September 30th, 2016

Expert Cleaning  and Shipping Tips For Online Booksellers
© 2016 by M. Mitch Freeland
 
Here are a few tips for cleaning books and A book with smudge marks, sticky adhesive from sticker removal, dusty or grimy edges should never be shipped out without every attempt made to clean it.  Nobody wants to receive a book or any product with visible dirt grim that can be felt when held. Your customers deserve better than that even when the item is inexpensive.  Again, ask this question:  How would I feel if I receive this item in the mail in this condition?  Enough said.

• To remove stubborn price stickers from laminate covers use a drop or two of Goo Gone. Let it sit for a minute. To remove sticky residue use Goo Gone on a cloth and rub onto sticky area. DO NOT use Goo Gone on paper text or endpaper. Goo Gone is oil based and will stain all absorbing paper. Do not let Goo Gone seep on to edges of text--it will stain.

• When alcohol does not remove ink from jacket or laminate cover, use fingernail polish remover. Always use cleaning materials gently at first. Use a separate cloth when applying Goo Gone. With older books alcohol, polish remover and Goo Gone will remove the ink from dust jackets and ink from paperback covers. Be gentle and if the ink or coloring from the jacket or cover begins to come off, stop application immediately and left the sticker on.

• Most books will be listed in “Very Good” condition and will be unmarked. A quick wipe with a clean cloth and touch of alcohol is usually all that is needed. Hard residue on covers will need a little more pressure to be removed.

• No liquid cleaner should be used with non-laminate covers. Light smudge markings and soiling can be removed with a white vinyl eraser. Note:  Erase in one direction only.  Do not grind in dirt with your eraser.

 
Large barcode stickers on the rear cover of books may be extremely difficult to remove.  It the stick only covers the barcode, leave it.  You do not want to spend thirty minutes trying to remove a sticker that does not necessarily have to be removed.
 
A Few Tips on Packing Books for Shipping

• All Priority, First Class, International, Parcel Select and UPS mailers will have other promotional, advertisement and/or sales letters inserted in package. Example: Gift or Collectible Books flier.  (This could be a list with pictures of twenty collectible books valued over $100 each that could make perfect gifts for the holidays and birthdays) .

                                             

• Heavy hardcover books will include a 12” x 12” sheet of 3/16 sized bubble wrap for additional protection on corners.

• Books with a selling price of $20 or more may required one to three sheets of bubble wrap for added protection with a secure presentation to customer.

• Books with a selling price of $50 and higher will require two or more sheets of bubble wrap. A 12” x 12” sheet of bubble-wrap cost $.05. So when you add to sheets your packaging cost has increased $.10.  It is not necessary to use bubble-wrap with inexpensive items.

 
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