Amazon vs ThriftBooks: Which Is Better for Used Book Sellers?
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If you want to set your own price and keep most of the sale, Amazon is the better platform for used book sellers, especially for textbooks and other in-demand titles. ThriftBooks is a large used-book retailer, so when it buys books from the public, it's acting as a buyer that needs room to resell, not a marketplace where you list. Check whether ThriftBooks currently has a program that buys books from individuals, and compare its terms with your Amazon net before deciding.
Key Takeaways
- ThriftBooks is a used-book retailer. Any program it runs to buy books from the public can change, so verify what's offered and on what terms.
- Amazon is a marketplace where you sell to buyers directly. It stopped buying textbooks through trade-in around April 2020.
- As of 2026, Amazon charges a 15% referral fee and a $1.80 closing fee per book, plus a $0.99 per-item or $39.99 monthly plan fee.
- Selling to a retailer is simpler but pays less per book, because the retailer needs its own margin.
- Amazon fits current textbooks and higher-value books; selling to a retailer fits bulk, lower-value general books.
Amazon vs ThriftBooks: Marketplace vs Retailer
Amazon and ThriftBooks both sell a huge number of used books, but your role is different on each.
- On Amazon, you're a third-party seller. You list your copy on the book's existing page, set the price, and the buyer purchases from you. Amazon charges fees.
- With ThriftBooks, the company is the retailer. If you sell books to it through whatever buying program it currently runs, it becomes the owner and resells them under its own name.
So "which is better" really asks whether you'd rather sell retail yourself or wholesale to a retailer. That same question shows up across many matchups in our comparisons hub, and the Amazon vs eBay pillar guide covers the marketplace-vs-marketplace angle.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Factor | Amazon (you sell) | ThriftBooks (you sell to them, if offered) |
|---|---|---|
| Your role | Retail seller | Supplier to a retailer |
| Who sets the price | You | ThriftBooks |
| Availability | Open to anyone with a seller account | Verify whether and how it buys from individuals |
| Fees | 15% referral + $1.80 closing + plan fee (as of 2026) | No listing fees; its margin is reflected in what it pays |
| Effort per book | Lookup, grade, price, ship | Low; follow its submission process |
| Payment | After each sale | Per its current terms |
| Best for | Textbooks and in-demand titles | Clearing general used books in bulk |
What Selling Used Books on Amazon Involves
Amazon is the default for many used book sellers because listing is fast. You don't write descriptions or upload photos for a standard used offer; you match your copy to the existing ISBN page.
- Open a seller account and pass identity verification.
- Look up the ISBN and confirm the exact edition.
- Choose a condition grade (Used - Like New, Very Good, Good, or Acceptable) and write short notes.
- Price against comparable offers.
- Ship orders yourself or send inventory to FBA.
Amazon has rules that matter for textbook sellers: some titles and publishers are restricted, counterfeit enforcement is zero-tolerance, and unacceptable conditions include missing pages, water damage, and missing advertised access codes. See can you sell used textbooks on Amazon for the full rules, and the beginner's guide for setup.
What Selling to a Used-Book Retailer Involves
Retailers that buy from the public generally follow a pattern: they evaluate what you're offering, decide which titles they want, and pay according to their own pricing and terms. Some programs focus on larger quantities, and they may have specific rules on condition, eligible items, and logistics.
Because ThriftBooks' buying arrangements can change, we won't describe specific steps or payouts. Before you rely on it:
- Check ThriftBooks' site for a current program that buys from individuals or booksellers.
- Read the eligibility rules: minimum quantities, accepted categories, and condition standards.
- Understand how pricing, shipping or drop-off, and payment work.
- Compare against other buyers before committing.
Retailers buy for their own inventory. A large used-book retailer may already hold many copies of common titles, which can limit what it wants or pays. Textbook buyback specialists may quote different titles at different prices, so compare.
Which Pays More Per Book?
For an in-demand book, selling it yourself on Amazon typically nets more, because you capture the retail price minus fees instead of a wholesale price. For low-value books, the math can flip, because Amazon's fixed costs eat most of a small sale.
Hypothetical example: two very different books.
- A current-edition textbook selling for about $50 on Amazon. FBM on the Individual plan: $7.50 referral + $1.80 closing + $0.99 = $10.29 in fees, plus postage and packaging partly offset by the media shipping credit. A net in the mid-$30s is plausible if it sells at that price.
- A common paperback novel selling for about $4. Fees of $0.60 + $1.80 + $0.99 = $3.39 leave almost nothing before postage. Any small payment from a buyer or retailer, or simply donating, is likely the better outcome.
The lesson: the higher the book's value and demand, the more Amazon's marketplace pays off. The lower its value, the more a retailer or buyback route makes sense.
Run your own numbers with our profit and ROI calculator guide, and avoid the trap described in why penny books aren't worth listing.
