How to Start Selling Books on Amazon? [Ultimate Guide]

June 28, 2022
Reading time: 8 mins

If you would like to make money by selling books on Amazon or even start building a new business, this guideline can help you. Selling books on Amazon is a low-cost, low-risk, and low-budget initiative that is the best choice for fledgling entrepreneurs. To develop it as a business, you must learn how selling books on Amazon works and get familiar with the more popular types of books. Let’s dig in deeper now.

Preparations to start selling books on Amazon

First of all, you need an Amazon account as an Amazon seller. Amazon has two possible selling account features: Individual and Professional. If you are a newbie and the number of your monthly sales is less than 40 products, the Individual plan is the best choice for you. Because it is a pay-as-you-go model, it doesn’t impose any extra cost on you.

The other option is the Professional plan in which you can sell more than 40 units per month. But, it has a $29.99 monthly subscription fee. It is practical for the most medium to large-size businesses.

Individual selling plan	Professional selling plan
CDN $1.49 per item fee for each item that sells	CDN $29.99 monthly subscription fee
Single listing creation	Multiple listing creation using spreadsheets and uploads
Online listing and order management	Inventory and order management using reports and feeds
Access to tools on Seller Central to perform account functions	Access to Amazon Marketplace Web Service to upload feeds, receive reports, and perform other API functions

Here, you can choose between FBA and FBM fulfillment methods. In the FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) method, Amazon will be responsible for the whole process from storing, picking, packing, and shipping after selling your book. Even Amazon does return and customer service. Basically, expert sellers will go for Amazon FBA Business.

FBM (Fulfillment by Merchant) is suitable for newbies with limited orders. Besides, shipping large items is cheaper than Amazon FBA.

What Kind of Books Can You Sell on Amazon?

All formats such as paperbacks, hardcover, or even ebooks are eligible to be sold on Amazon. It is possible to source books from your brick-and-mortar store or resells non-fiction books you have already read. Listing rare hardcover collectibles or beloved comic books is another possibility.

Available category of books that you can sell on Amazon.

Even you can get rid of children’s books that you don’t need anymore. It is critical to consider that high-demand books can be sold better. A list shows Best Sellers in Books based on sales of the most popular book title. We suggest these books:

Sell used books online
Sell textbooks online
Sell books without an ISBN
Sell new books online
Sell collectible or rare books online
Sell ebooks online

How to Find Books to Sell?

You can source your inventory in several different places, which can help you grow your Amazon business constantly. Here, we list them:

1) Book Sales

It is somehow hunting for treasure, going to book sales, and selecting suitable books to sell. By using a book scanner and Bluetooth scanner, you can faster find lucrative books on sale for selling.

2) Estate/closing sales

Generally, large book collections are sold together, and you can buy an entire collection with pennies on the dollar.

3) Sell your own books

This is the most straightforward way of sourcing books for selling on Amazon. You can make money from your old book collecting dust like old comic books, textbooks, and rare topics.

4) Online Arbitrage

Many websites have books with lower prices than Amazon, and sellers can buy them at a lower price from these websites and resell them on Amazon with the Online Arbitrage method.

5) Bulk Purchase/wholesale

Facebook, Craigslist, and eBay offer lots of used books at a low price. You need to ensure that these books are

6) Free books

You can find free books on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist from those who want to offload their books at no charge. Before listing them, check if other sellers have not listed the same books for free because they can’t sell them.

How to List Your Book on Amazon?

After registering to start selling on Amazon, you can list your books on your inventory. The best and easiest way is to go to the Amazon page, use the actual product detail page, and find the book you want for your inventory. Write the book’s registration code (ISBN) in the Amazon search bar, the same as looking for a product to purchase.

Consider that printed books before 1970 didn’t have ISBN; instead of it, you can use the title manually. There is a gray button just below the “Buy Box” on the product listing page that says “Sell on Amazon.”

Click on sell on Amazon button to start listing your books on Amazon.com.

Since you are permitted to sell on Amazon, you can go to the next step by clicking on this gray button. Below picture will appear.

Now, you need to enter the following information:

Price

It would be wise to price the books based on their condition. Statistics show that books with “Very Good” quality usually sell more than “Acceptable.” If you automatically set the price to match the lowest price, it may cause a “race to the bottom.” In completion with lower-quality and cheaper options, you can sell a book in good condition quickly.

SKU

You have your own personal code for each book. You must specify it. Otherwise, Amazon randomly generates one for you.

Fulfillment Channel

Choose among FBA and FBM

Read More: Amazon FBA vs FBM : Which One Is Better?

Quantity

The default number is one unless you change it to the number of available copies.

Condition

Opt for one of these five conditions: “New,” “Like new,” “Very good,” “Good,” and “Acceptable.” Be aware of listing a book in “New” condition, Amazon may ask for an invoice, or the publisher may report you.

Condition	Description
New	With cover and original protective wrapping. Does not include books with labels such as “Bargain.”
Used – Like New	Have minor cosmetic defects but without notes or highlights. The dust cover, if there is any, should be intact. May have remainder marks.
Used – Very Good	Have minor cosmetic defects. Dust cover and set cases may be missing. May have remainder marks.
Used – Good	Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but all pages and the cover should be intact. May include “From the library of” labels. Shrink wrap, dust covers, or the boxed set case may be missing.
Used – Acceptable	All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable.

