Monday, November 23, 2009

New Stock .... is this a good thing, or bad?

So this weekend, instead of polishing up the stock I HAD (which was already priced, in the computer, etc.) and ready to go to the book fair (which is coming up NEXT WEEK), I got a call from another book dealer who is having to move house.

First off, I've DONE the moving thing.  It's not pretty no matter which way you slice it. They have the luxury of getting movers to at least schlep the boxes from place to place, but the organization involved in taking out 10,000 or so books..... oh, my head....


As I say, I've done it myself and try not to think about having to do it again.

But, back to where I come in.  There was an offer made for a lot (as in a group of books) that weren't exactly the dealer's cup of tea but were perfectly fine books.

Yup. I know about this too.

I have BOXES (about 15 or so) of books that I picked up because they were good stuff -- interesting stuff -- at a good price  BUT they were not interesting enough to actually make it into the online listings yet.

Of course, some of that has to do with the time factor.

Another part of it, is, unfortunately, interest.

It takes a certain amount of -- hey, I like this book, I'll research it and list it; or: hey, I KNOW someone's looking for this, it will be an easy item to sell; or: I've had this book in stock before, it will take mere SECONDS to list again....
for me to want to put time into getting the book from the box to the shelf (with the database addition sandwiched in between there).

So If I have a stack of boxes of books that just don't really interest me enough to deal with them, then surely others do too.

Which is where the transfer of boxes of new books, and money came in.

The bad part is --- well, money.

Having enough to cover said purchase with enough to spare for say.....food on the table... and to pay for those new shoes that son number one REALLY needs.

Yup.


I am happy with the books though.  Now I've got two days (approximately) to cover them with new protectors, do basic research, and have them shiny, bright and ready to go for the Pasadena Book Fair.

Ah, the life of a book dealer.

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