Mel, we never tire of listening to you no matter what you're talking about. Your fun, friendly, energetic, full of useful information and a delight to watch!!!! Don't listen to critics, just listen to your own heart!
I do more and more books for one reason, the margins are terrific, particularly on vintage books. If you actually KNOW literature, you can find the good stuff. No bar codes, no ISBN bar codes, you need to recognize authors and books. Anyway, a $1 book might bring $50, $100, or even more. And books take up very little room. They tend to be slow sellers, so you have to be patient. But I still sell other stuff. While I am "looking" for books, I do find other stuff. But the markup on the other stuff isn't close to book margins. Easy to source books, I find them every day.
So why does a 75yr old watch your videos when I have no intention or energy to start a business? I also follow “minimal living” You Tube channels. I think I simply admire your energy ,enthusiasm and organizational skills. Thank You for sharing.
Hi Mel! I’m from the Philippines and just recently found your videos a few weeks back. Been binging them since then, and have found so much motivation! I’m also selling books on our local selling platform and you have motivated me to list list list! Your videos have reminded me how much I love selling books. Keep up the good videos. Thank you!
Thank you! I haven’t been feeling well ever since covid and have a lot of fatigue so I’ve made less videos but hoping to get back to routine as soon as possible x
I don't sell books but I am a reseller too. I just love you're bubbly personality! You seem like you have such a positive outlook on life. Thank you for putting out content 🙏
It’s been a ride Gaye! I’m always open to change though and who knows what I’ll be selling in 5 years time lol. I’ll see what life throws at me and take it as it comes :)
Me too! I’ve been struggling with heavy fatigue since covid and I’m actually sick again with a virus at the moment (praying I’m not about to do round two of covid) 😔
Nice one Mel! Definitely agree with the bad purchases, if they sit around for too long then try and get your money back and learn not to pick them up again. Reinvest with better knowledge. I think every reseller is constantly learning with this type of thing and it’s how we all improve. 👍🏻
We started without a real direction just easy items like clothing tea cups other breakables. We did not think books would sell. Well we are mainly books and selling down the rest. So now we are books and other items we see and unusual that, "sings to us." We are happy with the search for books. Love your videos.
@@backfromburnout yep no more fighting for clothing and doing all the different measurements. We do have a lot of breakable to sell and pack. Have to keep looking for gems but books are easier to ship.
Greetings from Canada. Am a new seller and just discovered your channel and thoroughly enjoyed this video - your enthusiasm is so infectious your channel should be required viewing. Looking forward to more.
Haha….What Tea Kat said….I’d been hanging for a new vid….And you are def NOT just a ‘Mum in the shed Mel’….You’re a fully fledged bone fide Business Woman….What you’ve managed to do with your biz in a relatively short period of time is nothing short of awe inspiring….KUDOS to you Lovey….!!!!!😊👊🏼❤️❤️❤️
Love your chit chats. You have encouraged me to do better. I sell on eBay. In the beginning 1 listing a day was epic. Now doing 14, goal 40 a day. Love learning systems from you.
You have been some very advice for me. I’ve been a part time reseller for over 2 years. Currently I sell everything. I wanted to move into books, but here in America I just think most are reading online or the books I’m selling are just not what people want. Because of you, I moved my inventory from my house into a storage unit. Which works out great. So thanks for all the advice you’ve been for me. 😀
@@backfromburnout its just funny how it suddenly jumps into your hands then disappears as fast I know its where you have to edit the video but I am easily pleased🤣
Great video 📹! We don’t want the additional stress of having a warehouse and employees as we are comfortable now. We list and ship our items from our home. We are planning to build a garage attached to our house and a shop behind of 120 sq meters...1,300 sq ft. Then we can separate our personal life from our business life... You do what's best for you! Appreciate the sharing of your reselling life! Have a great week! Joe Bee 🐝 from 🇨🇦🍁🇨🇦 Canada!
Checking every single day for your new videos.lol. Thanks for the content. Definitely would love to see more videos like this.pretty much any videos from you. Have a great day, Mel! Happy belated mother's day to you!
Hi Mel! I was wondering if you could do a video about about how you keep track of your items that you purchase, how much they are, and what you do when they sell. For example, what is your record keeping process for knowing how much you bought the item for and how much you are selling it for, and ebay fees and shipping costs and such to be sure you are making a profit? Thanks!
Girl, I have said this off and on, even watching and reaching out to you through your Facebook shorts, but I swear you and I are cut from the same cloth! The similar familiarities of both of us are uncanning! With what you are currently going through, I know that this year will be my year for what I need to do to seek happiness in my own life and not be completely cut down by someone that I once thought was my rock and to move forward however painful it might be. I am hoping that I too will survive but seeking some peace.
Mel, you just make my day! For me, I never tire of hearing what you sourced and what you sold. I loved the shed build videos and your sweet hubby, but honestly, you are so enjoyable to listen to and I appreciate all of it!
