crazy overpriced. I said to a friend of mine that there must be a lot of new sellers. I did that the first year I sold. I learned my lesson though and almost sold out this year. :tongue_smilie:

[tots2teens]

I was there too! This was my first year going to that sale and I didn't know what to expect. I found a few decent deals and a few things I was looking for but I wondered the whole time if all those people lined up against the walls with stacks of books had something I needed (and they weren't going to buy).

I did notice A LOT of workbooks COMPLETELY filled in! I was really surprised by that! Why would anyone want to buy a completed workbook? All the time spent erasing, I could just buy a new one!

I did have a few wonderful kid free hours, though!!

[tots2teens]

So I came home to look on here for curriculum & the site was down:glare:

[radiobrain]

I went to one last month and was totally irritated.

 

We had the gamut, those with really well priced stuff and those that were obnoxious.

 

There was a lady who had a lot of things that I was looking for, but her stuff was priced at almost retail....AND she stood there talking to a friend and ignored me the 5X I stopped to look at her stuff. It never looked like she sold anything, she never really tried to sell anything, and usually at the end of the sale people are practically giving stuff away so they don't have to take it home. She never budged. Granted, I never asked, but that was because of her demeanor. What is the point of pricing, lugging, setting up, paying for a table, standing there for 4 hours, if you don't plan on actually selling anything?

 

There was a point where I made a decision that would not buy from her even if she lowered her prices. I guess we would all be privileged to pay her $$ for books she had touched.

 

I bought from several people just because I liked them.

 

I don't know what the deal is with sellers right now.....and buyers want things practically for free. Weird dynamic.

[shanvan]

 

I don't know what the deal is with sellers right now.....and buyers want things practically for free. Weird dynamic.

 

:iagree:And it's weird online too. I'm almost at the point of thinking it's not worth it to sell or buy used.

[StephanieZ]

Personally, I think the problem is dealers instead of simply moms. There are people on this board who are clearly dealing. I see them on the sale/swap board routinely, and the same person is always trying to buy enough curricula to outfit a village somewhere. I caught on to one a couple years ago when her volume on the FS board was irritating me and the I noticed she had WTB items many, many years beyond her very young kids. I politely called her on it, and she attacked me, and then promptly removed her the info identifying her kids purported levels from her signature. I am not the WTM police, so I no longer bother calling people on their obvious violations of the posting volume and No Dealer policies, but I do avoid those sellers/buyers completely.

 

When I see a person routinely posting WTB all levels of a k-college math program, etc, who has thousands of posts and 99% are on the sale boards, well, I have come to just ignore their posts. I won't do business with them, and I figure the moderators here know the deal and have decided not to make a big issue out of it, which is fine with me, as I assume these dealers aren't cheating people since they have not been banned. No matter, I never deal with them knowingly as I'd rather pass on my good deals to a family who wants the books, not someone who is simply in business (and not very ethically IMHO since the WTM boards have posted rules prohibiting dealers).

 

To make money, you need to buy cheap and sell high. I think the hs used market is a new field for them, and some of them might well actually hs their kids, but are dealing books to make money. I don't have a problem with it, but it really muddies up the water when you are making sales. Moms like us are happy enough to sell for a bit less than what we paid if it is used, or are happy to take quite a bit less if we bought new, but if folks are trying to make money, the approach is obviously different.

[HollyDay]

I have noticed this pricing increase this year too. I have purchased very little used this Spring. I did get some good deals in early Winter, tough. Cbd and Rainbow Resource have had some nice sales this spring with free or reduced shipping to go along with it.

[Farrar]

I find that at least half the time, the used prices on things are so close to the original price that once you add in the shipping, it actually comes out to MORE than buying on RR or Amazon if you can get free shipping. Absurd. And a huge percentage of the rest of the time, it's less, but only slightly less - not enough to justify the risk of buying used and ending up with something that isn't in the condition it was advertised as or the seller being someone pulling a scam.

 

In person sales are usually better - no risk because you know what you're getting and no shipping. How sad that the prices weren't better!

[sandalwood]

Hi neighbors :) It was the HERI sale in Jx'ville :)

 

Hmmm... we were probably at the same sale. I noticed there was not as much stuff and things were crazy overpriced. I said to a friend of mine that there must be a lot of new sellers. I did that the first year I sold. I learned my lesson though and almost sold out this year. :tongue_smilie:

Good for you! That's wonderful you sold most of your stuff! I took some stuff up there Friday to sell but told them to accept what didn't sell as donations so I won't know till the check comes how much I sold. I did price my stuff at rock bottom prices though so here's hoping.:)

I was there too! This was my first year going to that sale and I didn't know what to expect. I found a few decent deals and a few things I was looking for but I wondered the whole time if all those people lined up against the walls with stacks of books had something I needed (and they weren't going to buy).

