As a business owner looking to add new products to your inventory, whether that be online or offline, you can’t go past public domain material. At a cost of ‘nearly free,’ you would be mad to give it a miss.

As with the above example, some stories are timeless classics, classics that will sell year after year, in many different formats and versions. This may be exactly the right type of product for your business. There are so many public domain works out there that you essentially will never run out of material to publish. And you will most likely find many manuscripts that will complement your existing products.

A good rule of thumb to follow is to check that the original manuscript was published before 1923 in the United States of America (other countries may have different copyright laws so you may need to check this with a copyright lawyer). You should always get a certificate of copyright clearance for each public domain document you are going to publish. This may save you many legal hassles later if anyone tries to dispute your right to re-publish the work.

Public domain books and other materials can be found in many places, with the most likely being second-hand book stores. Some people enjoy this process the most; discovering that hidden gem amongst the thousands of tattered old Mills and Boon romance novels.

Though, with the advent of the Internet this process is becoming increasingly more accessible to everyone. There are now many web sites that publish public domain material that can be freely accessed, and even some membership sites that actually find the material for you.

If you make substantial changes to the material, that is, make enough changes that make the new version unrecognisable from the original, you may even claim the new copyright with yourself as the author.

As Dickens made popular the serialised novel, so too can you be publishing serial after serial of public domain material.

About The Author
Kristy Taylor is a syndicated freelance journalist with articles strewn across all forms of media. She has written and published numerous books, and is the executive editor of KT Publishing, which encompasses several web sites. Click here for her public domain story - http://digitaldollars.biz/3fp.html

All resale rights products should be supplied with a text file containing the specific rights that the seller is granting. You also need to be aware of some of the most common pitfalls that face users of resale rights products.

Restrictions On The Use Of Resale Rights Products

Read the restrictions placed by originator of the product on your rights to use and sell the product. Some of the more common restrictions include:

* You may not be allowed to give it away.

* Can’t sell the product from auction or membership sites.

* May not be sold as a package with other products.

* No alterations can be made to the product.

* The product may not be broken up and sold in parts.

* Resale rights may not be passed on when re-sold.

Common Types Of Resale Rights

* Resale Rights – Products that can be sold by the person having resale rights, but the purchaser may not resell the product.

* Master Resale Rights – Resale rights can be passed on from one purchaser to another.

* Private Label Rights – You can do anything you like with the product itself. e.g. change it, break it into parts, claim to be the author, give it away (PLR products do not automatically have master resale rights)

The above definitions are only intended as a rough guide to give you an idea of the terminology used and you should always read the fine print supplied with your products to ensure that you fully understand what rights you have been granted.

Essential Facts About Using Resale Rights Products

* Could be lots of competition as many others are selling the same product

* Competitors selling at cut prices can ruin your profit opportunities

* The market can already be saturated before you get started

* Avoid products that have flooded the market and try and find ones that have limited distribution

* Combine with other products to create your own unique package

* Customize the supplied mini-site to make it your own unique product

Although there are some serious drawbacks, selling resale rights products is still a viable proposition, as most of the problems can be overcome. The first thing you need to do is get some help in the form of step by step instructions and coaching videos designed specifically for newbies.