How to sell books on eBay with an ISBN: listings, conditions and media categories

How do you sell books on eBay with an ISBN?

The quickest way to sell books on eBay is to start from the ISBN. Type it into eBay's listing form and eBay looks the book up in its product catalogue, filling in details such as title, author, publisher and format. You then confirm that the catalogue entry matches your copy, choose the condition, describe any wear, add photos of the actual book, set a price and choose postage. A book listed this way appears in eBay's book searches and filters with accurate details from the start.

The ISBN, or International Standard Book Number, is the book's identifier, assigned through its publisher. You will find it above the barcode on the back cover and on the copyright page inside. Each format usually has its own ISBN, so the hardback, paperback and audiobook of the same title are separate products. Older books may carry a shorter version of the number, and books printed before ISBNs came into use have none.

How do you list a book step by step?

1. Find the ISBN on the back cover or the copyright page. If the two differ, the copyright page is usually the more specific.
2. Enter it in eBay's listing form. eBay suggests a matching catalogue entry with the book's details.
3. Check the match. Compare the cover, format, edition and publisher with your copy. If they do not match, choose a different entry or list without the catalogue match.
4. Choose the category. Books belong in eBay's books category, which eBay groups with music, films and games as media. Listing there makes the ISBN match and buyers' filters work properly.
5. Select the condition from the options eBay offers in the category, and describe the actual state of the book in the condition notes.
6. Add your own photos, especially for used books.
7. Fill in remaining item specifics such as language, publication year, topic and any signature or edition details.
8. Set the price and postage from recent sold listings and the book's weight.

How do you make sure you have the right edition?

A catalogue match is only as good as the ISBN, and the same title can exist in many versions. Buyers who collect or study often want one particular edition, and a mismatch is a common reason for a not as described return.

• Format: hardback, paperback, large print and audiobook each have their own ISBN.
• Edition: textbooks and reference books often change between editions, and buyers usually need a specific one.
• Printing: collectors may care about first printings, which the ISBN alone does not show. Check the copyright page and say what it states.
• Cover: reissues can share an ISBN with an older cover design. If your cover differs from the catalogue image, say so and show your own.
• Special copies: signed, dedicated or book club editions need describing in words, because the catalogue entry describes the standard book.

How should you describe a book's condition?

Choose the condition that fits from eBay's options for books, then describe what a buyer would notice. Honest, specific notes prevent most disputes:

• the state of the cover and spine: creases, fading, tears or a broken spine;
• the pages: yellowing, foxing, folded corners, water marks;
• any writing, highlighting, stickers, stamps or a previous owner's name;
• for hardbacks, whether the dust jacket is present and its condition;
• any missing parts, such as access codes, CDs or maps that came with the book.

Photos matter just as much. eBay UK's picture policy says stock photos are not allowed for used, damaged or defective items, and that photos must accurately represent the item and be at least 500 pixels on the longest side. A catalogue cover image alone is not enough for a used book. Photograph the front, back and spine, the copyright page, and any flaw you mention.

How do item specifics and titles work for books?

The ISBN match fills many item specifics automatically, but check them and add what is missing. Buyers filter by author, format, language and topic, so a missing field can hide your listing from a filtered search. Our guide to eBay item specifics explains how buyers use them.

eBay titles can be at most 80 characters, as eBay's listing title guidance states. For books, lead with the title and author, then the format and anything that sets your copy apart, such as "Signed First Edition" or "Hardback with Dust Jacket". A catalogue title is a good start, but you can usually improve it with these details.

How do you price a book?

1. Search eBay's sold listings by ISBN, so you compare the same edition and format.
2. Compare like with like. A copy in very good condition with a dust jacket is not priced like a worn copy without one.
3. Add postage realistically. Weigh the packed book. In the UK, many paperbacks fit a large letter service, while hardbacks often need a small parcel. In the US, the postal service offers a cheaper media rate for books, with its own eligibility rules.
4. Bundle low-value books into lots by author, series or subject when single copies would sell for less than the cost of posting them.

Example (hypothetical numbers): a used paperback sells for between £3 and £5 including postage in recent sold listings, and costs you £2.70 to post as a large letter. Listed singly, there is little left after fees. Grouped as a lot of five books in the same series, the books might sell for £15 and cost £3.50 to post as a parcel, which leaves a margin worth the work.

How do you list textbooks, series and sets?

Some books need extra care because buyers are searching for something precise.

• Textbooks. Students usually need a specific edition for a course. Put the edition number in the title and the item specifics, and say clearly if any access code, online resource or companion disc is missing or already used.
• Series and box sets. List the titles included, in order, and say whether the original box or slipcase is present. A set missing one volume should say so in the title, not only in the description.
• Children's books. Mention the age range only if the publisher states one, and describe any scribbling, stickers or torn flaps, which are common in well-used copies.
• Collectable books. For first editions and signed copies, photograph the copyright page and the signature, and describe the printing exactly. Do not describe a book as a first edition unless the copyright page supports it.

Where do sellers get books, and what are the rules?

Common sources include charity shops, car boot sales, library and school sales, house clearances and wholesale remainder stock. Whatever the source, you are selling as a business if you buy books to resell, and eBay UK's business seller policy applies.

If you look at Amazon for book prices or stock, note eBay's drop shipping rule. Dropshipping from a wholesale supplier is allowed, but listing an item on eBay and then buying it from another retailer or marketplace that ships directly to your buyer is not allowed. The wording is on eBay UK's drop shipping page, and you stay responsible for delivery and the buyer's satisfaction. Our guide to Amazon used and new offers explains how condition labels compare between the two sites.

Never sell copies, printouts or digital files of books you do not have the rights to, and be cautious with very cheap new copies of popular titles, which can be counterfeit.

Do books have special tax rules?

In the UK, most printed books are zero-rated for VAT, which matters once you are VAT registered: you charge VAT at the zero rate on those sales but still keep VAT records. Our guide to zero-rated goods in the UK covers how this works. VAT registration itself is based on taxable turnover, and zero-rated sales count towards it, so check your position with HMRC or an accountant.

A checklist for every book listing

• The ISBN matches your copy's format, edition and publisher.
• The book is in eBay's books category with item specifics complete.
• The condition is chosen honestly and every flaw is described.
• Your own photos show the cover, spine, copyright page and any damage.
• The title leads with title and author and stays within 80 characters.
• The price comes from sold listings for the same ISBN, with real postage added.