It’s never been easier to sell books online than through all the different platforms and direct sale options available in 2025. Whether you want to shift a shelf full of popular paperbacks or have a stack of old textbooks languishing in the back of your closet, you can find a buyer eager to save some money.
While many sellers consider Amazon the best and only option, there are plenty of alternatives that may work better for your books. The alternatives either specialize in specific types of books, such as textbooks, or offer lower fees to make them more attractive to sellers.
This guide begins with the largest name and then provides other options for selling books online in 2025. You can find one or more that suits your needs, matches your product types, saves you time and money, and maximizes your earnings.
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Amazon: The Biggest Online Book-Selling Platform
Selling books on Amazon makes sense for many reasons. It has a simply massive customer base, always on the lookout for a new book and a great deal. Your listings have a better chance of getting views. Both popular and niche books are easy to find through its powerful search engine. Amazon also offers a range of tools for sellers. They are generally easy to understand if you read them carefully once or twice.
The basic process is quite simple:
- Sign up for a seller account and choose the plan that fits your needs
- Search for the book by ISBN or title to find its listing and current prices
- Carefully choose the book’s condition based on Amazon’s guidelines
- Take shipping costs into account when setting your sales price
After that, all you need to do is wait and regularly check your email and messages to see if a buyer comes along. There is never any need to chat with them directly or negotiate prices on Amazon. All you have to do is package the book safely and then ship it out as soon as possible. Remember that you will be responsible for fees, so be mindful of business expenses as you sell your books online. For more detailed information, check this guide about selling used books and textbooks on Amazon.
Top Amazon Alternatives For General Book Sales
No matter why you want to stay away from Amazon, you have plenty of other options for book sales online. Some specialize in used books only, while others offer a more general selection of merchandise. Some may have lower fees or simpler and more direct sales options. If you are already involved with one of these marketplaces, it makes sense to use them first.
The non-book-specific platforms include eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Mercari. For book sales specifically, ThriftBooks and AbeBooks offer viable options.
Where To Sell Used Books And Textbooks Online In 2025
If you want to get the best price for your used books, start with research. Some categories consistently hold their value—especially used college textbooks from recent semesters. These often resell for a strong percentage of the original price. By contrast, older fiction, paperbacks, or niche titles may bring in less and sometimes sell better in bundles.
To understand the real value of what you have, compare multiple buyback platforms. Dedicated textbook tools like DirectTextbook and CampusBooks work well for used college textbooks, providing quick quotes when you enter an ISBN. BookScouter, on the other hand, covers both academic titles and general books, making it a more versatile option if your collection includes a wider mix. Typing in the ISBN shows offers from multiple buyers at once, helping you instantly identify where you can get the highest payout.
Another key factor in maximizing resale value is accurately describing the book’s condition. Don’t label a book “like new” if the cover is worn or the pages contain notes. Most platforms use similar condition guidelines, but it’s still useful to review the rules before listing. Clear photos and honest descriptions may lower the initial offer slightly, but they significantly reduce the risk of returns, disputes, or refund requests—making the selling process smoother from start to finish.
Tips For Shipping, Fees, And Safe Transactions
Before you list your books on any of these platforms, make sure to read all the fine print about associated fees, security measures, rules, and information about who pays for shipping. Some platforms charge an upfront amount for each listing, while others calculate a percentage of the total sale at the end.
In most cases, you will have to charge enough in your buy price to cover all these extra expenses if you actually want to make money. Shipping is the biggest variable. While you can use less expensive media mail rates to send books through the US Postal Service, it still represents money that will come out of your profits. Check to see if the platform charges shipping separately during the buyer’s transaction. If not, add it to your price so you get enough money to ship it after the sale completes.
Reputable platforms like those mentioned in this guide have plenty of security measures in place. Always keep the sales on the websites and do not share personal or contact information directly with buyers. This is the best choice for protection, just in case anything goes wrong. You can make money and have smooth and successful deals when you sell your books online in 2025.
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