“How To Start & Manage A Used Bookstore Business” by Jerre G. Lewis and Leslie D. Renn. Subtitled: “A Practical Way to Start Your Own Business”. Business $ Professional Publishing, Interlochen, Michigan. 1999.
This is a concise book, 8/12 inches by 11 inches. The first 67 pages, or so, are devoted to the development of a “BUSINESS PLAN”! What are the monthly expenses? What is the projected monthly income? What is the cost of goods sold? The authors have done a nice, concise job of laying out a business plan for the ordinary reader. It would appear that they have used this “boiler-plate” for some 100 or more books, all on starting your own business, from an apparel store down to a coin-operated laundry. After the business plan section, the authors have added a few appendices which deal, peripherally, with selling books. These appendices are somewhat tailored to each of the different business that the authors want to address. Good for them.
But. If you want to ascertain if it is possible to open a small place to sell your college books (ancient), your wife’s college books, the books that your four children left behind after college and grad school, and so on, this present book is barely tolerable. Add to all this, that many, if not most, book sellers are emphasizing the WEB, then the single page addendum on “What makes a good web site?” does not cut it.
Three stars were assigned for the rather complete but generic approach to a business plan. “Fail to plan, plan to fail”.
Copyrighted in 1999, this edition of this book is out of date since,in my opinion, it does not address the major impact that the Internet has had on book selling, used books or new books.
I was very disappointed in this book. Very little of its content was devoted to discussion of running a used book shop. Most of it was general information on starting a business with the words “used bookstore business” inserted regularly, as in form letters which insert a person’s name. Some of it was geared to new book businesses, discussing ordering from publishers, etc. One and a half pages were specifically about used book stores. The last chapter in the book was titled “Secondhand and Antiquarian.” I have never been more disappointed in a book.
Rating: 1 / 5
What we have here is a book thrown together by two”authors” (and I use that term with appalling generosity)who have no used bookstore experience themselves yet pretend that theydo by presenting a goulash of amateurish filler, fluff and vamping as “expert” advice. They interview NO used bookstore owners. (They do, however, present two “pretend” quotes from, ahem, “anonymous” bookstore owners about running—even more stupidity here–a NEW book bookstore.)They do not, in fact, go into specifics of the used bookstore business other than on one (one!)and a quarter pages, which consist of made-up, vague generalities that will be of no help to anyone. One last thing. I’m an avid life-long reader, and I own some 3,000 books. This is, by far, THE WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ.
Rating: 1 / 5
This book should be banned! Just kidding but if you are sincere in needing information on starting and managing a bookstore this is not the best source. Any information concerning the book business is wanting, no good information on securing inventory, no good information on mark-ups, how long you should retain inventory, no good information on using a cash register versus a point of sale system, no good information on the day to day operations. If your serious about the book business DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK, rather check out the American Booksellers Associations website and utilize there resources. If you just want to sell on the internet there are other fine books on amazon like “Selling Used Books Online” that contain a lot of relevant information.
Rating: 1 / 5
What we have here is a book thrown together by two “authors” (and I use that term with appalling generosity) who have no used bookstore experience themselves yet pretend that they do by presenting a goulash of amateurish filler, fluff and vamping as “expert” advice. They interview NO used bookstore owners. (They do, however, present two “pretend” quotes from, ahem, “anonymous” bookstore owners about running—even more stupidity here–a NEW book bookstore.)They do not, in fact, go into specifics of the used bookstore business other than on one (one!)and a quarter pages, which consist of made-up, vague generalities that will be of no help to anyone with an IQ above 40. I could go into a lot more detail about how profoundly amateurish and useless this book is and how Amazon.com tarnishes its credibility by agreeing to carry it, but this team of authors (who put out a giant line of cookie-cutter business books like this, each, I’m certain, with the same level of incompetence)utterly refused to answer my letter of complaint or to refund my money. One last thing. I’m an avid life-long reader, and I own some 3,000 books. I Have NEVER asked for a refund on any of them. This is, by far, THE WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ.
Rating: 1 / 5
#1 by John P. Rooney on March 7, 2010 - 7:38 pm
“How To Start & Manage A Used Bookstore Business” by Jerre G. Lewis and Leslie D. Renn. Subtitled: “A Practical Way to Start Your Own Business”. Business $ Professional Publishing, Interlochen, Michigan. 1999.
