
How Does the Second-Hand Book Business Really Work? with WeBuyBooks Co-Founder Mike Lane
From New Books in Economics by Marshall Poe
June 12, 2026 · 45 min
About this episode
Mike Lane discusses the economics of the second-hand book business and the future of the book industry.
Today I’m speaking with Mike Lane, Managing Director and co-founder of WeBuyBooks about the economics of the second-hand book business. WeBuyBooks is one of the UK’s largest second-hand book dealers. Mike talks about how he got his start in the book industry, which books sell and which don't, and what the future holds for the book industry more broadly. Mike also discusses other second-hand business lines in CDs, DVDs, and Legos. Visit WeBuyBooks.co.uk and use code NBN15 for 15% extra on your first offer. Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/economics
People in this episode
Host: Marshall Poe
Guest: Mike Lane
Topics covered
- second-hand book business
- economics
- book industry
- CDs
- DVDs
- Legos
Keywords
- second-hand books
- WeBuyBooks
- book selling
- economics
- CDs
- DVDs
- Legos
Sponsors
WeBuyBooks
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: WeBuyBooks, New Books Network, WeBuyBooks.co.uk
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