Sell secondhand books on Bookle
Build a bookselling business of your own.
You don’t need a physical bookshop or your own website to start selling books online. Bookle gives you a place to list your books, build your shop and sell to readers across South Africa.
Whether you’re starting with books you already have, sourcing books to resell, or building up your stock, you can start where you are and build from there.
No listing fees. Free buyer protection. A shop ready for you to fill.
Why sell on Bookle?
A marketplace made for books
Bookle is a marketplace dedicated to secondhand books. Your books compete with other books, not furniture, electronics, clothing and everything else found on general classifieds sites.
Buyers come to Bookle because they’re looking for books. It’s a natural place to build a bookselling business.
Your own shop, without building one
You don’t need to build a website, set up online payments or create your own checkout. Your Bookle shop is ready for you to use.
Display your books, manage your listings, receive orders and build a track record with buyers. Add stock as your business grows and let your shop grow with it.
A place for readers to discover books
Bookle isn’t just a catalogue of books for sale. We create reading guides, recommendations and other book-related content to help readers discover their next book.
Your books are listed in a place built around books and the people who love them.
What does it cost to sell on Bookle?
Bookle charges a 20% commission on successful sales. There are no listing fees and no subscription fees. You only pay when you make a sale.
In return, your buyers pay 0% buyer fees. Bookle covers the TradeSafe transaction and buyer protection costs, so buyers can shop with confidence without an extra fee added at checkout.
The commission also contributes to the costs of running and maintaining the Bookle platform.
For example:
- Book sells for R100
- Bookle commission: R20
- You receive: R80
The buyer pays shipping separately and does not reduce your book sale earnings.
Your sales and earnings are shown in your seller dashboard.
Your Bookle Wallet and payouts
When a book sells, the buyer’s payment is held securely by TradeSafe while the order is being completed.
Once the order has been successfully delivered and the payment is released, the funds become available.
You can request a payout to your registered South African bank account.
- Weekly payout: R5 fee per payout
- Payout on demand: R5 fee per payout
- Monthly payout: No fee
Choose the payout option that works best for you.
Requirements to sell on Bookle
You don’t need a physical shop or a large inventory to get started. You do need to meet a few basic requirements and be able to manage your shop responsibly.
Account requirements
To sell on Bookle, you need to:
- Be 18 or older
- Have a valid South African bank account for receiving payouts
- Give accurate personal and store information
Listing requirements
Every book you list must:
- Have accurate title and author information
- Have an honest and accurate condition description
- Include at least one real photograph of the actual book being sold
Seller responsibilities
As a seller, you are responsible for:
- Keeping your stock and listings up to date
- Packaging orders securely
- Booking and dispatching orders within the required timeframe, using The Courier Guy’s locker system
- Providing accurate tracking information
- Covering the upfront costs of packaging and courier fulfilment until the order is completed and payment is released
Listing a book
Adding a book to your shop is straightforward.
1: Add the details
Enter the title, author, description, condition and other relevant information.
2: Add photos
A real photograph of the book you are selling is required. Stock images alone are not sufficient.
3: Set your price
Choose a price that reflects the book, its condition and what you believe buyers will be willing to pay.
4: Submit your listing
Once your listing has been reviewed and approved, it can be published in your Bookle shop.
Complete, accurate listings make it easier for buyers to know exactly what they’re purchasing and help prevent disputes.
Getting the condition right
Condition matters when you’re selling secondhand books. Buyers need to know what they can expect before they buy.
Our condition grades are:
Brand New
Unused and in new condition.
Like New
Very little handling, with minimal or no visible signs of use.
Very Good
Light signs of wear, but structurally sound.
Good
Clear signs of previous use, which may include markings or wear.
Acceptable
Moderate wear from previous reading and use, but still readable and usable.
Fair / Poor (Historical significance)
Significant wear or damage. These books may still appeal to buyers because of their age, rarity or historical value.
Ex-Library
Books previously owned by a library. These must be in at least Acceptable condition.
Accurate grading protects both you and the buyer. Incorrect descriptions can lead to disputes and may affect your seller account.
See our Book Condition Guide for more detail.
When a book sells
01
You receive an order
You’ll receive an email notifying you that one of your books has sold.
