What I Learned My First Month in Business
Let’s recap.
May 2026 was the first month I treated Sixbookshop as a full-time business. After two years of selling books at markets and on eBay, I wanted to see whether I could turn bookselling into a career.
Below, I will break down my first month in business, what I learned, and I hope this transparent approach will help others.
Business Plan
First, I just want to say, don’t you think my website looks great?
I kept everything minimalist, and I take all photographs myself. I hope a more personal approach will show that I’m a real person.
My eBay shop still makes most of my sales. So I have no plans to stop selling there. The website shop is more of a ‘boutique’ collection of books. I’m very happy and surprised that I have already had sales from my website shop.
After asking other online book sellers for tips, my plan is to post daily on my Instagram. I am also building an email list and uploading books consistently throughout the week.
Profits
Sixbookshop is a business, so I need to make a monthly profit.
The problem is that when people are transparent about their business income online, they always leave out the details. You don’t know if they have large savings, have paid off their mortgage or have a partner that supports them.
So, read profit reports with caution. I’m not going to get too transparent with my income as I believe it’s best to have some financial privacy. However, I still think my breakdown below will show the reality of a small online business.
My goal this month was to make £2,000.
I keep my business in and out goings on a separate bank card. That way I can clearly see how much I spend and make per month.
My eBay shop stayed at 100 listings and then I slowly added books to my website shop. I only have 30 email subscribers, so I have yet to utilise email marketing.
In total, I made £1,600 this month.
In comparison, last month I made £500. So, the graph is going up. I also don’t mind a slower approach, as I need to know what sells well and quickly.
Expenses
The main expense this month was packaging and office supplies. Coincidentally, at the start of the month I ran out of everything, printer paper, printer ink, packaging in all sizes. So, I stocked up on all packaging which should last at least 4 months.
My other expense was that I owed £270 from a house call I done two months ago. My friend had given me books on commission. So, I paid back their share of profits. The only book stock I bought this month was some small buys from second hand bookshops, markets and a few eBay listings.
I spent £600 this month.
In total, I made £1,600 in sales and spent around £600 on expenses, leaving me with roughly £1,000 profit for the month.
Summer is coming, May 2026
Marketing
Instagram is a wonderful marketing tool. I only have 900 Instagram followers but I can still reach new people by boosting posts to a targeted audience.
I have spoken to a few successful Instagram booksellers who have managed to create a large audience and a profitable business without advertising.
However, if I spend £3 on advertising I can make £20 in sales. So, putting a little of my budget into boosting a post twice a week is worthwhile.
I am also blogging consistently. As a new website, I expect it may take several months before Google begins sending meaningful traffic to my blog.
Nevertheless, I believe that by building up my blog now, I will reap the benefits later.
Another marketing tactic is video content. My goal next month is to start making reels and grow my following with a mix of photography, blogging and videos.
(I also experimented with Instagram marketing over the bank holiday weekend. In total I paid £15 on two ads, which gained £65 in total sales and 33 new followers. Therefore, approximately for every £1 I spend on ads, I make £4 in sales)
Part-Time Job
Last month, I mentioned that I will start applying for part-time work. So far, I have handed out CVs to a few local businesses. My plan is to have an easy, non stressful job that can help pay the bills.
I’ve had a few good responses so far, and luckily, I’ve done a bit of everything, so I can fit into different roles. I’m going to follow up and hopefully get a job soon.
Going Forward
Next month, I aim to keep posting consistently on Instagram.
Each post brings in new followers, and I’m doing it without follow-for-follow tactics or buying followers. That means I can still achieve a lot with a small audience.
I also hope to start making short videos. Those book influencers make it look easy. But I’m having trouble with quality, consistency and making my videos interesting.
In June I will try to get out the house more and make content that’s not just me in my office. I will also try my best to buy more carefully and avoid risky auctions.
Final Thoughts
The bookselling world is very diverse. Some people come from wealthy backgrounds, while others just get by. I like this. Whether I am talking to a local or selling to a professional, everyone shares their love of books.
My profits are still small compared to some. But what you should take from this report is that my business is growing. Every day brings new sales, conversations with booksellers, and opportunities to improve the business. @sixbookshop
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