[Handbag]

I want to open a student shop where I can sell disocunted books and let anyone else put up their listing. I'd srat online first. After getting a software, what do I need to do? I know it can take time and planning and a few years till it picks up. But I want to try something.

[Wololo]

Amazon + eBay might be worthwhile starting points.

[ashy]

How will you compete with the shops mentioned above?

[crazyspacemonkey]

I would think about the money side. Is it for profit? If so how will you make a profit? Will you take a cut of the earnings or a flat fee? I would also think about sites that offer these services already - look into the competition - this will seriously help you offer a better service. What is wrong with ebay, amazon, iswapbooks; how could these be altered to be more student friendly? Also, how wil you offer discounted books? You'll need to get hold of these books cheap in the first place.

[Steeps]

Starting it online... postage is going to be a killer for books.

[Handbag]

The thing I don't like about eBay is taking a part of the money. I already have a website so all I need to do is put the products up. I can get books on various subjects for a wholesale price and on top of that can make a profit. Yes, at first it may be small, then hopefully it will increase. Postage will have to be paid for separately.

[ProStacker]

Originally Posted by Handbag

The thing I don't like about eBay is taking a part of the money. I already have a website so all I need to do is put the products up. I can get books on various subjects for a wholesale price and on top of that can make a profit. Yes, at first it may be small, then hopefully it will increase. Postage will have to be paid for separately.

But how will you compete with someone like Amazon? Where would you store your stock? Would you do all the work yourself? If you haven't got a unique selling point (and I doubt you'll have price as that), then you are going to take a dive in a very mature and competitive marketplace.

[Handbag]

Well I already have a group of people who I supply books to so I do have my market but having it online will just be an easier way for them to see what I sell. I'm not saying I want to make it big just like that. But a typical order would be, someone orders or requests a book, I go to buy them at wholesale price so collect them, then hand it over to the buyer and they pay me. On that I can make quite alot but I don't want to always charge the same as others and I lower my price.

[Antimatter]

Originally Posted by Handbag

The thing I don't like about eBay is taking a part of the money. I already have a website so all I need to do is put the products up. I can get books on various subjects for a wholesale price and on top of that can make a profit. Yes, at first it may be small, then hopefully it will increase. Postage will have to be paid for separately.

But wholesale orders have to be rather large, and you have to be a registered company. Plus, the profit on books is generally a 30% markup (as there's no VAT on books), this seems like a bad idea to me

[Handbag]

Originally Posted by Antimatter

But wholesale orders have to be rather large, and you have to be a registered company. Plus, the profit on books is generally a 30% markup (as there's no VAT on books), this seems like a bad idea to me

Thank you for your input. I am looking for people to give me the alternative view and I need that so I don't start up something that may not be necessarily successful.

[fredster33]

hi i opened up a student shop, not the same as waht ur tryin to do, i sell fancy dress posters and toys.

I used a free web template from freewebstore.org that gives u the chance to try out your idea before u spend any money on it. i dont no if this will be useful but check it out

[Handbag]

Thank you, that looks good.