Weak November

I have spent some of this morning analyzing my first half year sales figures.

The first four months until October showed a good sales record with a 100% growth from June until September, October showed identical sales to September.

November however shoed a 59% decline in sales.

I knew November had the potential for a bad month, with the FBA (Fulfilment by Amazon) system almost nothing was shipped between the Monday before Thanksgiving until the following Sunday. But these disappointing sales are not only due to the loss of a whole trading week.

I think from analysis of weekly ssales my downturn actually began mid October, co-incidentantly at the same time as the Government shutdown.

Not saying here that government workers spend all day shopping online, there could be the worry of people expecting lower paychecks in November and December, maybe unpaid benefits etc. A host of Government inspired worries.

December figures are looking as though they are above the level for September and early October so we could see a bumper sales season over my first online Holiday period.

We will be back again in about a month with the real December figures.

Until my next post. All the best for both the Holidays and a A Happy New Year.

Fresh Stock Update

We have recently sent several more boxes of books to our Amazon Fulfilment Centers.

To view the latest stock updates see our storefront link on the right.

Poker Book Collection For Sale

Recently a friend, who had been an avid Texas Hold'Em Poker player on the local casino poker room circuit, came to me with his wide ranging collection of poker stategy books.

It is my largest collection sale up to date at over twenty books on all aspects of the game of poker.
 books include general strategy and betting suggestions, for Hold'em, Draw and Omaha poker.

Take a look at our storefront for latest additions and a chance to buy from this great value collection.

Beginnings

As 2012 closed I was looking around for new money making opportunities, with only a part-time job and becoming legally blind with a large student loan repayment coming due, there were limits on earning more money and finding time to add more work hours to my day.

I first looked at eBay. I heard stories from friends of great success on eBay. Selling used books on eBay however was more work than reward. Getting photographs of books, uploading inventory and waiting for sales was just too frustrating.

I also posted some of my old textbooks on amazon.com as being fulfilled by merchant. From January to July 2013, things moved at a glacial pace. Books did sell, but not as fast as I had hoped and listing fees with eBay ate into my sales profits.

Amazon however with free listings, until the item sold, did nothing for my cash flow. I was not selling but neither was it costing me money.

Then finally in August I got my first order with amazon.

Excitedly I packed the item and shipped it off to the buyer.

Being a novice did not help me when it turned out that I had misunderstood the e-mail from amazon telling me to dispatch the item within two days.

It also said that the customer required two day shipping. I did not understand that part and shipped the item incorrectly.

A few days later I received an e-mail from a disappointed customer. Seeing my own fault clearly was a no-brainer. I issued a full refund and looked around for a way to improve the situation.

This is when I opted for Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA).

With FBA I ship the items to an Amazon fulfillment center and they take care of the mailing.

In a few hours I converted all my previous listings to FBA with a click of the mouse, packed the items in a box and sent them UPS across country.

It took five days for the items to arrive and a further twenty-four hours for them to be entered into inventory at Amazon.

But wonder of wonders, of twenty-one items sent in that first shipment, fifteen had sold within one week. Bear in mind these items had been listed as merchant fulfilled for several months.

 

Amazon Affiliate Notice

William Elliott is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.”