I did notice A LOT of workbooks COMPLETELY filled in! I was really surprised by that! Why would anyone want to buy a completed workbook? All the time spent erasing, I could just buy a new one!

I did have a few wonderful kid free hours, though!!

I think they need to handle the hoarding by the walls better. I don't know how they'd solve it but it's a problem. About 15 min. before it was over, a lot of it was put back out but by then it's really too late.

 

I saw bunches of workbooks filled out, too which is crazy. I know when I dropped off stuff, they flipped through some of my books to make sure they were clean. I guess it just depends who checked you in. I am baffled why anyone would think someone would want to buy a used workbook or one with missing pages?

[ChrissySC]

I've noticed this all over the place. I send things back out into the world at half of what I bought it. Often times, I price it at just enough to cover postage. :)

 

Why is everyone doing this? And why would I buy a workbook that you wrote in? Have you seen that one yet? (and not just a page or two, but 10 plus????)

[shanvan]

I've noticed this all over the place. I send things back out into the world at half of what I bought it. Often times, I price it at just enough to cover postage. :)

 

Why is everyone doing this? And why would I buy a workbook that you wrote in? Have you seen that one yet? (and not just a page or two, but 10 plus????)

 

Well, I sometimes include a used workbook just so the buyer can see what the exercises cover. Sometimes the material can be covered out loud. And, I have found ways to re-use BJU Reading workbooks even if they are written in. But, for the most part the hassle of working with a used workbook isn't worth it.

 

If I do include a workbook that is written in it's just as a throw in with a set. I've never sold one!

[Teresa in MO]

I help organize a fairly big used curriculum sale held every year at the beginning of June. We have about 75 tables set up. I did not see the price increase you all are talking about. I have seen it here on the boards, but for the most part most sellers would price their curriculum that was in good condition for around 50% of the retail price. I got a good deal on Rainbow Science. I got the whole set for $20. All I need to buy is a lab workbook and the consumable lab set. This will cost me $73. I thought that was pretty good.

[ChrissySC]

Well, I sometimes include a used workbook just so the buyer can see what the exercises cover. Sometimes the material can be covered out loud. And, I have found ways to re-use BJU Reading workbooks even if they are written in. But, for the most part the hassle of working with a used workbook isn't worth it.

 

If I do include a workbook that is written in it's just as a throw in with a set. I've never sold one!

 

LOL, thank you for not trying to sell me your used workbook, but I have really seen them for a few dollars that clearly state that they are completely filled.

:lol:

[KarenNC]

I did run across one particular seller at a local used sale who was trying to sell a used paperback of Hunger Games for $20. When I pointed out to her that the price imprinted on it was $8.99 new and it was available new on Amazon for $5.39, she protested that it was new (it was in good condition) and offered to take first $15 then $7. I offered $5 and she refused. AFAIK, she still has it. After that, I didn't bother looking at any of her other stuff.

[angela in ohio]

It's the same thing that happens with people selling houses. People price things at what they "need to get" instead of at what the market dictates. It's a fundamental misunderstanding of economics. :D

[WagsWife]

I am having a strange problem with a used curriculum sale I am helping to put on. No one wants to sell!

 

A leader in our homeschool group was telling me a few months ago, how they had tried to put on a large sale, but could not get enough people to pay the $10 a table to cover the rental of the building they were going to use.

 

A couple of months ago, our church (starting a school) bought a a Catholic school library from an auction. 1500 books for $300. They went though and set aside all the books they thought they could use, but there are still SO many books left over. Lots of repeat titles of classic books (think Sonlight, WTM type books), and some curriculum (Latin, a little Abeka, math.)

 

I asked about our church hosting a book sale. It would help them out...possibly selling quite a few of their left over books, and it would help the homeschoolers in the area. We are charging NOTHING to bring in curriculum to sell! I have had 5 people say they want to set up tables! The info has been sent out to all the HS groups in surrounding cities, as well as all the ones here in our particular town. I am not even sure how many people are going to come to buy...I am getting no response at all!

 

I don't get it!

[learningmama]

It's the same thing that happens with people selling houses. People price things at what they "need to get" instead of at what the market dictates. It's a fundamental misunderstanding of economics. :D

 

:iagree: I think the economy has the most to do with it. Everything is expensive. People want as much as they can get. Even down to school books and yard sales, people are greedy and want top dollar. I understand when gas and gallons of milk are way over $3, but something has to give.

[BlessedMom]

Sorry you were so disappointed.