Do Older Editions Of Textbooks Sell?‍

Good news: You don't have to wonder. All the data you need to find out is displayed directly inside of Zen Arbitrage.

Here's an important point:

The age or edition of a textbook is literally 100% completely totally irrelevant.

This cannot be overstated enough.

The edition should not even be acknowledged because it will only serve to confuse you. It is truly meaningless. One hundred percent meaningless.

Only one thing matters when you're trying to measure demand...‍

The only thing that matters when you’re looking at a book decide if it’s going to sell is the average sales rank.

That's it. Edition is not relevant.

So if you’re holding a 12th edition of Introduction To Biology, published in 1998 (or 1958 for that matter), and that book is on its 326th edition, if the sales rank indicates it’s selling. then it’s selling.

Defer to the data.

Even if it doesn't "make sense," if the sales rank indicates it’s selling. then it’s selling.

All that matters is what the data says.

Don't all textbooks become obsolete eventually?‍

Yes, but textbooks become obsolete over years but not semesters.

One common concern is, “I’m worried that I’m going to buy these textbooks and
maybe they’re selling well now, but next semester, all the professors are going to stop assigning the book and I’m going to be stuck with worthless inventory.”

Here's another important fact: Textbook sales coast to a stop over years, not semesters.  There’s no textbook that is hot this semester that will be obsolete next semester.

That happens over many semesters, not one to the next.

The takeaway: If the sales rank indicates an older edition is still selling, it's selling.

- Peter Valley

Resource: "Biggest Textbook Webinar Ever" (Community Call archive)

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