Writing an Ad for new and used books does not have to be complicated but it should be descriptive. Just listing the books and perhaps adding a few comments is insufficient for many buyers...especially collectors. I know because I buy and sell books on eBay. Because I am a collector, I can tell you it is frustrating when the listings do not provide me with the essential information I am need to make a buying decision.  I also know because I recently bought more than a dozen books that I wanted to add to my collection.

I bought most of them on eBay, after a lot of using the Ask Seller A Question to try and get the information I needed in order to make a purchase decision.  Unfortunately for many of the booksellers on eBay I had to buy some of the books I wanted from an alternative on-line source.

Here is what you should have as a minimum in any listing for a new or used book - this is especially true for First Edition books.

Title - example: Entombed by Linda Fairstein HC DJ 1st/1st New

What does the title tell me in just a quick glance:

• The title of the book is Entombed
• The author of the book is Linda Fairstein
• This book is a Hardcover (HC) with a Dustjacket (DJ)
• It is a First Edition, First Printing (1st/1st)
• This book is New (it has never been read)

The detail description should contain the following:

• Binding: Hardcover with Dustjacket (HC/DJ); softcover; leather, etc.
• Condition: Fine/Fine (F/F); Very Good/Good (VG/G); describes the condition of the book, then the condition of the DJ
• Edition: First Edition, Book Club, Ex-Library, Advanced Readers Copy, etc.
• Printing: Only important for First Edition books; it can be found on the credits page by looking at the number line
• Number Line: Only included on First Edition Books
• ISBN: Can be found on the dust jack or on the inside credits page - usually used to list the book)
• Copyright: The copyright date of the book which can be found on the credits page
• Publisher: The name of the Publisher of the book which can be found on the credits page of the book
• Number of Pages: The number of reading pages in the book; does not includ endpapers
• Comments: Describe book in more detail but you must include any defects, i.e., crimping on the DJ, DJ is price clipped; book corner or spine bumping, remainder marks; missing pages, pages that have been turned down to mark the readers point of continuing to read, aka a book mark; marks, underlining, highlighting; separation of book from binding; tears in the DJ, etc.
• Plot: Optional because it takes time and is often supplied as part of the default listing; you may use the jacket flap
• About the Author: Optional because it takes a lot of time; usually found on the back of the jacket flap

I have found a number of booksellers who don't know what the number line is so I have included examples of the usual format.

First of all it is only on First Edition, Hardcover and some Softcover Books and can be found on the credits page.  Here are some examples:

• 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
• 2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1
• 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
• A B C D E...
• ...C D E B A

If this number line is not there you cannot determine the books printing issue and should not list the book as a first printing even though it may be a First Edition (there are other ways to tell if it is a First Printing but they are too complicated for this guide and not necessary).

The lowest number shown is the printing edition, i.e., if the lowest number is 3 then this is the third printing of this First Edition. The same principle applies to the use of alpha characters.

Here are some examples:

This is a picture of the book with the dustjacket

This is the back of the DJ. The ISBN number is located below the bar code at the bottom of the jacket

This is the bar code from the back of the DJ. The ISBN is 0-7432-5488-0

This is the ISBN from the inside of the book on the credits page 0-7432-5488-0

This is the Number Line from the inside of the book on the credits page.

I know this is a First Edition, First Printing because the Number Line is 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2. If this line read 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 then it would be a First Edition, Second Printing.

If you are interested in reading more about listing a books condition or how to describe a book please go to my eBay store Buck Creek Books or click this link to Book Grading and Format. There you will find acceptable abbreviations, used to describe a book that you may use from the Independent On-Line Booksellers Association (IOBA).

If you have any suggestions on how I might improve this guide please leave your comments.

I hope you find this guide informative. More importantly, if you are a bookseller I hope you will improve your listings by being more descriptive...an added benefit is you will probably get less email from potential buyers!  

Here is to more informative ads for books on eBay!

If you found this guide to be helpful please take a moment to rate it as helpful.

Please visit my About Me Page for more information about us.

Please visit our eBay store Buck Creek Books to see all of our books for sale and more about our policies and procedures.

Thanks for reading my guide.

Skip Neff