What inspired you to start selling books on Amazon?

Reezy. I listened to his podcasts and realized books were a thing.

How did you feel when you sold your first book?

Good.

What were your biggest fears or concerns when you started, and how did you overcome them?

Running out of money. I started with private label, buying products from China, spending a lot on PPC, and making little profit. Then I learned about used books from Reezy, got hooked by the high returns, and kept going.

2. Challenges and Learning

What was the biggest challenge you faced in the beginning, and how did you solve it?

Amazon gating so many titles was my biggest issue at first. The issue resolved itself with increased sales volume.

How did you learn the ropes of book sourcing and listing?

I watched tons of videos and listened to hours of podcasts, mainly from Reezy, Avery, and Caleb.

Can you share a story of a tough moment in your journey and how you pushed through?

I’m still working through a tough moment—realizing I had purchased mainly poor-quality books early on. I'm focused on improving my inventory quality now.

3. Success and Motivation

What has been your biggest success so far in selling books on Amazon?

Getting my wife involved to help process books. It allows me to focus exclusively on sourcing.

How has selling books on Amazon impacted your life?

As a semi-retiree, this venture has been both fun and satisfying. I love the cash flow and the intellectual challenge.

What keeps you motivated to continue growing your Amazon book business?

I’m enjoying the learning curve and the thrill of discovery in this business. It’s both stimulating and rewarding.

4. Tactics and Advice

What strategies have worked best for you in finding profitable books?

I mostly cherry-pick (80-90%), with some online arbitrage. My strategy is focused on quality buys. As Caleb emphasizes, don’t add everything to your cart; be selective. The Pareto Principle applies—80% of profits come from 20% of inventory. Focus on the good stuff.

How do you stay efficient with listing and shipping books?

My wife handles all processing, which frees me up for sourcing. I also aim to send in 10 boxes weekly and stay consistent with that goal.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out who feels overwhelmed?

Make a plan and stick with it. Selling books can be a grind, but once you reach about 3,000 books in inventory, things start to fall into place.

5. Transformation

How has your perspective on entrepreneurship changed since you started selling books?

It hasn't changed much. I’ve been self-employed for most of my career. I started as a banker and accountant, but after a decade, I launched my first company and have been independent since.

Looking back, what would you tell your beginner self?

Learn how to identify good books from bad ones. Master Keepa. Keep improving with Keepa.

What’s the most rewarding part of being an Amazon bookseller?

I love retail sourcing—finding hidden treasures. I also enjoy knowing I can make money from home and that eventually, I can outsource most of the work and step back.

Hope you enjoyed, drop a comment if ya did!

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