What Are the Fees for Selling Books on Amazon?

Whether you choose an Individual or Professional plan, you have to pay per sale ($1.49)for the former and a flat monthly fee ($29.99) for the latter. Besides, the referral fee for books is 15%. In addition, you have to pay $1.80 for the closing fee. However, you will charge a flat 15% for collectible books.

Moreover, the shipping rate varies depending on your fulfillment method, Fulfillment by Amazon (Amazon FBA Business) or Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM).

Amazon has a guideline for each fulfillment method.

FBM vs. FBA
	Pros	CONS
FBM	Hands-on fulfillment	Not automatically eligible for Prime
	Low Amazon fees	Higher overhead costs
	Slightly higher profit margins	More responsibility and work
	Not automatically
FBA	Hands-off fulfillment (less work)	Additional fees
	Automatic Prime eligibility	Limited access to inventory
	Multichannel availability	Tax obligations
	Low shipping rates	Less control

Step-by-Step Guide to Sell Books on Amazon

Below are the steps which you have to follow for selling a book on Amazon:

Select the type of books you want to sell
Create your Amazon seller account
Decide your fulfillment method
Set your book pricing
List your books on Amazon
It is time to promote and market your books
The last step is packing and shipping your books

Pros and Cons of Selling Books on Amazon

You have to consider many factors while deciding which format to sell on Amazon.

Pros	Cons
Fairly easy to get started on Amazon Marketplace	Amazon listing hijacking
Reliable Amazon customer relationship	Small and medium businesses (SMBs) still responsible for customer care and feeding
High number of sales on Amazon	It may be more difficult for you to build a dedicated following for your brand
Worldwide marketplace with more than 300 million customers	Lots of competition
Amazon has the most streamlined system for both authors and buyers	Various costs
Supportive customer service

Final Thought

Selling books on Amazon is one of the most profitable businesses in the market. You have to put some effort into finding out the types of books that sell more. Do some research to discover the categories and genres people like more to buy. Monitoring Amazon’s annual best-seller list can help you understand the pattern that indicates on-demand books. The lower number shows that the product sells better. Using online arbitrage leads is another option that is convenient to use.

Selling Books FAQs

What Type of Books Sell More on Amazon?

The most popular fiction genres on Amazon are: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Horror, Adventure, Young Adult (YA), LGBTQ+, Romance, Detective & Mystery, Children’s Fiction, and Thriller.
The most popular non-fiction genres on Amazon are: Memoir & Autobiography, Biography, Cooking, Art & Photography, Self-Help/Personal Development, Motivational/Inspirational, Health & Fitness, History, Crafts, Hobbies & Home, Families & Relationships, Humor & Entertainment, Business & Money, Law & Criminology, Politics & Social Sciences, Religion & Spirituality, Education & Teaching, Travel, and True Crime.

Can I sell pdf books on Amazon?

Amazon does not sell books directly in PDF format. Amazon uses MobiPocket to make electronic books readable on the Kindle.

Which one is better: Selling books on Amazon or eBay?

Both platforms, Amazon and eBay, are well-established, but sellers and buyers generally trust Amazon more because of its mission, vision, and values.

Can You Sell Used Books on Amazon?

Yes, Amazon lets sellers sell the used books.

Can anyone sell their books on Amazon?

Yes, anyone with an Amazon account can sell their books on Amazon.

How Much Can You Make Selling Books on Amazon?

There is no defined and guaranteed number for your earnings. But, with a strong strategy, a self-published author can make about $10,000 per month.

How much can you make selling children’s books on amazon?

For every 500 copies you sell, you will have earned up to $4,100.

How much can you make selling coloring books on amazon?

A self-publishing author can earn up to $2,000 monthly.

Is selling used books on amazon worth it?

For both large new sellers and book stores, selling books online on Amazon can become a great source of revenue.

Is It Profitable to Sell Books Online?

In the face of enormous competition, the book industry remains quietly successful. If you are looking for a profitable sideline or full-on business, selling books on Amazon is the best choice, without any doubt.

Is it Legal to Sell Books on Amazon?

Amazon has no limitations regarding reselling or purchasing books, no matter which kind of book it is.

How to sell books on Amazon KDP?

To promote KDP Select titles which are sold on Amazon, you have three options:
·        Inclusion in KDP Select Promotions
Limited-time free pricing and special pricing countdown deals help attract readers and quickly grow your book reviews.

·        Listings in Kindle Unlimited (KU)
Amazon’s top-rated subscription reading program pays authors per reading rather than per sale.

·        Listings in Kindle Owners’ Lending Library (KOLL)
It gives every Kindle owner access to your title, and like KU, you pay on a per-borrow basis.
There are three easy steps to start selling books on Amazon:
1)     Sign Up for Your Free Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) Account
2)     Set Up Your Author Page in Amazon’s Author Central
3)     Create Your Book Listing on Amazon KDP
4)     Advertise Your E-book on Amazon & Other Outlets