What a great set up to have from home. Can fully relate to the pressure of wanting to keep plans manageable when you have family shenanigans to juggle with too.
Thank you, that means a lot as the intention is that I will be relatable to all types of resellers who sell all different types of items! It’s all about sharing the journey and we’re all on the same journey x
You changed my store with one of your tips about white backgrounds being shown in google searches. The store has exploded since I implemented that change. Your making a difference for sure keep it up Mell
I’m happy to fill my shed with as many listings as I can hold and then I will hopefully be at the stage where I’m actually selling as many as I list each day so it will balance out. I list 30 a day and I’m aiming to sell 30 a day. I think I can maintain that in this space.
Wow 5 years sure went quick and now 3000+ listings & 16000+ subscribers what a great achievement. It will be interesting to see what the next 5 years brings 😃 PS. if you are thinking of putting in another row of shelves think about having them on casters (heavy duty as books weigh a lot) - that way you can push the shelves towards the wall when you need the floor space
That’s a good idea! I might see if Aaron can build me something to wheel them on. I have purchased shelves the same as the ones I put against the wall for the photography so I can use them as tables instead of my fold up tables. 5 years has gone fast. I normally get the 5 year itch with all my previous businesses! The 5 year mark is when I’ve always made big changes! Eeeek lol
I'm doing the same thing. Moved to a different place and can't find decent shoes anymore. Found a thrift store where I can get 5 $1.99 hc book for $5.00 and 99c hc 5 for $2.50. It's more research, but I've had to conform. I no longer scrub those shoes which was time consuming.
Ha ha. A shed is a garage I guess where you put your car. This was an old shed that wasn’t attached to the house. Newer houses here are built with brick and attached to the house. This was a old tin garage/shed.
Interesting to hear your story on how you started and I think you made a wise choice. I started on eBay in 1999 (eBay had just started) and I was selling artwork that I bought in bulk. It was okay for awhile but packing and shipping artwork was such a pain that I switched to general thrift items instead. It’s important to be open to changing like you did in this business. Wishing you all the best and thanks for the great videos !!
Mel! You were a snob! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I never would have thought that about you?! I love thrift stores and garage sales but prefer estate sales 😂 love your videos keep them coming!
As always I enjoy your videos. And thanks to the person who asked the question....I know you used to sell clothing but didn't know you used to just sell sneakers. Been wondering too how you end up being a book seller! Great to see you again!
Thank you so much for all the information! It helps tremendously! I did watch the storage units as well as the start of the build (but fell asleep, I only have time to watch late at night when all kids and hubs are asleep lol) Your personality is so fun to watch sweetheart. How have you killed books in Australia? Lol Your space is very large. Oh, I also started doing the cling wrap on bundles, they look so much better, more professional now. I feel more confident when sending them out. Again, thank you for your efforts on these videos and helping others out.
It's so true that your real niche just kind of happens. For me it has been narrowed as I started out selling everything now there are quite a few things I don't even look at or for any longer. I still consider myself an everything seller but my main niches are shoes and golf clubs, but if I find something else that I know will make me good money, I don't hesitate to get it and sell it.
I'm into books, DVDs/Blueray sets, vintage video games, mens clothes/shoes, golf anything, musical instruments and gear and electronics in all their forms...I have knowledge in all of them and love the hunt!
I hate selling clothes but I am trying to niche down to books but I have a love for pretty glass, jewelry and art so it is really difficult and as of right now books and clothes are my #1 and #2 selling items books being number #2. I love books
bought and sold books for many years in our shop and flea markets.. books can be durable, easy to pack and ship, with often big profit margins. was not uncommon to pay $ and sell for $$-$$$.
Just rewatching some your old videos again Mel and everything you say in this video is resonating with me again now. I’m getting tempted to niche down into books a lot more than I do currently and I think I’ll try it. I’ve still got lots of other stock so I’ll work through that but try to focus on just picking up books to see how it’s goes for now. Hope you’re good and thanks as ever. You’re awesome!! 😊
I used to work in a bookstore for over a decade. I'd love to focus on selling books on eBay. Where do you recommend me start? Thanks for your help! I love your channel!
Square meters means absolutely as little as the other dimensions given in meters. In Americanese, your shed is approximately 12' x 24' or 288 square feet...
Thanks for sharing your journey! It helps me stay confident that I too can do this. I am just starting and only have 3 items on Ebay, but I'm taking it slow and it's also Christmas Break for the kids, so they are home and my focus is elsewhere, lol.
What could be more interesting than books? So happy I just found you! Shipping from Australia to UniUnited States is typically expensive. Near $20 for small packages. One thing I have had an extremely difficult time finding in the states is glorious paper napkins for crafts. I watch crafting videos on TH-cam and the women in Australia always have the most beautiful napkins. How do you keep your books from smelling musty?
