Sell Old Books Online

Where to sell old books: your options

There are five common ways to get rid of old books in India. They are not equal. Here is an honest comparison, so you can pick what suits each book.

Where	What you get	Effort	Good for
BookFlow	Usually 30–60% of the MRP, paid in full to you	Post in 2 minutes, chat with buyers, meet nearby	Exam, school and college books and novels that someone still needs
Raddiwala	A few rupees per kilo	None, he comes to you	Torn books, old editions nobody uses, newspapers
OLX or Facebook groups	Similar prices, if a buyer finds the ad among phones and furniture	More calls from people who aren’t buying books	Large lots and furniture-sized sets
Second-hand bookshop	10–20% of the MRP, paid on the spot	Carry the books to the shop	When you need cash today
Donating	Nothing, except a good feeling	Find a library, NGO or junior	Books you don’t want money for (you can also give them free on BookFlow)

If a book is in good shape and someone still studies from it, a reader will pay far more than a raddiwala. That is the whole idea behind BookFlow: you sell straight to the next reader, and you keep the full price.

What sells fastest

• JEE, NEET and other exam material right after the exam, when the next batch starts preparing. Coaching modules from Allen, Aakash and Physics Wallah, HC Verma, Cengage and PYQ books go quickly.
• NCERT and school books from March to June, when classes change. A full set for one class sells better than single books.
• College textbooks at the start of each semester. Mention the university and semester in the title.
• Novels all year, especially series and popular authors. A clean copy with a photo of the cover and spine does best.

How to price your old book

• Exam and college books in good condition usually sell at 40–60% of the MRP. The latest edition can go higher.
• Books with heavy highlighting or missing pages: 20–30% of MRP.
• Novels: 30–50% of MRP, more for sets and hard-to-find titles.
• Old editions nobody uses any more: give them away free. Someone will still be glad to have them.

Add the MRP when you post. BookFlow shows buyers how much they save, and ads with a clear discount get more chats.

Photos that sell

• Take the photo in daylight, on a plain surface, with the whole cover in the frame.
• Add a second photo of the edition page or the inside, so buyers can see the condition.
• For a set, put all the books together in one photo.

Questions sellers ask

Is it free to sell on BookFlow?

Yes. Every account can post free ads, and BookFlow takes no commission when you sell. If you want your ad seen first, you can feature it for a small fee, but you never have to.

Does BookFlow buy my books?

No. Students and readers near you buy them directly from you. You agree on the price in chat and meet to hand over the book.

Do I have to share my phone number?

No. Buyers can message you on BookFlow Chat without seeing your number. You can add your number and WhatsApp if you want faster calls.

How do I get paid?

The buyer pays you directly when you meet, in cash or by UPI. Never accept a QR code or a payment link from a buyer: you never need to scan anything to receive money.

What can I not sell?

Only original books allowed. Xerox copies, printouts, PDFs and e-books are rejected.