Editor's Note:

I first met Garry at the 2013 edition of the Colorado Antiquarian Bookselling School. He was from the opposite side of our country and very much seemed to know what he was doing. We struck up a conversation that lasted on occasion until his demise in 2019. At one point I asked him to expound upon a brief Discuss post about selling on the trade lists. Sadly, I did not get around to posting this in his lifetime.

I recently had conversations with Karen Austin, now the sole operator of IOBA member Austin's Antiquarian Books. I had received Garry's explicit permission and edits, and have added hers as well. Without further comment I offer Garry's sage wisdom on the use of trade lists to sell.

***

In response to the question what am I doing and why does it seem to be working at this point; I think that it has evolved from the basic first attempts; Here is the anatomy of our posts;

We have constructed a single e-mail incorporating all of the list serves that we are enrolled with. This will vary with each poster but we utilize the ABAA Trade & Public List, The IOBA Trade List, the Biblio List, the Cabs List, the VABA (VT Booksellers) & Forest Proper’s Rare Books List.

My Basic Rules;

Subject line must be somewhat compelling. 

There are many possible buyers but an even larger body of folks who will not be interested. How can I get a prospective buyer to open the email, what is the hook?

Below are three recent posts, all sold in a relatively short time, less than an hour.

F/S An off the wall Dickens Item

F/S Lot of Dearborn Independents 1923-1924 Anti-Semitic Articles, Henry Ford etc

F/S 1876 Little Rock & Fort Smith Railway Promotional Literature Only two known copies

Complete disclosure.

Each item must be completely described. We subscribe to a cataloguing format that is probably overly detailed but greater detail lessens possible confusion, it often answers questions before they are proffered.

Add a little Sizzle.

To me “Sizzle” means a little tag line as short as “only two known copies” or a paragraph from Wikipedia or some other source highlighting the significance, importance, or history of the item.

The KISS method (Keep It Simple Stupid!)

By utilizing a “net to all & postpaid @ $X” a potential buyer can make that quick judgment of viability, no secret add-ons here, it is economically feasible or it isn’t.

There is nothing wrong with “Trade Discount Applies” etc, except the potential buyer has to do a quick calculation, 20% or 10% which is it?

A Target Rich Environment.

This can be a very dangerous strategy. With experience in the Trade we learn who generally buys what. Who is the “Theodore Roosevelt Guy” to use an example close to home. So why don’t we just quote this lot directly to that buyer? Sometimes I do. Sometimes that is successful & other times not so much. Still we should always be striving to increase our universe of potential buyers, new customers both within & without the Trade. Repeated postings of interesting material may put you on someone’s radar. They might not jump on today’s post but they may later visit your website, shop or booth at a fair.

So Much Stuff / So Little Time. What to offer?

The question might be what NOT to offer, or the “Grant’s Memoirs Syndrome”. Why go to all the trouble of offering items that are in multiples all over the databases. There has to be something special, esoteric, scarce, unusual, to move the potential buyer.

Follow-Up.

If you are successful in selling your posted material, immediately follow up with a “Thank You It Is Sold” message to the lists. It is not fun to tell the second or third buyer that they have missed out. Also psychologically if your colleagues see that you are selling material on a regular basis they may start paying greater attention to your posts.

Don’t Be Greedy / Leave Something On The Table.

Since I am posting generally to the Trade, I am wholesaling. There has to be money left in the deal for the buyer to prosper as well. So arrive at a price that benefits you as well as the buyer. Make that buyer pay attention to your next post, we are all looking for opportunities.

Do not let your ego get in the way.

Sometimes we are well educated curatorial rescuers preserving real cultural rarities, many other times we are hucksters just trying to make a living by selling fluff.

Summary;

Be consistent, thorough, creative, indulgent & thankful, especially when it works.

Garry Austin, Karen Austin, Austin's Antiquarian Books

Andrew Langer, Bookseller, Editor