Welcome! Paper napkins, interesting! What type of designs do you look for? I don’t really have a problem with musty smelling books but I do keep little bowls of vinegar around the corners of my room to help with any odours
I find this is an issue with older books - it's easy to tell if musty due to being moldy or water damaged but the page papers of lots of older books degrade over time due the acid in them. Unfortunately where there are many used books one can't always detect the acidic smell until the book comes home with you. I don't like the smell and don't want to sell these to people so I tend to not get much older books.
Not sure what it's like in Aus? But over here Most Books/DVD's/CD's are all sold free shipping so when you have paid for the postage there is little margin left in selling them..
I have gone through all the same concerns you have by concentrating on books only but i still have about 1200 clothes for sale plus about a dozen clothes not listed yet but when i think about doing clothes again, i just dont have the interest in photographing and measuring them. Books are so much easier to list.
I’m ready to purge all my clothes that haven’t sold before the new financial year and I’ve never felt better or more comfortable with that decision! I think inching down 100% is quite a brave move but it makes so much sense for me and it allows me more time to focus on more fun stuff :) well done Merridy!
I sell a little of everything but I love selling books in particular. Problem for me is I am in Canada and we don't have media mail. Therefore, I cannot compete well with the US market because they do have a cap on the cost to ship books, regardless of size. I have to therefore be quite selective in the books that I source, but when I do sell, I get a much higher price because the books I sell are more rare. Does Australia offer a capped book rate? I see you often sell a number of books in one shipment; if I did that in Canada, my shipping would be astronomically high.
Hey! Super curious where you’re sourcing your books from? I’m in Canada and considering doing this for income. I’m disabled and cannot work a regular job and absolutely love books - I could do this!
Personally, I'm fixing to move to what most would call the middle of nowhere. When I do, I'm going to build A TON of space for my book business. I hope to hire people too, we'll see if I can continue scaling my book shop at the rate I am. (Shh! Don't tell my subscribers!) But, yeah, space isn't an issue with books, which you sort of got at when talking about your Nikes and books. Honestly, I probably don't need a big area to store more books, since they're so small, but it's fun to think about multiplying my shop a few times over. :)
I actually listen to more audio books at the moment! I listen while I work and photograph etc. Sometimes I see a book that interests me but I know I won’t have the time to read it so I just download it on audible straight away and listen.
Hey Mel I only found your channel a few weeks ago but love your videos 😊. Recently gotten over my fear of using eBay to try sell some stuff after watching your videos. Have started with a personal selling account, will move to an eBay shop down the track (hopefully). Anyway at the end of this video I almost came out with 'Bye Mel' 😅🤣. Hope you have a good weekend and am looking forward to an update on how the new shelves are going 😊.
I love that because I feel like I’m talking to all my friends and I hope people feel like I’m also their friend! Well done on starting! I hope you love selling on eBay! Let me know if you have any questions and thank you for watching and commenting x
Ha ha. back from burnout has to be one of the worst reselling names ever LOL. It was never my intention to be a reseller when the name of my Instagram account was created ha ha Oh well. I guess there are a million pickers and thrifters and only one burnout and one op shop nerd 🤣
Great info and great help. I was thinking of going on bookselling and I have no idea on how to go about it. Your video gave a lot of inputs that I can learn from. Just one question, is it better to sell on eBay than Amazon? Thanks.
I had the same thing happen to me. I used to sell t-shirts at flea markets. There were a few factories here and they had outlets. I cherry picked the best ones and sold at the markets. Then, all the factories closed down, as did the outlets. I was doing very well selling the t-shirts. But then....not. Then I sold flags, car tags, army surplus, etc., etc, etc This was years ago before there were computers for the average person. Thankfully, I had moved to another state and had a decent job, but I still did flea markets on the weekends and then.....ta da! Ebay! I sold everything on Ebay for the longest, but my first sale was a Nancy Drew book. Always books. And I'm still selling books.
I mostly lot fiction books but I do some non fiction on the same topics for example books on the same sports, happiness, cookbooks on the same topic eg: paleo, Asian cuisine, diabetes etc.
I'm brand new.Found you yesterday May 12 2022 and I've been watching a lot of back content. I'm in the US and have a dormant ebay store. Your energy and positivity are giving me the desire to dive back in. Thank You for the push I've needed.
I started selling on Ebay selling books in 1998 and sold books for years but then I branched out into selling everything so I don't have all my eggs in one basket. I've sold over 20,000 books but now do not just concentrate on books but anything that will sell. High dollar books do not sell as well as they once did years ago.
I considered selling books but every book I looked up on eBay was selling for $4.50 - $5.00 each including shipping. I didn't see how it would be worth selling when shipping costs nearly that much. Is $5.00 an average price for your books or do you sell books that are much more valuable?