This is a concise book, 8/12 inches by 11 inches. The first 67 pages, or so, are devoted to the development of a “BUSINESS PLAN”! What are the monthly expenses? What is the projected monthly income? What is the cost of goods sold? The authors have done a nice, concise job of laying out a business plan for the ordinary reader. It would appear that they have used this “boiler-plate” for some 100 or more books, all on starting your own business, from an apparel store down to a coin-operated laundry. After the business plan section, the authors have added a few appendices which deal, peripherally, with selling books. These appendices are somewhat tailored to each of the different business that the authors want to address. Good for them.
But. If you want to ascertain if it is possible to open a small place to sell your college books (ancient), your wife’s college books, the books that your four children left behind after college and grad school, and so on, this present book is barely tolerable. Add to all this, that many, if not most, book sellers are emphasizing the WEB, then the single page addendum on “What makes a good web site?” does not cut it.
Three stars were assigned for the rather complete but generic approach to a business plan. “Fail to plan, plan to fail”.
Copyrighted in 1999, this edition of this book is out of date since,in my opinion, it does not address the major impact that the Internet has had on book selling, used books or new books.
Rating: 3 / 5
#2 by dleslie@fwi.com on March 7, 2010 - 9:34 pm
I was very disappointed in this book. Very little of its content was devoted to discussion of running a used book shop. Most of it was general information on starting a business with the words “used bookstore business” inserted regularly, as in form letters which insert a person’s name. Some of it was geared to new book businesses, discussing ordering from publishers, etc. One and a half pages were specifically about used book stores. The last chapter in the book was titled “Secondhand and Antiquarian.” I have never been more disappointed in a book.
Rating: 1 / 5
#3 by Marc McCutcheon on March 8, 2010 - 12:12 am
What we have here is a book thrown together by two”authors” (and I use that term with appalling generosity)who have no used bookstore experience themselves yet pretend that theydo by presenting a goulash of amateurish filler, fluff and vamping as “expert” advice. They interview NO used bookstore owners. (They do, however, present two “pretend” quotes from, ahem, “anonymous” bookstore owners about running—even more stupidity here–a NEW book bookstore.)They do not, in fact, go into specifics of the used bookstore business other than on one (one!)and a quarter pages, which consist of made-up, vague generalities that will be of no help to anyone. One last thing. I’m an avid life-long reader, and I own some 3,000 books. This is, by far, THE WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ.
Rating: 1 / 5
#4 by Maureen G. Rogers on March 8, 2010 - 1:37 am
This book should be banned! Just kidding but if you are sincere in needing information on starting and managing a bookstore this is not the best source. Any information concerning the book business is wanting, no good information on securing inventory, no good information on mark-ups, how long you should retain inventory, no good information on using a cash register versus a point of sale system, no good information on the day to day operations. If your serious about the book business DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK, rather check out the American Booksellers Associations website and utilize there resources. If you just want to sell on the internet there are other fine books on amazon like “Selling Used Books Online” that contain a lot of relevant information.
Rating: 1 / 5
#5 by Marc McCutcheon on March 8, 2010 - 1:59 am
What we have here is a book thrown together by two “authors” (and I use that term with appalling generosity) who have no used bookstore experience themselves yet pretend that they do by presenting a goulash of amateurish filler, fluff and vamping as “expert” advice. They interview NO used bookstore owners. (They do, however, present two “pretend” quotes from, ahem, “anonymous” bookstore owners about running—even more stupidity here–a NEW book bookstore.)They do not, in fact, go into specifics of the used bookstore business other than on one (one!)and a quarter pages, which consist of made-up, vague generalities that will be of no help to anyone with an IQ above 40. I could go into a lot more detail about how profoundly amateurish and useless this book is and how Amazon.com tarnishes its credibility by agreeing to carry it, but this team of authors (who put out a giant line of cookie-cutter business books like this, each, I’m certain, with the same level of incompetence)utterly refused to answer my letter of complaint or to refund my money. One last thing. I’m an avid life-long reader, and I own some 3,000 books. I Have NEVER asked for a refund on any of them. This is, by far, THE WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ.
Rating: 1 / 5