Welcome! Today I’d like to walk you through the process of shopping a Pretty Old Books Secret Sale. These sales are where I sell all the individual vintage, out-of-print, and antique books I find that don’t belong in a decorative book set. I tend to sell a lot of children’s books (fiction and nonfiction), cookbooks, and nonfiction, but I also sell classic literature, field guides, and whatever else I can find that I think you will love.
To get ready for a sale, I gather all the books I have and take a photo of each one. I put these photos into a Google Photos album. Then I record a video showing all the books and their condition and upload it to Google Photos or YouTube.
Next, I send my email list of Secret Shoppers a link to the preview videos so they can see what will be for sale. I also provide details on the dates, times, and categories for the sale. This is usually 1-2 days before a sale starts.
On the sale day, I send an email and text message with links to the Google Photos album.
Make sure to watch the preview videos. I assume that you understand the condition of all books in the sale and do not include any condition details in the Google Photos album.
Once you receive the email or text that a sale is open, click through the link to the album and comment on the books you want. You will need a Google account to comment on the photo album. Most people just say “me”, “mine”, “claimed”, or something like that. Things go fast, so make sure you set an alarm when the sale is set to start (or sign up for text alerts).
You can see in the album if someone has left a comment on a book, so it’s always clear what is available. You are welcome to comment “backup” if you want to be second in line in case the first buyer falls through. If there is a backup claim on a book and the first buyer does not pay for their books within 24 hours, I cancel the order and move on to the next buyer. Almost ALL my customers are very diligent about paying on time or contacting me when there is an issue.
Once a sale is over (they usually last 2-3 days), I will add up all your claims and create your order. Your order will show all the books you purchased and the shipping amount (free shipping over $35). I will send you a link to your order via email. Through that link, you can complete the checkout process on the website.
Earn and Use Loyalty Points
Pretty Old Books has a Loyalty Points program. You earn 1 point for every dollar spent and can use those points toward free shipping, free products, or to directly pay for your purchases! You can find the loyalty points program and check your balance on the lower right corner of the home page.
Here is a very short video walk-through on how to shop a sale:
I hope this post makes it clear how easy it is to shop with Pretty Old Books. This set-up is fast and easy for me, which allows me to sell these books to you at a very affordable price!
If you have any questions, I am happy to chat! Look for the Chat button on the bottom right of the home page or email me: jess@prettyoldbooks.com.