I sell mostly nikes from the factory outlet as well. I also source garage sells, Target clearance and Marshall's. I recently bought a lot of 250 books for $30. Haven't found many of them selling for over 5 dollars. Most are 3.49 or so. I have only posted about 10 of them so far bc i wasn't sure if they will sell. I don't know where to start. Lol
Our new listings now are 90-95% books , the only reason it’s not 100 is access to high dollar items for next to nothing for the other items. I just looked and we’re 10 days into the month and 72% of our sales are books so it’s starting to catch up with the change to focusing on books
Hi Mel! I’ve connected with you in lots of ways and really enjoy your videos. I was an elementary reading teacher for 16 years. Loved it! Why did you name your channel Back From Burnout?
When I was sick with health issues (which was actually caused from having breast implant illness) I was having trouble working my job as a family photographer as I was in chronic pain and felt totally burnt out. I started an anonymous Instagram account called Back from Burnout which was focused on bouncing back and feeling better again. So it was focused around food and well-being. And I found a few sneaker resellers in America somehow on Instagram which is how I started dabbling in the shoes. I just started to share the reselling journey on that page. So if you scroll right back 5 years ago on my Instagram you will see my first ever photos shipping eBay! I ended up having surgery to remove my implants and thought I would go back to photography but I never did. I just kept reselling and kept up with the same Instagram account which then turned into TH-cam lol.
@@backfromburnout Oh my goodness! No one would ever know from your optimism that you have been through all of that. Thank you for being so willing to share this. Hopefully you are enjoying good health now. You don’t seem burned out in the least! Thanks also for the videos.😊
Hey guys. I just lucked into about 8,000 books. I am new to Amazon FBA and I am trying to see what’s what. I will be selling these myself and am only interested in learning to sell these. A small middle school closed and I inherited all the books from the library and about 1000 text books. While researching I see great used values, but some of the books have a ranking of 1-3 million. Should I list the high ranking ones first?
Mel, we never tire of listening to you no matter what you're talking about. Your fun, friendly, energetic, full of useful information and a delight to watch!!!! Don't listen to critics, just listen to your own heart!
I love it when I see someone that seems genuinely happy. Mel, you are a breath of fresh air.
So happy to see you and the new video! You're more than just a Mum in the shed...you're a successful business owner! Thank you for sharing your story.
Thank you 😊
I do more and more books for one reason, the margins are terrific, particularly on vintage books. If you actually KNOW literature, you can find the good stuff. No bar codes, no ISBN bar codes, you need to recognize authors and books. Anyway, a $1 book might bring $50, $100, or even more. And books take up very little room. They tend to be slow sellers, so you have to be patient. But I still sell other stuff. While I am "looking" for books, I do find other stuff. But the markup on the other stuff isn't close to book margins. Easy to source books, I find them every day.
So why does a 75yr old watch your videos when I have no intention or energy to start a business? I also follow “minimal living” You Tube channels. I think I simply admire your energy ,enthusiasm and organizational skills. Thank You for sharing.
I love this! Thank you. My intention isn’t just for book sellers to watch me so this makes me so happy! Thank you x
I'm an everything seller and haven't really dabbled into books. You have really motivated me to try something new! Love your video's!
Thank you. I’m just starting out and your information is very helpful!
Hi Mel! I’m from the Philippines and just recently found your videos a few weeks back. Been binging them since then, and have found so much motivation! I’m also selling books on our local selling platform and you have motivated me to list list list! Your videos have reminded me how much I love selling books. Keep up the good videos. Thank you!
Your Happiness for Book Selling is Contagious!!! Your system is working for you. Congrats. I have learned so much from your videos.
Thank you so much!
So happy to see you on a new video. I caught this the other day but I couldn't comment at the time. Great job.
Thank you! I haven’t been feeling well ever since covid and have a lot of fatigue so I’ve made less videos but hoping to get back to routine as soon as possible x
I don't sell books but I am a reseller too. I just love you're bubbly personality! You seem like you have such a positive outlook on life. Thank you for putting out content 🙏
Thank you so much!!
I haven’t watched you in such a long time. Glad you are doing well. Great Video!! Thank you.
We love Mel's Story Time
Hi. You make people smile-that's purpose enough! Your videos are always fun to watch!
You are so kind. Thanks for watching!
Great to see another video Mel...always love watching your reselling journey :)
It’s been a ride Gaye! I’m always open to change though and who knows what I’ll be selling in 5 years time lol. I’ll see what life throws at me and take it as it comes :)
Hi from Florida! I get so excited when I see a new video. I miss your 3 videos per week!
Me too! I’ve been struggling with heavy fatigue since covid and I’m actually sick again with a virus at the moment (praying I’m not about to do round two of covid) 😔
I like the psychoanalysis when you're talking about people projecting fears, etc. That stuff makes your videos unique. Great content anyway!
Nice one Mel! Definitely agree with the bad purchases, if they sit around for too long then try and get your money back and learn not to pick them up again. Reinvest with better knowledge. I think every reseller is constantly learning with this type of thing and it’s how we all improve. 👍🏻
100%! I’m really focusing now on fast sell thru as my main priority.
