Sometimes the bookseller's path is full of pot holes...

I decided to list a few books and try to get back into that routine again, since sales have been lacking. I am crocheting, but I want to be productive with my business, too.

So I list books. Upload them, then go to upload my scans. Guess what, my FTP program won't work anymore. I think it's a conflict with Windows, but I don't know for sure. So I redownload the program - still doesn't want to read my Windows file.

OK, let's go look for another one! Boy, that was frustrating. Many were way more than I needed and nothing I recognized as far as uploading. So I ended up downloading five programs - and then removing them all. Finally found one that functioned as I like and worked, but what a waste of time. Then I had to defrag my hard drive to get it all back to how it should be.

Then my scanner quits working. So I have to dig out the one I bought off eBay last year (same model, used) and plug that one in. It works, which is great. Makes some different noises, but I don't know that that is abnormal - maybe they do that. As long as it scans my books, I'm happy!

Then I actually get a couple book sales - and Shipping Assistant won't work... This wasn't a full moon time, was it?

I ended up using Pay Pal Shipping to get them out. I have to pay for them as I process them but that's OK. Just means more entries on my bank statement since I don't have a balance in there right now.

It was busy enough at the PO, I'm thinking of using their system instead of the PO's. However, it is not verifying addresses, so I'll have to do that myself before I ship the item. If they pay by Pay Pal, it'll be fine, but not many do.

I also don't know how it handles international shipments yet. Guess I'll learn! If it doesn't, I can always go back to Shipping Assistant and only pay for those packages.

The post office was busy enough today that having the postage paid on them and only needing to turn them will make my visit quicker.

Decisions, decisions. I don't want to use Endica and pay someone for the service if I can do it for free. My sales aren't great enough to add more overhead.

So I just keep trying different things and see how they work for me. Some I keep, some I get rid of.

One of the book databases I'm listing on is going to lose me. I've had two sales this year. It's not worth the time and effort of uploading to them. They aren't charging me a monthly fee, but who cares? I made up my mind I'd delete them at the end of the year if it didn't change - and it hasn't. Year end is coming.

One thing about selling books on the internet - nothing remains the same - you just keep adjusting as you go!