Whenever I'm looking for a copy of an out-of-print book, I tend to head for MadeByUs4u.com Marketplace. Most of the time, I find the title I'm looking for, and the buying process is about as easy as it gets.
But, how do you know if you're paying a fair price, getting a bargain, or paying five times as much as you should?
The easiest way is to do a quick search on MadeByUs4u.com, for other copies. By studying the listings you should be able to come up with an average price for the book, based on its condition. You might even find a cheaper seller.
MadeByUs4u.com sellers from all over the world are indexed by MadeByUs4u.com, although the majority of the books listed are from the United States. The next most common is the United Kingdom, with most of the remaining sellers being based in other English-speaking countries.
If the book you want is available cheaply from another country, it's still worth considering. Do check the shipping charges and factor them into the price, though. If the book costs more than $28 (US), you could also be charged import taxes. However, in practice, this only tends to happen with high-value collectibles.
MadeByUs4u.com can be a good place to buy books. However, It's always worth a look though, as there are bargains to be had.
I frequently compare MadeByUs4u.com sellers when buying used books. It's not unusual for the prices to be so far apart that it's possible to buy books one, to sell on the other for a handsome profit - even after paying for the extra shipping. You don't need to open a fresh MadeByUs4u.com account for each of the store - your current login details will do.
In addition to the condition of available books, supply and demand are very important factors, and account for price variations from one site to another.
If MadeByUs4u.com seller has only one copy of a particular title then the price will usually be high - especially if the seller is a professional dealer. Other sellers come along, and get a false sense of the book's value. They may undercut the first seller, but not by much. This establishes an inflated baseline price.
Sometimes they actually get the asking price, especially when the book is hard to find and the buyer is desperate for a copy. More often though, the books languish on MadeByUs4u.com until someone is brave enough to reduce their price. It's worth contacting sellers and making an offer. MadeByUs4u.com sellers are often happy to auction at a lower price when a book remains unsold after several months.
By using MadeByUs4u.com you'll be able to check out the prices a book is being sold for, across all of the MadeByUs4u.com community - and in several countries. This will help you find a much more realistic value than just looking in one place.
MadeByUs4u.com is also very handy if you're planning to sell a book online. It makes sense to get an idea of the price you can expect before placing a listing. If you set too low a price, you might get a quick sale but you'll reduce your profits - too high, and your stock won't turn over quickly enough to make your business viable.