I do! I want to learn about books! I really love selling books. They are so much fun.
We started without a real direction just easy items like clothing tea cups other breakables. We did not think books would sell. Well we are mainly books and selling down the rest. So now we are books and other items we see and unusual that, "sings to us." We are happy with the search for books. Love your videos.
Hi! Are you selling in the US?
@@TroyCorley Yes we are in the US. Michigan
This is awesome. It sounds like you have found your perfect balance :)
@@backfromburnout yep no more fighting for clothing and doing all the different measurements. We do have a lot of breakable to sell and pack. Have to keep looking for gems but books are easier to ship.
Greetings from Canada. Am a new seller and just discovered your channel and thoroughly enjoyed this video - your enthusiasm is so infectious your channel should be required viewing. Looking forward to more.
Great video, thank you for sharing your journey.
Your videos have helped me a lot, I was struggling finding clothes in my area. Today I found 30 books with great profit margins
Great job! I love to hear this! Thanks for watching!
I enjoy watching you. If you do books, I'll watch you doing books!
Love that you are passionate about selling books!💕
My favorite line. "Self confessed squirrel brain". Oh how I relate. Thanks for a great video. Love from Iowa.
Ha ha, yes I think a lot of resellers have a little bit of squirrel inside of them lol
Yep, "new friend" here! Loving your channel and videos. :)
Thinking about moving to books, this helped :)
Surely a live is on the cards!! Lol good to see your face Mel! Was excited to see a TH-cam notification
I do want to do a live soon! I had massive home internet issues last week which was a nightmare. I’ll plan a live in the next few weeks :)
Thanks for being so open and honest ❤
Haha….What Tea Kat said….I’d been hanging for a new vid….And you are def NOT just a ‘Mum in the shed Mel’….You’re a fully fledged bone fide Business Woman….What you’ve managed to do with your biz in a relatively short period of time is nothing short of awe inspiring….KUDOS to you Lovey….!!!!!😊👊🏼❤️❤️❤️
❤️❤️❤️ thank you for always cheering for me x
😄Your positive, bubbly and bright personality is wonderfully contagious . Keep up the good work. New subscriber here 👍🏻
Love your chit chats. You have encouraged me to do better. I sell on eBay. In the beginning 1 listing a day was epic. Now doing 14, goal 40 a day. Love learning systems from you.
Love ya Mel! Your the best! I’m with you! I am getting rid of the dead stock. 🤗
Keep it moving!!
You have been some very advice for me. I’ve been a part time reseller for over 2 years. Currently I sell everything. I wanted to move into books, but here in America I just think most are reading online or the books I’m selling are just not what people want. Because of you, I moved my inventory from my house into a storage unit. Which works out great. So thanks for all the advice you’ve been for me. 😀
Hi I saw you on Nic and Andrea channel. Great videos
Oh wow that’s an old one. I love Nic and Andrea x
great video mel
made me laugh how the cup keeps magically appearing in your hands
Lol I think I was drinking it the whole time it was just down lower then the camera
@@backfromburnout its just funny how it suddenly jumps into your hands then disappears as fast I know its where you have to edit the video but I am easily pleased🤣
Great video 📹! We don’t want the additional stress of having a warehouse and employees as we are comfortable now. We list and ship our items from our home. We are planning to build a garage attached to our house and a shop behind of 120 sq meters...1,300 sq ft. Then we can separate our personal life from our business life... You do what's best for you! Appreciate the sharing of your reselling life! Have a great week! Joe Bee 🐝 from 🇨🇦🍁🇨🇦 Canada!
Thanks for the Story time! I gave you another LIKE!
Thank you
Thank You for your info. Your Great!!!
Thank you for watching!
Great channel, thanks for uploading 👍 I've been reselling full-time on ebay for the past 6 years.
Well done, 6 years is a long time!
Hello from New York!
Mel, Welcome to the "Scatter-Brain" club. So glad you found what works for YOU. Always enjoy your videos... keep 'em goiing.
Thank you! 🐿🐿🐿
Thanx for the video was wondering when we wld see u again
Thank you. I’ve had a hard time with fatigue since covid but I’m trying x
You're a smart brain Mel, not a squirrel brain! You're the best !! Thanks for the videos!
Thank you Ian ❤️
Loved the “Story time” 😁
Love all your contents. You killing it ! Keep growing !
Thank you
Checking every single day for your new videos.lol. Thanks for the content. Definitely would love to see more videos like this.pretty much any videos from you. Have a great day, Mel! Happy belated mother's day to you!
Hi Mel!
I was wondering if you could do a video about about how you keep track of your items that you purchase, how much they are, and what you do when they sell.
For example, what is your record keeping process for knowing how much you bought the item for and how much you are selling it for, and ebay fees and shipping costs and such to be sure you are making a profit?
Thanks!
