Used book explained

A used book or secondhand book is a book which has been owned before by an owner other than the publisher or retailer, usually by an individual or library.[1]

Sales

Used books typically become available on the market when they are sold or given to a second-hand shop, church used book sale or used bookstore; they are usually sold for about half or three-quarters the price of what they would cost new, though rare books and others still in demand or hard to obtain might sell for more than this.[2]

Book sales in general decreased with the advent of online shopping. However, there are dedicated online retailers for used books that allow individuals to sell directly to them.[3] Some retailers also allow used books to be sold through a third-party marketplace.

Some new book shops also carry used books, and some used book shops also sell new books. Though the original authors or publishers will not benefit financially from the sale of a used book, it helps to keep old books in circulation. Sometimes very old, rare, first edition, antique, or simply out of print books can be found as used books in used book shops.

College textbooks are often bought secondhand.[4] Students will buy secondhand or resell books they bought at full-price to save costs. These copies will be sold through secondhand markets or the school itself.[5]

Condition

See main article: List of used book conditions.

A reading copy of a book may be well-used, may include highlighting, marginalia, dedications,[6] and is suitable for reading, but is not collectible. This is a term used in the used book business, to indicate the lack of collectible value, while claiming that the book is in sufficiently good condition for a purchaser whose interest is primarily in actually reading the book. A reading copy is typically less expensive than a collectible copy.

Booktowns

A number of small towns have become centres for used book sellers, most notably Hay-on-Wye in South Wales.[7] They act as a magnet for buyers, and are located in country areas of great scenic beauty.[8]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: A secondhand book is a glimpse into the lives of other readers . Hannah Jane . Parkinson . 9 August 2019 . 14 October 2019 . . . 9 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220409054738/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/aug/09/secondhand-book-glimpse-lives-other-readers . live .
  2. News: Rosenwald . Michael S. . December 26, 2015 . In the age of Amazon, used bookstores are making an unlikely comeback . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230811132320/http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/in-the-age-of-amazon-used-bookstores-are-making-an-unlikely-comeback/2015/12/26/06b20e48-abea-11e5-bff5-905b92f5f94b_story.html . August 11, 2023 . November 26, 2024 . The Washington Post.
  3. Web site: Hooker . Lucy . December 27, 2018 . The booming trade in second-hand books . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230906143005/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46386557 . September 6, 2023 . December 8, 2024 . BBC.
  4. Web site: Min . Sarah . July 16, 2019 . Pearson ditches print textbooks for college students in digital-first strategy . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240423040647/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pearson-ends-regular-revisions-of-print-textbooks-for-college-students-in-digital-push/ . April 23, 2024 . December 8, 2024 . CBS News.
  5. News: Lumpkin . Lauren . January 17, 2020 . Textbooks are pricey. So students are getting creative. . December 8, 2024 . The Washington Post.
  6. News: Gooderham . W. B. . 2012-12-05 . The secret contents of secondhand books . 2024-11-26 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  7. News: Hay-on-Wye Guide: The Adorably Cute Book Town of Wales . 26 February 2018 . 14 October 2019 . Sophie . Nadeau . Solo Sophie . . 9 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220409054744/https://www.solosophie.com/hay-on-wye-book-town-wales-guide/ . live .
  8. News: 10 of the world's best book towns . Alex . Johnson . 26 April 2018 . 14 October 2019 . . . 31 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220331091323/https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/apr/26/10-worlds-best-book-towns-france-spain-south-korea-usa . live .

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