I am starting a new and used children's book store. Where/who is the best place to order books from?

Question

I am overseas- and want to have a new/gently used bookstore for children and home schooling parents. I also want to have a mobile bookstore (bookmobile) to take to schools. (The mobile bookstore may happen first!) I need to order about 10,000 used/like new books. I saw a few lots on ebay but all less than 200 books. I need fiction and non-fiction, board books, beg. readers, popular story books, chapter books, science, animals, math, history, arts and crafts, home school curriculum books, how to help children with special needs-esp. autism and cerebral palsey, educational cd's, and much more. Scholastic, Golden books, Troll, DK, Harcourt, Zoobooks, Usborne, Time childrens books etc. I want books to get children excited about reading and learning and to keep them reading and to help parents too. Thank you for any help you may have.

Answer 1

I suggest starting with new books only. Take trade-ins for store credit to get your used book stock; that way you are not hosed with severely damaged copies bought sight unseen.

Depending on where oversees you are, there should be plenty of book distributors to fill your needs. In the United States, Ingram Entertainment is the largest media distributor around-handling books, music, and DVDs. Unfortunately, you can not combine media types on your orders (books orders are separate from movie orders and music orders). However, Ingram is pretty easy to set-up with. I don't know how extensive their inventory is for books and music; but they have an incredible supply of DVDs and VHS (just make sure the regional formatting works where you are).

Answer 2

Do you have any experience in the field? It would probably be best to get a job in a used bookstore for a year and learn the tricks of the trade. You could also ask parents what they would like to see in a used book store while working there and use that info to start your own business on the right foot.

Answer 3

Can you put a small ad in the paper for donation of books-we have a lot of that here in the U.S. and I had 5,000 books in my home collection at one time and donated many to places we call Good Will who then sells them for practically pennies. We have garage sales of stuff people want to get rid of but not throw away and I have found hundreds of excellent books of all kinds in those places and had fun looking.If advertizing-indicate books in good condition. Most are nearly like new anyway.

Many people want to get rid of some books but have no place to take them so you may get some good response. Put up notices in public places if they allow it-i.e. our grocery stores and such but only give your phone #,not your address.

Answer 4

For deals, you can try overstock items on eBay and for out of print books... the same.
It takes work. You can contact Hasbro, Mattel and a number of the manufactures that license the distributors/producers of children's books and get that list to buy directly. I used to illustrate for them many years back ad all of it was farmed out to vendors. Those are the lists you want to get your hands on.

Answer 5

amazon is probably the best. you can order from ebay too but its not as dependable. prices are also better on amazon and you can get used book for cheaper. you can definitely order a lot of books and ship them at the same time too.

Answer 6

Baker and Taylor and Ingram are the biggest in the US. They distrubute all kinds of books. Pax - C

Answer 7

Try Barnes & Nobles, Borders, Target, Wal-Mart, Waldenbooks.


If you get a chance, please visit my website at http://www.rubysbooks.com, and if I've given you this information before, please forgive me because I forgot and I'm trying to reach as many people as possible. Thanks.