Selling books online may sound old-school, but in 2025, it’s still a smart way to make money—if you do it right. Whether you're clearing your bookshelf or building a real business, Amazon makes it easy to start fast and scale smart.
This guide shows you exactly how to sell books on Amazon—new or used—without wasting time or cash.
Why Amazon Is The Best Platform To Sell Books Online
Amazon started as an online bookstore in 1995. Even now, books are one of its strongest categories.
Here's Why:
- Over 300 million people shop on Amazon every month.
- Amazon controls more than 80% of the U.S. online book market (Statista, 2024).
- It supports all kinds of books—new, used, textbooks, and even self-published eBooks.
- Prime shipping gives your books a big advantage in delivery speed.
Simply put, if you want to sell books online, Amazon is where the buyers are.
What Types Of Books Can You Sell On Amazon?
You can sell many kinds of books, but these five stand out for sellers in 2025:
1. Used Textbooks
Textbooks are expensive when new, often costing $100–$300 in college bookstores. On Amazon, students search for cheaper used versions.
- Average sale price: $30–$150
- Profit example: A $5 textbook from a thrift store can resell for $50 or more, especially during back-to-school season.
- Estimated market size: Over $2 billion annually in textbook resale on Amazon US alone, with peak spikes in August and January.
2. Children’s Books
Parents are always looking for affordable storybooks and learning series like Magic Tree House or Pete the Cat.
- Typical sale price: $5–$20 per book, or $20–$50 per set
- Profit tip: Common bundles bought for $5–$10 can resell for $30+.
- Estimated sales volume: Top children's book sellers report over $100,000/year, often with hundreds of small, fast-turning orders.
3. Self-Help Books
Motivation, finance, productivity, and wellness books remain top sellers. Even older titles like The 7 Habits still move well.
- Average resale price: $10–$40
- Bonus: Evergreen topics mean long shelf-life for inventory.
- Estimated market value: The self-help book market generates over $800 million a year globally, with Amazon capturing a large share.
4. Cookbooks
From keto recipes to air fryer guides, cookbooks have a loyal following—especially as gift items.
- Typical sale price: $15–$45
- Profit tip: Used cookbooks often sourced for $1–$3 can flip for 10x returns.
- Sales data: Popular cookbooks can sell 5,000–20,000+ copies/year on Amazon, even long after release.
5. Rare or Niche Books
Out-of-print manuals, vintage textbooks, or obscure-interest books like “classic auto restoration” can be highly profitable.
- Price range: $50 to $300+ depending on rarity
- Pro tip: Use Keepa or Amazon Seller App to research before you list.
- Seller insight: Some part-time sellers earn $20,000–$50,000/year dealing solely in rare and niche titles with high margins.
How To Sell Used Books On Amazon For Free
Yes—you can sell used books on Amazon without or with little cost. Emily was a student with some money in need. She sold her used textbooks and books under Amazon's Individual Seller Plan, which is free of any monthly subscription fee.
She only paid a minimal fee when a book was sold (usually $0.99 + 15% commission). She listed 20 books and was able to sell 12 of them in two months, earning a profit of over $500.
Things Emily did:
- Open an Individual Seller account.
- Book titles or ISBNs typed in manually.
- Used Media Mail for low-cost shipping.
- Sent on time and carefully packed.
You can start just the same today — no out-of-pocket cost.
Step-By-Step: How To Sell Books On Amazon In 2025
Ready to get started? A step-by-step guide for beginners:
Step 1: Create an Amazon Seller Account
Individual Plan if selling fewer than 40 items/month, or Professional Plan if building.
Step 2: Search Books To Sell
Scan your home, garage sales, library sales, or second-hand stores in your neighborhood like Goodwill. Use your phone with the Amazon Seller App to scan book barcodes.
Step 3: Verify Prices and Condition
Only list books in Acceptable, Good, Very Good, or Like New condition. Add detailed notes about wear or markings.
Step 4: Make the Book Listing
Use book title or ISBN. Amazon auto-populates information. Add your price and condition note.
Step 5: Choose Fulfillment Method
- Merchant Fulfilled (you ship it yourself)
- FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon) (you ship books to Amazon warehouses)
FBA normally gives you greater visibility and faster sales, but takes a small fee.
Step 6: Ship and Package
Pack books safely (bubble wrap, boxes). Print shipping label from Amazon and ship to the post office.
Tools To Assist You Sell More Books On Amazon
Wise sellers leverage tools to scale faster and more safely. Here are a few solid options:
Amazon Seller App
When you're out sourcing books—at library sales, thrift stores, or estate sales—this free app is your best friend. Just scan a book’s barcode and instantly see how much it sells for on Amazon, how often it sells, and what fees apply. It helps you make quick yes/no decisions right there on the spot. You can even list books directly from your phone, making it perfect for beginners.
ScoutIQ
If you’re scanning hundreds or thousands of books at once, ScoutIQ is built for speed. It works even offline, pulls in detailed sales data, and flags which books meet your profit goals. Whether you're clearing out a warehouse or hitting up donation bins, ScoutIQ helps you move fast and only pick winners.
ZiBird
As your book business grows, you might run multiple Amazon accounts—one for used books, one for textbooks, or separate ones for different regions. But switching accounts too often, using different devices or IPs, or having a small team can easily trigger Amazon's risk systems. helps you avoid that and focus on growing your business. ZiBird protects your seller accounts securely with:
- Isolated, secure IPs
- Methods to track many book-selling stores
- Protection from being locked out or banned from accounts
Professional sellers will usually use ZiBird to scale securely with all their data still private.
Common Pitfalls When Selling Books On Amazon
Many new sellers make avoidable mistakes. Don’t be one of them:
- Listing damaged books as "Good"
- Overpricing common books (check the market!)
- Using risky public networks (can trigger account reviews)
- Ignoring Amazon’s condition guidelines
- Selling restricted books (some titles may need approval)
Always read the Amazon Book Condition Policy before listing.
Selling Books Vs. Other Products On Amazon
Books are unique. Here’s how selling books compares to other items:
Factor | Books | Other Products |
Start-up Cost | Very low (even free) | May need inventory & suppliers |
Risk Level | Low | Medium to high |
FBA Friendly | Yes | Yes |
Return Rates | Low | Higher |
Storage Needs | Small | Depends |
Why books rock: They're easy to store, ship, and test as a beginner. Perfect for learning how to sell products on Amazon hassle-free.
Final Tips For Scaling Your Book Sales
Ready to turn your side hustle into a real business? Here's how to scale:
- Reinvest profits into new books.
- Convert to FBA for faster shipping.
- Use tools like ZiBird for secure account growth.
- Learn from other sellers on YouTube, Reddit, or forums.
- Keep detailed records for taxes and tracking.
Amazon is full of opportunity in 2025. Selling books is still one of the smartest—and easiest—ways to start.
Whether you’re flipping old textbooks or growing a serious store, remember: start small, stay consistent, and let tools like ZiBird protect your future.