Girl, I have said this off and on, even watching and reaching out to you through your Facebook shorts, but I swear you and I are cut from the same cloth! The similar familiarities of both of us are uncanning! With what you are currently going through, I know that this year will be my year for what I need to do to seek happiness in my own life and not be completely cut down by someone that I once thought was my rock and to move forward however painful it might be. I am hoping that I too will survive but seeking some peace.
Great video Mel! Let's hope "the gurgler" isn't the destination for any of us!
I sure hope not :)
Mel, you just make my day! For me, I never tire of hearing what you sourced and what you sold. I loved the shed build videos and your sweet hubby, but honestly, you are so enjoyable to listen to and I appreciate all of it!
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it x
As a seller of vintage books since 2006, I say GO GIRL. Books and you are a fabulous fit...interesting and beautiful! Love your channel Mel X
Thank you ❤️
What a great set up to have from home. Can fully relate to the pressure of wanting to keep plans manageable when you have family shenanigans to juggle with too.
I do have a great set up :)
6:20 as someone who doesn't read books I love this channel 😇
Thank you, that means a lot as the intention is that I will be relatable to all types of resellers who sell all different types of items! It’s all about sharing the journey and we’re all on the same journey x
You changed my store with one of your tips about white backgrounds being shown in google searches. The store has exploded since I implemented that change. Your making a difference for sure keep it up Mell
@@FigsyGames amazing. So happy for you!
Great video 📹 like always
Question is there a point were you have to meany listings
I’m happy to fill my shed with as many listings as I can hold and then I will hopefully be at the stage where I’m actually selling as many as I list each day so it will balance out. I list 30 a day and I’m aiming to sell 30 a day. I think I can maintain that in this space.
Good luck you can do it 💪 💓
Wow 5 years sure went quick and now 3000+ listings & 16000+ subscribers what a great achievement. It will be interesting to see what the next 5 years brings 😃 PS. if you are thinking of putting in another row of shelves think about having them on casters (heavy duty as books weigh a lot) - that way you can push the shelves towards the wall when you need the floor space
That’s a good idea! I might see if Aaron can build me something to wheel them on. I have purchased shelves the same as the ones I put against the wall for the photography so I can use them as tables instead of my fold up tables.
5 years has gone fast. I normally get the 5 year itch with all my previous businesses! The 5 year mark is when I’ve always made big changes! Eeeek lol
I'm doing the same thing. Moved to a different place and can't find decent shoes anymore. Found a thrift store where I can get 5 $1.99 hc book for $5.00 and 99c hc 5 for $2.50. It's more research, but I've had to conform. I no longer scrub those shoes which was time consuming.
A good reseller knows when to pivot.
Mel, this may sound a silly question but over there in OZ what is a shed, Here in the UK a shed is a 6x4 foot box to put your gardening tool
Ha ha. A shed is a garage I guess where you put your car. This was an old shed that wasn’t attached to the house. Newer houses here are built with brick and attached to the house. This was a old tin garage/shed.
thanks for the reply, it just sounded weird to me, referring to your workspace as a shed, its looks bigger than some people's houses.
Love it, you are more than a Mum in a shed. Fun video as always
Thank you for watching
Interesting to hear your story on how you started and I think you made a wise choice. I started on eBay in 1999 (eBay had just started) and I was selling artwork that I bought in bulk. It was okay for awhile but packing and shipping artwork was such a pain that I switched to general thrift items instead. It’s important to be open to changing like you did in this business. Wishing you all the best and thanks for the great videos !!
She went from good profit hot selling shoes to low profit books. Not a great move.
Mel! You were a snob! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I never would have thought that about you?! I love thrift stores and garage sales but prefer estate sales 😂 love your videos keep them coming!
As always I enjoy your videos. And thanks to the person who asked the question....I know you used to sell clothing but didn't know you used to just sell sneakers. Been wondering too how you end up being a book seller! Great to see you again!
Yes, my business has changed a lot over the last 5 years and no doubt will keep evolving over the next 5 years
Thank you so much for all the information! It helps tremendously! I did watch the storage units as well as the start of the build (but fell asleep, I only have time to watch late at night when all kids and hubs are asleep lol)
Your personality is so fun to watch sweetheart.
How have you killed books in Australia? Lol
Your space is very large. Oh, I also started doing the cling wrap on bundles, they look so much better, more professional now. I feel more confident when sending them out. Again, thank you for your efforts on these videos and helping others out.
It's so true that your real niche just kind of happens. For me it has been narrowed as I started out selling everything now there are quite a few things I don't even look at or for any longer. I still consider myself an everything seller but my main niches are shoes and golf clubs, but if I find something else that I know will make me good money, I don't hesitate to get it and sell it.
I love this! When I was a clothes seller I quickly learnt I hated selling dresses so stopped buying those.
I'm into books, DVDs/Blueray sets, vintage video games, mens clothes/shoes, golf anything, musical instruments and gear and electronics in all their forms...I have knowledge in all of them and love the hunt!
