My Bookstore, making it different from others.
*Video is credited to youtube via stanford graduate school of business
Theories are harder than the practice, that is what I realized when I just started my business.
I took up a business course in college, I always think that maybe I will just stick with doing papers and work in the office, well that was what I thought.
Despite the business subjects that I had during college, from writing business letters to business management to bookkeeping, I feel that I hadn’t really learned many. Those theories are theories, and it is hard to put it to practice or to apply to my own business.
Now, I am working hard to keep it.
But what is my business all about?
Buying and selling used but not abused books. How did I get into this business?
The Start.
*Image credited to Rain Tajon
For weeks, I have been buying and somehow hoarding books that were not new but in very good condition, not just for myself but for my nephews and nieces too. While I was looking out for some, there were times that the store that I found a certain book just only have one book and I felt like an impractical move to buy one, where the shipping fee costs more than the books itself, so I ended up buying additional books.
With those extra books that I bought, I try to sell some and since those books have been in demand for some, it was sold. How did I know that it was in “high demand”? To have been into this certain online bookstore every weekend, I have come to observe many bookworms buying this books, or this author’s books.
It just didn’t stop there, when I found a site where I have been seeing cheaper books compared to those stores on Instagram, I felt like there is a need to get into the business and sell books that are much lower than these stores are selling.
Aside from that, I have come to observe that most sellers don’t really talk that much to their buyers unless they are sending invoices and MOP(Mode of Payments), or maybe my personality is quite different from them.
With all of those reasons, I come up to just put up my own business. The decision didn’t happen overnight, I was quite hesitant but I felt like I want to do it, just have to keep my mind on it. And with my missions and visions.
Mission:
To sell used books that are affordable to everyone who loves to read and at the same time, give them the options on what courier would be the best for their budget too, thus encouraging more people to get into reading.
Vision:
To be a bookstore that doesn’t just sells but also reach out to buyers, my fellow bookworms.
But how can I make my store’s mission and vision and be different from other stores?
*Image is credited to Rain Tajon
My Business Style/Strategy.
Since I wanted to be different from other stores, it is hard to think a style or strategy that I haven’t tried, I just think about it. I just think, so I tried.
No Price Posted
Buyers might be thinking why I just put it that way. Why there is no price mentioned on the books? Well, I did mentioned prices on my first books, still I get some DMs(Direct Messages), I am okay with that since I put on the note on my store to send me messages for FAQs(Frequently Asked Questions). But when I stopped writing those prices, buyers asked me more and more which is okay for me, why?
I wanted to get to know people not just because of their interest to buy but also as a person who loves to read books. I wanted to get to know them more, the genre of books they love to read and even their favorites. Not just that, I get to know too what books they wanted to buy too, especially those that are not available, for me to look for it.
Aside from getting to know them, I can give those discounts too. No fixed price that were written for I wanted to give discounts to those who really wanted to buy books, I can feel sincerity on buyers even just talking with them.
The direct messages can turn into a long conversation of two people who are starting to become friends.
Is it working?
Yes, I think so, I have found new friends and have bought books twice now and that is what I have envisioned.
Books bought that had arrived
*Image is credited to Rain Tajon
Offering options to buyers with couriers.
When I was buying books, I don’t have any choice in what courier should my books be shipped and it is kind of frustrating on my part since couriers charges are different and so are the “transit time”. And I don’t want my buyers to feel what I have felt.
At first, it was just one courier that I find fast and cheap to ship books but then in the long run, I have discovered one more courier. So, here are the things I have learned with what courier to use better and it is a case to case basis. And this is the potions I gave to my buyers.
1. JRS Express. I have been using this courier even before with my fresh water pearl accessories, so I have no issue with them for it is fast, next day delivery and shipping fee is worth it. Now, with the books, books are much heavier with pearls.
The courier’s rate depends on two things, the place where it will be sent and the weight. More than a kilo would be more than a hundred pesos that the pounder pack. They have the cargo that charges Php 165.00 within Luzon, that can take a maximum of three kilos and not express though, it can reach the buyer in 3-5 days.
Books getting ready for shipment
*Image is credited to Rain Tajon
Proof of shipment through JRS Express
Image is credited to Rain Tajon
2. ABest. I don’t have any idea before about this courier until a seller used it and it was fast to deliver. And also I don’t know where their office is. This courier is not more on weight, it is more on how much can fit in each pack.
Their rates might me be close to JRS but I always try to weigh the books and offer this courier if it goes beyond a kilo but I have to check if the courier is available on that part of the country before I can charge them with the ABest rates.
ABest Rates
*Image si credited to Rain Tajon
Parcels arrived using ABest
*Image is credited to Rain Tajon
PERSONAL THOUGHTS
It is hard to start this business, I never thought that it would be this hard. It can be frustrating at times when you get to meet a “joy reserver”, a person that reserves a book but when you ask for date of payment, “seen zoned”. And it is harder than I thought to ask for a follow up.
Dealing with such issue, I put number of days for books to be reserved, going beyond that grace period means reservation is cancelled unless the buyer will ask for some extension and I definitely give them.
Still, I am learning how to work more on this business and I am glad that I have shipped a lot of books this week. Have to work with the promotion still on my social media account. KEEPING MY HEART AND FAITH.
And that is what makes my book store different from the others.
*Image is credited to Rain Tajon
Here is another video about business strategy.
Video is credited to youtube via mindtoolsvideo
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Hoping that I can really get to know more of my fellow book worms and thank you so much for reading!