02
Prepare the order
Check that you have the correct book and that it matches the listing. Package it securely for transit.
03
Book and dispatch
Book the order through The Courier Guy’s locker system and drop off the parcel at the selected location. Enter the tracking information on Bookle.
04
The order is completed
The book is delivered to the buyer and the transaction is completed through TradeSafe. Once the payment is released, your funds will be paid out according to the payout method you have chosen.
How quickly do I need to dispatch?
Orders must be dispatched within 7 calendar days.
Consistently late dispatches can affect your Bookle seller rating and, in some circumstances, may result in an order being cancelled.
If you’re building a shop, keeping your stock organised and your orders moving is an important part of earning buyer trust.
Your seller rating
Your seller rating reflects how reliably you manage your Bookle shop, including order fulfilment, communication, stock management and buyer feedback.
It is visible on your shop and seller profile, giving buyers an indication of your track record.
A 5-star rating reflects a strong record. If you have no rating yet, you’re simply still building your track record.
What happens if there is a dispute?
Most orders go through without a problem, but disputes can happen.
A buyer may raise an issue if:
- The book is significantly different from its description
- The wrong book was sent
- The book was damaged because it was inadequately packaged
When a dispute occurs, the decision is based on the available evidence, including the buyer’s evidence, the original listing and photographs, and the order’s tracking information.
Repeated or serious problems can affect your seller account.
The best protection is simple: describe your books accurately, photograph what you are actually selling and package every order properly.
FAQs for sellers?
You must be 18 or older, have a valid South African bank account for receiving payouts, and provide accurate personal or store information.
Bookle is a marketplace for original, published physical books.
We allow:
- Secondhand books in at least Acceptable condition
- Unused educational workbooks
- Pre-1980 printed magazines
- Rare, antique or historically significant books
- Ready-made bundles and box sets
Rare, antique or historically significant books may be accepted in poorer condition where their age, rarity or historical significance makes them of particular interest to collectors.
Bookle only accepts original physical publications. We do not accept:
- Photocopies or unauthorised reproductions
- Pirated or copyright-infringing copies
- Downloadable products or printables
- Printed worksheets
- Audiobooks
- Photo albums
- Diaries and journals
- Instruction manuals
- Bookmarks and other non-book items
If you’re unsure whether a particular item is suitable for Bookle, please contact us before listing it.
You set your own prices on Bookle. Consider the book’s condition, edition, age, demand and what similar copies are selling for when deciding what to charge.
Bookle does not add anything to your selling price. The price you set is what the buyer sees and what the buyer pays.
Yes. Your Bookle account can be used for both buying and selling.
The buyer pays the shipping cost.
You initially pay the shipping and packaging costs when fulfilling the order. Once the order is successfully completed, you receive the proceeds from the book sale, along with the shipping amount paid by the buyer.
Books should be protected against movement, moisture and damage during transit.
We recommend:
- Bubble wrap around the book
- Cardboard protection
- A sturdy recyclable box or padded mailer
- Secure sealing
The Courier Guy transit bags are also available free of charge at selected depots.
The aim is simple: pack the book so it arrives in the condition in which you sent it.
Yes, provided you can fulfil orders within Bookle’s required timeframe.
You remain responsible for having the stock available, ensuring the listing is accurate and making sure your supplier can fulfil the order promptly.
Ongoing delays or fulfilment problems may result in restrictions on your seller account.
We’re here to help when you need us. Sellers can contact Bookle directly via email or WhatsApp for assistance with their account, listings or orders.
Our Knowledge Base provides step-by-step instructions, answers to common questions, and the rules and guidelines for selling on Bookle, so you can find the information you need when you need it.
Bookle handles TradeSafe-related administration on your behalf, so you don’t have to deal with it yourself.
It can be, but it isn’t automatic or passive income.
Your results depend on the books you source, what you pay for them, how you price them, the quality of your listings and how consistently you add and sell stock.
Like any retail business, a well-organised bookselling operation has a better chance of becoming a steady source of income than simply listing a few books and waiting for them to sell.
If you’re serious about building a secondhand bookselling business, read our guide to How to sell secondhand books in South Africa.
Ready to start your shop?
You don’t need a warehouse full of books. You don’t need a physical shop. And you don’t need to build a website before you sell your first book.
Start small. Build from there.