Online second-hand book seller

Readers, students, collectors and people hunting for out-of-print or niche titles across Canada and beyond.

You buy books cheaply and sell at a higher price, earning the difference after marketplace fees, packaging and postage. Niche, collectable and textbook-style titles tend to earn more per sale than everyday paperbacks.

• Spotting books that will sell
• Careful listing and photography
• Organised stock and order tracking
• Packing and shipping

• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence
• Register for GST/HST with the CRA once revenue passes the small supplier threshold, and check how provincial sales tax applies in your province
• Marketplace fees and postage can eat into thin margins, so price carefully
• Check your home insurance covers business stock and any customers or couriers visiting
• Damp and pests can ruin stock, so store books somewhere dry

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $300 to $2,000, depending on how much stock you buy and what you spend on packing supplies, shelving and listing tools. Marketplace fees and postage also affect your margins.

Estimates suggest monthly revenue typically around $300 to $2,500, depending on the titles you find, your pricing and how often you list. Estimates point to about 8 hours a week as a minimum. Fees and postage can eat into thin margins.

Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence. Also check GST/HST registration with the CRA once revenue passes the small supplier threshold, how provincial sales tax applies in your province, and whether your home insurance covers business stock and visitors.