Thanks for this video ❤
I hate selling clothes but I am trying to niche down to books but I have a love for pretty glass, jewelry and art so it is really difficult and as of right now books and clothes are my #1 and #2 selling items books being number #2. I love books
bought and sold books for many years in our shop and flea markets.. books can be durable, easy to pack and ship, with often big profit margins. was not uncommon to pay $ and sell for $$-$$$.
Just rewatching some your old videos again Mel and everything you say in this video is resonating with me again now. I’m getting tempted to niche down into books a lot more than I do currently and I think I’ll try it. I’ve still got lots of other stock so I’ll work through that but try to focus on just picking up books to see how it’s goes for now. Hope you’re good and thanks as ever. You’re awesome!! 😊
Steve you can always increase you books for a while and see how you go. Happy to chat on Instagram if you need to work through tour thoughts.
@@backfromburnout thank you! I think I’ll try that as I lower my other stock and see how I do. Will give you a shout if need be 😊
I used to work in a bookstore for over a decade. I'd love to focus on selling books on eBay. Where do you recommend me start? Thanks for your help! I love your channel!
Square meters means absolutely as little as the other dimensions given in meters. In Americanese, your shed is approximately 12' x 24' or 288 square feet...
Thank you so much!
How are you calculating the cost of postage with padded bags? The only two options I get on Mypost Business is either Satchels or boxes. Thanks
Thanks for sharing your journey! It helps me stay confident that I too can do this. I am just starting and only have 3 items on Ebay, but I'm taking it slow and it's also Christmas Break for the kids, so they are home and my focus is elsewhere, lol.
What could be more interesting than books? So happy I just found you! Shipping from Australia to UniUnited States is typically expensive. Near $20 for small packages.
One thing I have had an extremely difficult time finding in the states is glorious paper napkins for crafts. I watch crafting videos on TH-cam and the women in Australia always have the most beautiful napkins. How do you keep your books from smelling musty?
Welcome! Paper napkins, interesting! What type of designs do you look for? I don’t really have a problem with musty smelling books but I do keep little bowls of vinegar around the corners of my room to help with any odours
I find this is an issue with older books - it's easy to tell if musty due to being moldy or water damaged but the page papers of lots of older books degrade over time due the acid in them. Unfortunately where there are many used books one can't always detect the acidic smell until the book comes home with you. I don't like the smell and don't want to sell these to people so I tend to not get much older books.
Love you Mel! I was missing you.
I’ve been really thinking about just selling books as well on eBay. Right now I have a everything store but more books & media than anything.
Not sure what it's like in Aus? But over here Most Books/DVD's/CD's are all sold free shipping so when you have paid for the postage there is little margin left in selling them..
I think I do pretty well from books. My COG is $1 my average sale is $27 and I’m close to 20 sales a day average now (working towards 30 sales a day).
I have gone through all the same concerns you have by concentrating on books only but i still have about 1200 clothes for sale plus about a dozen clothes not listed yet but when i think about doing clothes again, i just dont have the interest in photographing and measuring them. Books are so much easier to list.
I’m ready to purge all my clothes that haven’t sold before the new financial year and I’ve never felt better or more comfortable with that decision!
I think inching down 100% is quite a brave move but it makes so much sense for me and it allows me more time to focus on more fun stuff :) well done Merridy!
Hi Mel, How do you post economically? Is Auspost working for you or are you using another method?
I use Australia Post. I am on Band 5 with MyPost business.
I sell a little of everything but I love selling books in particular. Problem for me is I am in Canada and we don't have media mail. Therefore, I cannot compete well with the US market because they do have a cap on the cost to ship books, regardless of size. I have to therefore be quite selective in the books that I source, but when I do sell, I get a much higher price because the books I sell are more rare. Does Australia offer a capped book rate? I see you often sell a number of books in one shipment; if I did that in Canada, my shipping would be astronomically high.
It sucks, Jan! 🇨🇦
Hello from New Jersey, USA
Hi Maria!
Hey! Super curious where you’re sourcing your books from? I’m in Canada and considering doing this for income. I’m disabled and cannot work a regular job and absolutely love books - I could do this!
Thrift shops, facebook marketplace, garage sales, estate sales etc
Personally, I'm fixing to move to what most would call the middle of nowhere. When I do, I'm going to build A TON of space for my book business. I hope to hire people too, we'll see if I can continue scaling my book shop at the rate I am. (Shh! Don't tell my subscribers!)
But, yeah, space isn't an issue with books, which you sort of got at when talking about your Nikes and books. Honestly, I probably don't need a big area to store more books, since they're so small, but it's fun to think about multiplying my shop a few times over. :)
Great video Mel! Very Inspirational! I enjoyed storytime haha. Do you find that you read more now you sell only books?
I actually listen to more audio books at the moment! I listen while I work and photograph etc. Sometimes I see a book that interests me but I know I won’t have the time to read it so I just download it on audible straight away and listen.
