The secret to bookselling is that there isn't any secret at all. One can create advantages, but by and large, all booksellers are born equal. Being
born equal, however, does not mean
staying equal.
There are, however, keys to better bookselling, one of which is that the word "sell" is an active verb in this case. Had God and Mister Webster not intended that we buy with great care, research thoroughly, describe completely and accurately, and make an effort to convince our audience that our books were worth having, we'd have been called, "bookhavers" - that is, people who simply have books for sale... and that, perhaps, is the first key in bookselling: selling them is part of the job.
Captain Obvious would say, "the internet has changed bookselling," and then go on to bemoan the fact (and fact it is) that The Electronic Devil has caused supply to outstrip demand, so that the latter portion of satnrose's Maxim is quite correct:
"What was once rare is now scarce;
What was once scarce is now common;
What was once common is now dead."
It's something of an exaggeration, of course, but what portion of the truism that's true nonetheless, is that what could once be had in every other used book shop for a Guinea is now utterly ubiquitous on the internet, and priced at a Penny.
The second key, perhaps then, is in remembering, "coal," and, "Newcastle." If twenty other self-described booksellers can't palm off a certain title on an unsuspecting public, the chances are that you can't either. There are many books which will sell passingly well in a brick and mortar store, but which won't even be looked at on the internet. Let us treat these books as Proverbs 4:14 - 4:15 suggests - as though dead common stock was the, "semitis impiorum" - and avoid them at all costs.
"Sell better books," if you plan to make a living at it (and anyone who can read, write, and learn to research well, can derive a comfortable living at bookselling). The remark has been made many times that it, "takes just as long to catalogue a cheap book as it does an expensive book." It's not true, of course - good cataloguing takes time and care - but it doesn't take a thousand times longer to catalaogue a thousand Pound book, than to catalogue a book selling at ninety-nine Pence.
Remember Ed Maggs. Mister Maggs often remarked that, "contrary to the sacred beliefs of many bookmen, a book's condition does not magically improve as it traverses the Mails." He was right, of course. If a book is accurately described, there will be no surprises when the client unwraps it - and accurate description begets repeat custom. If it's Near Fine, call it "Very Good" and not "Fine" - hoping after it's been posted, that the Royal Mail Færies will sprinkle their Magic Book Dust across the parcel, thus transforming it. They won't. They're too busy these days at the Royal Mail Fairy Parcel Testing Center, where the day long they drop packages marked, "glass," from dizzying heights, and toss items marked, "books," under the wheels of speeding lorries.
Network... become a part of the Books Trade. Get to know other booksellers, go to Book Fairs, and attend auctions. You can learn as much at Olympia - or in the rooms at New Bond Street - in a single afternoon, as most internet bookhavers will learn about bookselling in their lifetimes. Bookselling is a Trade, but it's also a vocation, and to those who are genuinely successful, an avocation as well. If you don't Love what you're doing as a bookseller... of you don't get up every day, actively looking forward to those sixteen hours you'll spend at it... if it doesn't speak to you - then quick: do something else instead.
