Tips for Visiting a Book Sale Efficiently

Last updated on 10 November 2021

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There’s a right and wrong way to tackle a book sale

Every year here in Auckland the Barefoot and Thompson Stadium is host to the GABBS, Great Auckland Bargain Book Sale. It’s open for 24 hours over the course of the weekend, usually starting at 9am on Saturday and closing at 1am Sunday morning, reopening around 7am and shutting down for the year about 3pm.

The majority of the thousands and thousands of books for sale at the GABBS are $2 and $3 (NZD), and only some special tomes are reserved for a whopping $5 – $10. No matter what you buy, you’re in for a real bargain.

The first year I went to the Great Auckland Bargain Book Sale I bought 43 books. Which I realise is a lot, but each year since I have bought less and less and this November resulted in exactly 2 books.

I’ve clearly bought them all.

Being a seasoned book saler (and I attend more than just GABBS each year – if there’s a book sale, I’m front and centre, in the line and ready to go), I’ve learnt over the years that there are ways to go into a book sale with efficiency. There’s definitely a right and wrong way of tackling a book sale.

Here’s what I’ve learnt along the way.

Don’t have a list of books you’re on the lookout for
Do have your list of fave authors in your head
Don’t go with too many expectations
Do bring extra bags
Don’t go in unprepared
Do have a list of books you’re missing in a series

Don’t have a list of books you’re on the lookout for

There’s no way that is sustainable for a book sale, especially not a big one that is full of people. I can almost guarantee that you’re not going to find the books on your list. Firstly, reading all the spines is going to take forever, and it’s going to hold other people up. Secondly, you may not recognise the spine as it might be the book but from a different publisher that you haven’t seen before. And thirdly, if you go in with a list and come out with one or nothing, you’re going to feel disappointed.

Do have your list of fave authors in your head

While it’s not a wise idea to have a list of books in your head, it’s a great idea to just be aware of all your favourite authors, or authors that you have read before that you enjoy. You’re much more likely to stumble across a book by an author, even if you’re not specifically looking for it than it is to find a single book. I’ve done this a lot of my time visiting GABBS and I have nearly completed my Jodi Picoult collection (we’ll get to more of that in a moment).

Don’t go with too many expectations

If you get too excited (like I always do!) by the idea of a book sale, you might just leave disappointed. There was one sale that I went to which was an hour’s drive away and I was really looking forward to it and I was excited by all the books I’d be bringing home … and I went away empty-handed. What a letdown. But had I gone with an open mind, not too many expectations and a ‘let’s just go and take a look’ sort of attitude, the whole trip would have been more enjoyable. Don’t go into a book sale with too many expectations. Be hopefully but not confident.

Do bring extra bags

Having said that, it is a good idea to bring a couple of extra bags just in case there’s more than you expected. Better to set low expectations but be prepared that they will be thwarted by the awesomeness of your book haul. Often book sales will have bags for you, but more and more you’ll find you need to BYO bag or box. Single-use plastic bags are banned in New Zealand, so we always have a big stash of canvas bags for such a time.

Don’t go in unprepared

If you’re a big reader, chances are you’re online looking at books often, or they cross your path each week. Be aware of what books are out there and which ones you want to read is going to help you a lot when it comes to book sales.

Going to a book sale prepared with a mental list of all the books that you’ve seen over the past few years is going to help you quickly weed out the books you don’t want. This isn’t an actual list like I mentioned earlier; but rather just an awareness of what books you’ve been meaning to read. I often find myself picking up books having recognised their spines from seeing the book realise information from 3 years ago. Sure, not everyone is going to remember every book they’ve ever come in contact with, but just be aware of them, and you’ll find it helps.

Do have a list of books you’re missing in a series

I know I said don’t make a list. But! I also mentioned Jodi Picoult. Authors who have a bucket-load of books are notorious for making it home in your bag with you, only for you to discover you already have that book of theirs. I’ve done it before and I’ll probably do it again.

For some series, I have an on-going list on my phone. For example, whenever I get a Jodi Picoult book I add the title to the list. It’s the same with the Wheel of Time books by Robert Jordan (of which there are 14!): I know I’m missing numbers 7, 11 and 12. So if I’m scanning the spines in the book sale and I find a Wheel of Time book, I can quickly check my list to make sure I don’t have it already.

Bonus: pick the right time to attend

The 24-hour book sale here in Auckland is brilliant because it is 24 hours. It means most years I actually go back twice. I’m a die-hard fan, I know. But the key is, I’ve discovered, picking the right time.

I suggest going about an hour after opening. That way you avoid all the first rush people, and they’ll all be starting to leave (meaning you also get their car parks!). But during the day, the workers at GABBS and other book sales often replenish the stock. Which means just because you weren’t there at the get-go doesn’t mean you’ve missed the best part.

For GABBS, I then tend to go at about 10pm (and one year I even went after midnight, because, well, why not?). The place is empty, the tables are full of books because they’re restocking them up for the opening of the second day. Perfect.

What tips do you have for tackling a book sale efficiently?