According to their website, Ziffit is a really easy way to trade in your old books. They’ve made it really quick and easy for you to get cash for your stuff and it is completely free.
So would I use it?
As promised, here’s my review of the Ziffit app for selling books.
There are two instances where I’d say yes. I would use Ziffit if I were really desperate for cash or if I had 100+ books to get rid of at one time.
Joshua Becker, author of four books on minimalism and intentional living, encourages people to donate, rather than sell, things they no longer want. And there’s a reason for this. In his book, The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own (I loved this book, by the way), he tells the story of him and his wife getting the minimalism bug. After decluttering their entire house, they decide to have a garage sale. So they set up shop and ten hours later end up with something like $150.
The idea of having a garage sale is like the idea of painting a room in my house — it seems fun. However, the thought is way more fun than the reality.
Watching people judge items you spent your hard earned money on, only to put them down and walk away can be demoralizing. Or give you a low-ball offer on something you know is worth a lot of money.
Let’s talk about the spirit of giving…
There’s something more to donating your items though and it comes in the form of generosity.
According to Medical News Today, generosity may reduce anxiety and stress by increasing the levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. One study showed that being generous reduces activity in the amygdala, one of the regions in the brain responsible for emotions. Increased activity in the amygdala has been associated with anxiety, phobias and PTSD.
“But maybe the greatest benefit of generosity is this: generous people realize that they already have enough.”
Joshua BEcker
Anyway, back to the app review. I scanned our bookshelf and pulled out a few books. These are books that I’m not going to read again. Or were never going to read in the first place.
I wanted to give Ziffit a try because in theory, I love the idea. There were four books I wanted to trade in.
I scanned the barcodes. They will not accept two of the titles at this time. This happens when the company already has enough of that particular book in stock or if the book is rare/unrequested at the moment.
How much could I have made from my books?
The app offered me a whopping $2.72 for my other two books. This process only took me about two minutes. And I still wouldn’t waste my time unless I had a ton of books to get rid of at once.
I read some other reviews of the app this morning. Multiple people said that the trade in value is just an estimate to start. The company will provide you with the actual amount (if any) once they receive the book.
Some reviewers received the same amount as the estimate. These people found the trade in value fair.
But for the trouble, I’d rather just donate the books to a local school or put them in a Little Free Library. My neighborhood has a few of these. 🙂
Real quick though: the pros of this app?
Super easy to use – simply scan the barcode of the book and within second they’ll estimate the trade in value. Scan the barcodes on the books you want to get rid of, print the shipping label, box the books up, and send them out. The company will pay you after receiving the books.
Do you sites or apps you like to use to sell your books? Let me know in the comments below.
Picture by Karolina Grabowska