Nice one Mel 👍😊
Thank you!
Hey Mel I only found your channel a few weeks ago but love your videos 😊. Recently gotten over my fear of using eBay to try sell some stuff after watching your videos. Have started with a personal selling account, will move to an eBay shop down the track (hopefully). Anyway at the end of this video I almost came out with 'Bye Mel' 😅🤣. Hope you have a good weekend and am looking forward to an update on how the new shelves are going 😊.
I love that because I feel like I’m talking to all my friends and I hope people feel like I’m also their friend! Well done on starting! I hope you love selling on eBay! Let me know if you have any questions and thank you for watching and commenting x
Hey Mel!! It's awesome seeing ya still going hard on the books :) Maybe due for a name change to "Book from Burnout" 👍
Ha ha. back from burnout has to be one of the worst reselling names ever LOL. It was never my intention to be a reseller when the name of my Instagram account was created ha ha Oh well. I guess there are a million pickers and thrifters and only one burnout and one op shop nerd 🤣
@@backfromburnout no its a great name ;) dont change a thing :D
Great info and great help. I was thinking of going on bookselling and I have no idea on how to go about it. Your video gave a lot of inputs that I can learn from. Just one question, is it better to sell on eBay than Amazon? Thanks.
I had the same thing happen to me. I used to sell t-shirts at flea markets. There were a few factories here and they had outlets. I cherry picked the best ones and sold at the markets. Then, all the factories closed down, as did the outlets. I was doing very well selling the t-shirts. But then....not. Then I sold flags, car tags, army surplus, etc., etc, etc
This was years ago before there were computers for the average person. Thankfully, I had moved to another state and had a decent job, but I still did flea markets on the weekends and then.....ta da! Ebay! I sold everything on Ebay for the longest, but my first sale was a Nancy Drew book. Always books. And I'm still selling books.
How do you decide which books to lot together? Especially non-fiction because they don’t necessarily have a “series”.
I mostly lot fiction books but I do some non fiction on the same topics for example books on the same sports, happiness, cookbooks on the same topic eg: paleo, Asian cuisine, diabetes etc.
I'm brand new.Found you yesterday May 12 2022 and I've been watching a lot of back content. I'm in the US and have a dormant ebay store. Your energy and positivity are giving me the desire to dive back in. Thank You for the push I've needed.
Thank you so much and welcome to my channel!!!
I love a good story time! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💫💜
I'm so glad! Thanks for watching!
I started selling on Ebay selling books in 1998 and sold books for years but then I branched out into selling everything so I don't have all my eggs in one basket. I've sold over 20,000 books but now do not just concentrate on books but anything that will sell. High dollar books do not sell as well as they once did years ago.
I considered selling books but every book I looked up on eBay was selling for $4.50 - $5.00 each including shipping. I didn't see how it would be worth selling when shipping costs nearly that much. Is $5.00 an average price for your books or do you sell books that are much more valuable?
I sell mostly nikes from the factory outlet as well. I also source garage sells, Target clearance and Marshall's. I recently bought a lot of 250 books for $30. Haven't found many of them selling for over 5 dollars. Most are 3.49 or so. I have only posted about 10 of them so far bc i wasn't sure if they will sell. I don't know where to start. Lol
Our new listings now are 90-95% books , the only reason it’s not 100 is access to high dollar items for next to nothing for the other items.
I just looked and we’re 10 days into the month and 72% of our sales are books so it’s starting to catch up with the change to focusing on books
I think selling books is wonderful! Easy to ship, great profit. 👍
I love it!
Hi Mel! I’ve connected with you in lots of ways and really enjoy your videos. I was an elementary reading teacher for 16 years. Loved it! Why did you name your channel Back From Burnout?
When I was sick with health issues (which was actually caused from having breast implant illness) I was having trouble working my job as a family photographer as I was in chronic pain and felt totally burnt out. I started an anonymous Instagram account called Back from Burnout which was focused on bouncing back and feeling better again. So it was focused around food and well-being. And I found a few sneaker resellers in America somehow on Instagram which is how I started dabbling in the shoes. I just started to share the reselling journey on that page. So if you scroll right back 5 years ago on my Instagram you will see my first ever photos shipping eBay! I ended up having surgery to remove my implants and thought I would go back to photography but I never did. I just kept reselling and kept up with the same Instagram account which then turned into TH-cam lol.
@@backfromburnout Oh my goodness! No one would ever know from your optimism that you have been through all of that. Thank you for being so willing to share this. Hopefully you are enjoying good health now. You don’t seem burned out in the least! Thanks also for the videos.😊
Hey guys. I just lucked into about 8,000 books. I am new to Amazon FBA and I am trying to see what’s what. I will be selling these myself and am only interested in learning to sell these. A small middle school closed and I inherited all the books from the library and about 1000 text books. While researching I see great used values, but some of the books have a ranking of 1-3 million. Should I list the high ranking ones first?
i love books reading and hunting