Best used bookstores for selling/trading books (Raleigh, Durham: chapel, buying)

[StoneOne]

Does anyone happen to know of any good used bookstores in the Triangle area that buy most types of books or that would be interested in doing trades? I have about 300-500 books (mostly history and government academic works) that I'd like to get rid of for either a modest amount of money or else trade for other books in the store. It certainly doesn't have to be a 1-for-1 trade.

I assume the bigger used bookstores are generally better for things like this? I'd prefer something in either Chapel Hill or Durham, but if there any particularly good ones in Raleigh or elsewhere in Wake County, that would be fine.

Thanks in advance!

[seattlenextyear]

There's Nice Price or The Bookshop in Chapel Hill. But really, try to sell the more valuable ones on Amazon first, if they're rare. Used bookstores won't give you much.

[welovedurham]

Nice Price goes through spurts when they aren't buying books, or sometimes they schedule for certain days/hours. Call first!

Is Ed McKay's still in Raleigh? I sold a ton of old books there some years back, stuff Nice Price wouldn't take (they're a bigger store).

[J_Lurk]

It's been years since I've been there, but the Book Exchange in Durham used to carry a big enough range that they may be interested in what you have.

Lately I sell at Mr. Mikes, but I know they won't buy anything academic.

[WordWrangler]

Love, Love, Love Edward McKay's. They just moved to an even bigger location, too. Still on Capital Blvd, but further down closer to 440 than their last location. I sell/trade in there all the time. Love them.

[Francois]

For "academic" titles, start with the Book Exchange in downtown Durham. They have more textbooks than the others.

For what's left, I agree about Edward McKay's, but while you're in Raleigh, might as well swing by Nice Price and Reader's Corner on Hillsborough St too, plus I just heard a radio ad today for somewhere called "Falls River Books" that is up in way North Raleigh off Durant? Don't know anything about them, but if they've just opened, they're much more likely to be in a "buying" mood since they won't have the depth of inventory the others do.

[Nickc121]

What kind of prices are these bookstores selling their used paperbacks for? I see a lot of used bookstores trying to sell paperbacks for like $4. You can get them for $6 brand new. I think 2 bucks would be reasonable. Any of them do that?

[welovedurham]

Nice Price in Carrboro & Durham sells paperbacks for 1/2 of the marked retail in general. They do mark other books with special lower or higher prices, especially kids' books.

[StoneOne]

Thanks much for the advice everyone! It looks like I have plenty of options to start with.

Seattlenextyear, I've sold about a dozen or so through Amazon, but it can be rather tedious to list them, relist them when the listings expire, and mail them to buyers. If I had more valuable books, it might be worth it, but a lot of the books I have are selling for less than $1 on Amazon! I think I'd rather donate them then go to the trouble of mailing them!

[seattlenextyear]

Yeah, I only sell something on Amazon if it will sell for more than $10. Otherwise, its so not worth it.