How to Sell Used Books in Colombia: Second-hand Bookstores and Direct Sales

We all have that shelf at home full of books we've already read, left unfinished, or used in college years ago. They gather dust and take up space, but giving them away or throwing them out hurts. The good news is that the second-hand book market in the country is quite active, and you can make some money from that forgotten library.

Quick answer: To sell used books in Colombia, you have two main paths. You can go to traditional physical bookstores (like Merlín in Bogotá or Pasaje La Bastilla in Medellín) to sell the whole lot quickly, assuming they'll pay you a fraction of their market value. Or you can sell them directly online to other readers, keeping up to 100% of the agreed price, although it requires a bit more patience. If you want to see real options right now, you can view properties and lots available on Colombia Move — posting is completely free.

Second-hand Bookstores or Direct Sale? Pros and Cons

Before packing your books into boxes, decide what you value more: time or money. Second-hand bookstores are physical businesses that pay rent and salaries. Their model consists of buying at a fraction of the resale value to cover their costs and maintain a margin.

On the other hand, direct sales through classifieds allow you to set the final price, but you do the work of finding the customer.

Method	Advantages	Disadvantages
Physical Bookstores	Immediate cash. They buy large lots at once.	They usually pay a fraction of the resale value. They are very selective about what they accept.
Online Direct Sale	You can keep up to 100% of the agreed price. You control the price.	Takes more time. You have to take photos, respond to messages, and coordinate deliveries.

Where to Sell Used Books in Bogotá: Key Spots

If you prefer the traditional route and live in the capital, downtown Bogotá is a paradise for used books. Here are three classic options that constantly buy inventory:

• Librería Merlín: Located at Carrera 8A # 15-70. It's a three-story house founded in the year 2000 by Célico Gómez, with over 200,000 books. It's ideal if you have high-quality literature, rare books, or very specific academic texts.
• Librería Torre de Babel: It's at Carrera 8 # 16-14. It's one of the largest in the downtown area and has a huge advantage: if you have a very large collection you're liquidating due to a move, they offer a home pickup service so you don't have to carry boxes.
• Librería Ocnos: Located at Carrera 13 # 61-65 Local 107 (towards Chapinero). It's an excellent alternative if you don't want to go all the way downtown and have general literature or academic texts in good condition.

Where to Sell Used Books in Medellín: Tradition and Innovation

Medellín has a strong culture of book exchange and sales, divided between long-standing spaces and new collaborative initiatives.

• Pasaje La Bastilla: Located on Carrera 48 (between Ayacucho and Colombia). It's the historic pedestrian hub for trading school textbooks, university books, and literary classics. If your child finished the school year and you want to recover some money with their textbooks (as long as the school hasn't changed the edition), this is the place.
• Relámpago Literario: A local collaborative initiative created by Marcela Fernández and Rodnei Casares. It operates through WhatsApp groups coordinated by local managers, allowing personal libraries to be rotated and sold directly to other Paisa readers in a more community-oriented way.

How to Sell Your Books Directly Online Without Commissions

If you decide you don't want to sell your novels at a bargain price in a physical store, the internet is your best ally. According to active listings on Colombia Move (July 2026), the electronics and used items section has 26 active listings; it's a general showcase for posting second-hand items, although it doesn't have a category dedicated exclusively to books.

To succeed selling on your own, follow these steps:

1. Take honest photos: Photograph the cover, back cover, and, very importantly, the copyright page (where the ISBN is). This shows the buyer the book is original.
2. Describe the details: If the book has pencil marks, a worn spine, or the previous owner's name on the first page, mention it. Honesty sells faster.
3. Set a fair price: Check how much it sells for new and used on various platforms, and adjust your price according to the edition and actual condition.
4. Post strategically: You can learn how to post a free ad on local platforms to reach buyers in your own city and arrange for pickup in a public place.

Tips for Preparing Your Books and Avoiding Rejections

If you're going to a physical bookstore, don't bring everything you have at home. Booksellers have a keen eye and will immediately reject certain items. Watch out for this:

Don't try to sell pirated books. Street editions on grayish newsprint with smudged ink have no formal resale value. Also, don't bring encyclopedias from the 90s (nobody buys them anymore, the internet replaced them) or books that smell musty or have mold, as they can contaminate the rest of the store.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ How much do bookstores pay for used books in Colombia?

As a reference observed in sources consulted in July 2026, they usually pay between 20% and 30% of the estimated resale value. They pay less for very common novels and may value rare academic texts or high-demand literature more.

❓ What kind of books do second-hand bookstores not accept?

They frequently reject pirated books, outdated encyclopedias, books with serious damage—such as mold or missing pages—and school texts from old editions that are no longer on the curriculum.

❓ Where can I sell school textbooks in Medellín?

Pasaje La Bastilla, located on Carrera 48, is the best-known traditional place in Medellín for buying, selling, and exchanging school and university texts.

❓ How can I tell if a book is original or pirated before selling it?

Check the paper quality (pirated ones often use grayish, rough paper), the print alignment, and make sure it has the legal page at the beginning with the ISBN number and the publisher's details.

❓ Is it safe to sell used books online in Colombia?

It can be safe if you take basic precautions. Use classified ad platforms, coordinate deliveries in public and busy places, and confirm payment in cash or by immediate transfer at the time of delivering the book.