Mindy learned about Alibris from Tim Davis at Salt & Pepper Christian Store in Murfreesboro, TN. Tim also sold items on eBay and Amazon and did fairly well on both platforms. However, both require a good amount of work, and the fees can be pricey. Mindy and Tim shared that Alibris has been great for selling books, Bibles, music and DVDs in any condition.
To get started, you will need to sign up for the program and list your products. Items sold through Alibris will also show up on several different sites, including Walmart. com and eBay. By listing your products on one platform, it conveniently populates on multiple marketplaces.
The majority of products are already on the site, so you don’ t always need to upload images or product data. After entering an item, you can easily view the pricing other sellers are using and decide whether to price your product competitively or slightly lower. You do need to be totally honest about the condition of your items( i. e., new, gently used, used, etc.). This will help you earn a good customer satisfaction rating.
One thing Tim recommends is removing any inventory you listed online from the sales floor. This helps ensure that you don’ t create a new problem by selling products online that are no longer available because you sold it on your floor. Again, maintaining a high customer satisfaction rating is important.
Alibris includes a built-in shipping charge that is paid by the customer. After Alibris takes its portion, the remaining
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amount is yours. For shipping, Mindy and Tim use Pirate Ship for all of their orders because it offers the most competitive pricing and has been very dependable. By shipping through Pirate Ship, you can easily create shipping labels and ship products affordably. Alibris is then able to oversee the customer service side by providing the tracking info. Alibris also handles any customer questions; however, sellers are also able to address product-related questions through the site.
Currently Tim has over 15,000 items on Alibris. Both Mindy and Tim shared,“ Once you get the hang of it, it really is easy to use.”
Tim shared that churches have donated entire libraries to his store, and he is happy to accept them because he now has an effective way to move those products through Alibris.
Mindy also explained that when she purchased her third retail location, Eagle’ s Nest in Oskaloosa, IA, she inherited a number of products that were slow sellers or had not moved at all. By using Alibris, she has been able to clear out those items and create space for fresh inventory. Her customers have loved seeing the steady turnover and being introduced to new products in the store.
Don’ t let slow movers slow down your cash flow. Consider trying a few new ways to retire your old items. Clearing out dead product brings in new opportunities and creates space for new inventory— just in time for Christmas! CRA
Don’ t let slow movers slow down your cash flow
www. christianretailassociation. org / CRA today 11