Effort, Speed, and Risk
| Consideration | Amazon | Selling to a retailer |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Seller account, verification | Depends on program |
| Per-book work | Moderate | Low |
| Speed to cash | Varies by demand; days to months | Per program timeline, often one payment |
| Price risk | Prices can fall while you wait | Fixed once agreed |
| Ongoing duties | Shipping, returns, account health | None after the sale |
| Scale | Easy with FBA | Good for bulk drops |
Amazon rewards patience and organization. If you have time to list, store, and ship, it pays more for the right books. Selling to a retailer rewards simplicity: one transaction and you're done.
Which Should You Choose? Amazon or ThriftBooks by Scenario
| Scenario | Better choice |
|---|---|
| Current-edition college textbook | Amazon |
| Professional, medical, or technical reference with steady demand | Amazon |
| Boxes of common fiction and general paperbacks | Retailer program (if available), lot sale, or donation |
| Estate or downsizing: hundreds of mixed books | Scan for Amazon winners; sell the rest in bulk |
| You don't want a seller account | Retailer or buyback route |
| Rare or collectible books | Neither by default; consider AbeBooks or Amazon Collectible |
The "scan then split" method
If you have a large mixed collection, scan every ISBN first. Anything with decent Amazon demand and a meaningful price goes to Amazon. Everything else goes to a bulk buyer, a lot sale, or donation. Our page on selling second-hand books online and locally covers more outlets, and Amazon vs AbeBooks covers rarer finds. If speed matters most, compare with Amazon vs Decluttr.
Checklist Before You Sell to Either
Run through this list before committing a box of books to Amazon or to any retailer's buying program.
- Sort by value first. Scan every ISBN and separate books with real Amazon demand from the rest.
- Check restrictions. Use the Amazon Seller app to confirm you can list each keeper. Restricted textbooks go to the buyer pile.
- Grade honestly. Use Amazon's condition guidelines for your listings and the retailer's own standards for anything you send them.
- Price the keepers against real competition. Look at offers in the same condition and fulfillment method, not just the lowest price on the page.
- Read the buyer's terms in full. Note quantity minimums, shipping or drop-off rules, and payment timing.
- Record what you sent. A simple list of titles and conditions helps if there's a dispute later.
Verdict: Amazon for Sellers, a Retailer for Clearing Out
For used book sellers who want to maximize revenue, Amazon is the better platform. You keep the retail price minus fees, reach a vast audience, and can scale with FBA. That's especially true for textbooks, where student demand concentrates on Amazon around semester starts.
Selling to ThriftBooks, if a program is available to you, suits a different goal: clearing lots of general used books with minimal effort. Verify its current program and terms, and compare offers from other buyers before sending anything.
If the "scan then split" approach appeals to you, it's the same sorting process book flippers use when sourcing. Our independent overview of what the Book Profits free training covers looks at one free session on turning that into a side business.
Bottom Line
Amazon and ThriftBooks aren't competitors from a seller's point of view. Amazon is where you sell books yourself; ThriftBooks is a retailer that may buy books from you, depending on its current program. Send valuable, in-demand titles to Amazon, clear the rest through a bulk buyer or donation, and confirm every company's current terms. Outcomes depend on the books you have, their condition, and timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ThriftBooks buy used books from individuals?
ThriftBooks is a large used-book retailer, and whether it buys from individuals, and under what conditions, depends on its current programs. These can change. Check its website for any book-buying program, its eligibility rules, and how pricing and payment work before you plan around it.
Can I sell my books on ThriftBooks like I do on Amazon?
Don't assume so. Amazon openly lets third-party sellers list their own copies and set prices. ThriftBooks is best known as a used-book retailer, so check its current site to see whether it offers any way for outside sellers to list books, or only programs where it buys books from you.
Is it worth selling cheap paperbacks on Amazon?
Usually not individually. As of 2026, Amazon's $1.80 closing fee and 15% referral fee, plus $0.99 per sale on the Individual plan, consume most of a low-priced sale before postage. Low-value paperbacks are typically better sold in bulk lots, to a buyer, or donated.
Why do some used books sell on Amazon for much more than a retailer pays?
Because a retailer needs to resell at a profit after storage, handling, and its own costs, it pays below retail. When you sell on Amazon yourself, you capture the retail price, but you also take on the fees, shipping, and the risk that the book doesn't sell quickly.
What should I do with books neither Amazon nor buyers want?
Options include selling them as a themed lot on eBay or locally, donating to a library sale or thrift store, or recycling books in poor condition. Our guide on textbooks that won't sell walks through these choices. Check local donation rules before dropping off large quantities.
Is Amazon or a used-book retailer better for selling textbooks specifically?
For current college textbooks, Amazon typically wins because students actively search there by ISBN, especially in late July through September and late December through January. A retailer or buyback route makes more sense for older editions with weak demand or when you want a quick, single transaction.