Instagram might be the most peaceful social media network. While Facebook and Twitter constantly surface emotionally or politically charge viral content, Instagram thrives on visual treats like well-plated meals, far-away locales, and fascinating book cover art.
Among the Bookstagram community, book dealers have found the perfect distribution channel for the tomes they sell. Their Instagram followers get to know their wares and will stick around to see more, making the social networking a far better way to encourage loyalty than traditional online reselling channels like Amazon or eBay, which are powered by one-time searches for authors or titles. Even better, Instagram sellers contact their customers directly via direct messages, thus avoiding the middleman percentages that Amazon or eBay charge.
Instagram book dealers tend to specialize in a niche that can range from rare books to horror to one vintage science fiction and fantasy-dealing account, Collectible Science Fiction. I talked to the owner of the business, Adam Axler, to gain a little advice about how Instagram book dealing works. Here's what he had to say.
1. Take great pictures
Unsurprisingly, the first tip Adam dropped was about the visual nature of the social media service: "Instagram is a constant stream of visual stimuli so it helps to have books with great cover art. Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror covers are often striking and grab attention quickly," he says.
2. Treat every sale seriously
Adam's biggest sale to date, a U.K. first edition of Philip K Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, went for over $1,000 right around when Blade Runner 2049 was huge. Typically, however, his sales stay under $10.
"Whether it's a $4 book or a $400 order, there is an attached value and trust that comes with delivering books safely and quickly," he tells me. "Some of my best customers started off buying one book here and there every few months."
3. Be social
Collectible Science Fiction's more than 8,000 followers didn't come from nowhere. "Even if your account is strictly for business, many customers use IG for social engagement," Adam says. "A short comment or message wishing a happy birthday or congratulations can mean a lot."
4. Be a real person, not just a seller
That extra sociability shouldn't stop at a few comments, either: Adam demonstrates that he really cares.
"One of my customers recently posted a series of pictures detailing how a flood had mostly ruined a beautiful collection he had spent a lifetime putting together," he says. "I sent him a package with some of the books I had seen in his pics and a small note. I know how devastating this would be for me."
5. Be fair
Refunds or returns are a fact of the business, Adam notes. "As a collector myself, I know that packages (especially media mail) can be slow and arrive damaged even if packed really well. Make it easy on your customers to return or be refunded. Sometimes old books fall apart too. Stuff happens."
In return, he says that his experience on the platform "has been a dream." He had a Facebook page before the Instagram one, but the combination of old-school art and rare books didn't take off until he focused primarily on Instagram. "My customers are fiercely loyal, thoughtful, and appreciative," he says. "Once in a long while a package or a book gets damaged during shipping but that's a simple fix. My customers are my best source of viral marketing. They post pictures and stories weekly of well packaged and rare books, complete with Collectible Science Fiction tags or bookmarks."
6. Reward your repeat customers
"You're competing against everybody from an international IG community of sellers to Amazon! People have to have a reason (or better yet many) to keep coming back," Adam explains. "Free shipping on larger orders, discounts for bulk purchases, or even an extra bookmark are always appreciated."
7. Never stop learning
From grading books to verifying signatures, book dealing requires plenty of specialized knowledge. But that doesn't mean a newbie can't learn how the process works.
"I learn something new about rare books and collecting every day," Adam says. "Some out of print horror covers that I would have walked right by in the past are now in demand. I recently spent a week verifying an Anthony Burgess signature on A Clockwork Orange, an amazingly rewarding experience. A Beaumont collection I bought had an inscription from Ray Bradbury inside, who wrote the introduction. Everybody has their favorite authors or artists, so discovering new finds is a constant treat in bookselling."
8. Support the competition
It might sound counterproductive to a cutthroat entrepreneur, but Adam suggests buying from other small businesses on Instagram... especially other booksellers. "Patronizing other entrepreneurs shows that you are invested in the IG community," he explains.
It's not a zero-sum game: Booksellers who stick together will do well and be even more likely to enjoy the experience of selling books through the one social media channel that works perfectly for the process.
