Are used books more profitable for stores to sell?
• The numbers may seem to make used books more profitable to sell than new ones. However, the cost of acquiring used books is much more expensive for stores than simply ordering new copies from the publisher. In addition, the actual amount of money a store makes is about the same since the retail price on used books is 25% less than the retail price on new books. Please give an example to make these numbers more understandable. • A new $40 textbook, on average, is sold to the college store by the publisher for $30. The same book, in used condition, would be purchased either from a student or a used book wholesaler for half of the retail price, or $20. It is then resold for $30. In both cases, after paying for the book itself, the college store has $10 to cover the expenses of buying and selling it.
• The numbers may seem to make used books more profitable to sell than new ones. However, the cost of acquiring used books is much more expensive for stores than simply ordering new copies from the publisher. In addition, the actual amount of money a store makes is about the same since the retail price on used books is 25% less than the retail price on new books. Please give an example to make these numbers more understandable. • A new $40 textbook, on average, is sold to the college store by the publisher for $30. The same book, in used condition, would be purchased either from a student or a used book wholesaler for 50% of the retail price, or $20. It is then resold for $30. In both cases, after paying for the book itself, the college store has $10 to cover the expenses of buying and selling it.
