Adam was just a collector at first, selling doubles from his collection to pay for new additions. He began to enjoy the minutiae of book dealing — how to grade books, how to find rare ones, tracking down old editions simply for their cover art — and started a Facebook page. Then, in September of 2016, his wife suggested a better social platform.
Why Instagram?
Unlike competitors Facebook or Twitter, Instagram is explicitly built for one thing: Sharing images. A visual niche like vintage book covers can do well on the service. The business world loves it too — 59 percent of Instagram’s users fall into the coveted 18-29-year-old demographic, and one 2017 study found it to be “the fastest growing social media platform” among Inc. 500 businesses. Adam offers images of three or four books for sale each day, allowing his followers to message him with their bid. He has posted over 2,800 images to more than 5,800 followers. Collectible Science Fiction is now a member of Instagram’s ecosystem of book dealers, each with their own specialty, from Kevin’s rare books to the horror-focused PG Bloodhouse account.
Rules for Instagram Book Dealing
Book dealing holds to an essential rule: Be honest. A book dealer’s audience needs to know the condition of a book, whether they’re hoping for a well-preserved edition or they just want a physical object and the tangible nostalgia it represents, wrinkles be damned. He also recommends sellers explore other corners of Instagram’s book dealing community, following and patronizing other accounts in order to fully understand the niche.
Four-Figure First Editions
Science fiction and retro throwbacks are popular trends at the moment, as seen in TV hits like Stranger Things and Black Mirror, or blockbuster IP like Stephen King’s It and Bladerunner. That cultural cachet isn’t lost on Adam’s genre-focused shop. Not all of the benefits of an Instagram sci-fi bookstore are financial, however: Adam has been interviewed for a Vice China article on science fiction cover art and was even recently approached by a TV production company about doing an American Pickers-style show for science fiction and fantasy collectors. But the best success story Adam has to share? Instagram has connected him to “an entire world of collectors and artists.” Mid-century sci-fi publishers often failed to credit their cover artists, but that lack of respect won’t do on Instagram in 2018.
“I asked Rodney Matthews (famous for both his fantasy art and incredible Heavy Metal album covers) if I could use some of his art via DM, and he wrote back immediately, ‘Feel free to share away.’ One of my followers and customers, recent Grammy nominated comic art legend Benjamin Marra, is always pleasant and willing to share his thoughts on illustration art.”
The Instagram Ecosystem
Instagram’s lack of hyperlinks and surplus of calming sunsets has led many to claim it as the nicest social network. It certaintly offers a reprieve from a frenzied news cycle, and anyone who spends enough time on the platform will discover corners of Instagram dedicated to niches like vintage sci-fi novels. Adam never thought other dealers would start buying from him, but they support Collectible Science Fiction just as he in turn buys from them. Read more about Instagram ads, bots, and influencers on TechCo
