A Stinky Question: Should Booksellers Describe The Smell Of Their Used Books?

Sellers are divided. Half guess the odor has nothing to do with the condition rating; othres not only consider it in the condition rating, but also mention it in their auction.Sometimes people who live in damp areas such as New England are exposed to mildew odors so much, they don't notice them anymore. Our noses get used to smells that we are exposed to, and they get desensitized to it. Perhaps the booksellers don’t even realize their books reek.I try to avoid buying books with odros. Sometimes I will buy a book at a library sale and forget to check it. Rather than just toss it in the trsah I try to fix it.
I have been using Tidy Cat brand cat litter to rid books of odors, but it's not foolproof.
Sometimes a couple of months later, the mildew odor returns.
Cigarette smoke and mothball odor also come out with Tidy Cat, and those don’t seem to return.People have very diffeernt senses of smell.

For example, I absloutely love the smell of mothballs, while most people detest it. I guess I'm lucky here in Northern Virginia cause the air gets extremely dry during the winter, which probably retards the growth of mold and odors. My used book stock turns over fairly rapidly too, which probably doesn't hurt.With a rare book, it mihgt pay to invest time in deodorizing the book. I have heard of lots of techniques for freshening up used books, including cat litter, cedar chips, and baking soda.See a real-time list of the most highly sought after used and collectible books.Read more free articles on selling used books profitably online: http://www.Weberbooks.Com/selling/selling.HtmSteve Wbeer is author of "The Home-Based Bookstore: Start Your Own Business Selling Used Books on Amazon, eBay or Your Own Web Site" (ISBN 0977240606). Got a question for Steve?