Information for Sellers

GIVE LOTS OF DETAILS IN YOUR ADVERT

Try to give lots of information about your course - include the number of course books, DVDs, CD ROMS etc. Also the condition of the material is important... is it highlighted or marked with pen or pencil? If so, how much? The year that you took the course will give the buyer an idea of how current the books are - but even if they are a few years old certain discontinued courses are still in demand.
If you are advertising Set Books, it helps to give publishers, editions and if possible, ISBN numbers.

HOW MUCH ARE YOUR BOOKS WORTH?

Pricing your material can sometimes be difficult. Be realistic if you want a fast sale.
Although the course may have cost you anything from £200 to £2000, your books are only worth their second-hand value. The major portion of the cost of your course is for the back up and support from the Open University.
It is helpful for the buyer if you have already added the postage.
Click on www.royalmail.com or www.parcel2go.com to find out the cost of sending your parcel.

SENDING OUT YOUR MATERIALS

I have found the cheapest way to send out course material within the UK is using a courier company. You could try www.parcel2go.com or www.myhermes.co.uk.

They will collect from your house on a day that is convenient for you and the parcel is insured for up to £20 although you can purchase additional insurance if required. You can also take your parcel to a local drop-off point.

The most expensive delivery method is using Royal Mail unless the book is under 2kg.

See www.royalmail.com for more details.

Pack the books in a strong cardboard box with lots of parcel tape (I find that a 6 bottle wine box is a useful size). Ensure that any DVDs and CD ROMs are carefully protected within the package. Write the buyer's name & address on the front and the back of the parcel, and also write your name and address inside and outside the parcel, so that in the event that it is damaged or not delivered, the Royal Mail or courier company can return it to you.

A BUYER FROM ABROAD

If a prospective purchaser contacts you from outside the UK, then you will need to calculate the additional postage that will be required.
You can find out the exact cost of sending an item abroad from www.parcel2go.com You only have to type in the country of destination and the weight and the postage rate will be displayed.

If the parcel is under 5kg then it is worth also checking with www.royalmail.com

PAYMENT METHODS

Purchasers will want to pay you using a variety of methods. CHEQUES are not used as widely as they once were. However should your buyer send you a cheque we suggest that you wait until you have received it before you send out the package. You may also wish to wait until the cheque has cleared in your bank account. Some purchasers may prefer to send you postal orders or cash.

BANK TRANSFER is getting much more popular. This is a safe method of being paid as you only have to give your account number and sort-code and this information is freely available on any cheque. Also there are no deductions as with a credit card payment. HOWEVER we advise first time buyers not to use this method and to consider PayPal as an alternative.

So it is well worth considering opening an account with PAYPAL - it is very straight forward and it is an ideal safe way to receive payment. You only have to give the buyer your email address and the money will be sent straight into your account. There is a small fee deducted by PayPal. Your buyer can use their own PayPal account or a credit/debit card to pay you.

Others may ask you about the acceptance of CREDIT CARDS - especially those from outside the UK. Unfortunately we no longer accept credit card payments but your buyer can use our PayPal account if you do not wish to open one yourself. The buyer would pay University Booksearch using PayPal - we would then send you a cheque immediately. However you would be charged a 10% fee for using this method to cover the PayPal fee and administration costs so you may prefer to make your own arrangements.

Please contact us for a PayPal invoice if required : jo@universitybooksearch.co.uk