Absolute Beginner's Guide to eBay (3rd Edition) [Paperback]

Michael Miller (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0789734311 | ISBN-13: 978-0789734310 | Publication Date: June 17, 2005 | Edition: 3

On any given day there are more than 28 million items listed for auction at eBay, the world's largest online trading community. Almost $34 billion worth of merchandise, in more than 1.4 billion individual auctions, was traded over eBay during the year 2004; that's $93 million a day, or more than $1,000 every second. At the end of 2004, eBay had more than 135 million registered users - more than double the number of users just two years previous.

The first two editions of this book were best-sellers, so it's only natural we would update this great book to reflect some of eBay's most recent upgrades such as: eBay Stores, Half.com, and Trading Assistants.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

On any given day there are more than 7 million items listed for auction at ebay (ebay), the world's largest online trading community. At the end of its last fiscal quarter, ebay had 49.7 million registered users, more than double the number of users just two years previous. It is estimated that $9.3 billion worth of merchandise, in more than 423 million individual auctions, was traded over eBay during the year 2002. To an absolute beginner, using eBay can be an intimidating experience. What do you need to do to participate? How do you place a bid? What do you do when the auction is over? Can you really trust the auction seller? Potential buyers and sellers need a book that takes them step-by-step through the eBay auction process and helps them become more successful over time. That book is this book: Absolute Beginner's Guide to ebay. Also included is information of value to ebay users wanting to make the jump to power-seller status. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Michael Miller is a top eBay seller and a successful and prolific author. He has a reputation for practical, real-world advice and an unerring empathy for the needs of his readers.

Mr. Miller has written more than 60 nonfiction books over the past 15 years, for Que and other major publishers. His books for Que include Tricks of the eBay Masters, Making a Living from Your eBay Business, Bad Pics Fixed Quick, and Absolute Beginner's Guide to Computer Basics. He is known for his casual, easy-to-read writing style and his ability to explain a wide variety of complex topics to an everyday audience.

Mr. Miller is also president of The Molehill Group, a strategic consulting and authoring firm based in Carmel, Indiana. As a consultant, he specializes in providing strategic advice to and writing business plans for Internet- and technology-based businesses.

You can email Mr. Miller directly at [e-mail]. His website is located at http://www.molehillgroup.com, and his eBay user ID is trapperjohn2000.

© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: Que; 3 edition (June 17, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789734311
• ISBN-13: 978-0789734310
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,111,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Miller is the best-selling writer of more than 100 non-fiction books. He writes about a variety of topics, including computers, online selling, business, consumer electronics, and music. From his first book (Ventura Publisher Techniques and Applications, published in 1988) to his latest title, he has established a reputation for practical advice, technical accuracy, and an unerring empathy for the needs of his readers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Learn how to satisfy your urge to bargain, April 5, 2003

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Absolute Beginner's Guide to eBay (Absolute Beginner's Guides) (Paperback)

The fact that ...e-Bay, one of the few other successful e-businesses does as well. ...e-Bay satisfies the fundamental human desire to bargain and make money. It is ironic to think that although the Internet was considered to be the ultimate in niche market opportunities, it has been those two general human characteristics that have driven the most successful e-businesses.
If you have been feeling the desire to gratify your urge to buy and sell, but have been hesitant to do so out of ignorance, then this book is for you. In plain, clear, extremely non-technical language, Miller explains what e-Bay is, how to get started and if all goes well, how to ramp up to being a major player. The only prerequisite is a fundamental knowledge of the world wide web and how to surf from site to site. This includes the basics of filling out and submitting forms.
Miller is also honest about some of the optional features offered by e-Bay. Additional options such as extra and longer listings are quite properly considered a waste of money. He is also blunt in stating that about 50% of all the items listed on e-Bay are not sold. This is very sound advice, as it is easy to get caught up in sales and by not understanding the value of the features, end up selling your items at a loss.
e-Bay as an organization is right in considering the e-Bay service to be a community, the largest and most varied shopping bazaar in the world. Everyone with a desire to do so can join, and this book will show you how.

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best thing I've found about succeeding on eBay . . ., September 9, 2003

By 

Michael K. Smith (South Louisiana) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Absolute Beginner's Guide to eBay (Absolute Beginner's Guides) (Paperback)

I've been a small-time bookseller on eBay since shortly after it started up, and it took awhile to figure out just what I was doing. I wish this book had been available then! Actually, it's become more difficult -- not easier -- ... ... Miller does a good job of explaining the best way to approach things, dealing with the eBay Establishment, handling deadbeats and frauds (buyers *and* sellers), playing the feedback game, and trying to decide if you can actually make a living from this thing. (Probably not for most booksellers, not without a real-world location to work from.) The chapter of shipping tips is especially worth reading. Of the half-dozen recent books about eBay I've read recently, this is probably the best.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the best of the bunch, August 1, 2005

By 

Joseph J. Babula "-joe" (chicago) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Absolute Beginner's Guide to eBay (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

I have a few books on ebay and this one is the easiest most user friendly book i have encountered. Love the cartoons and the bit of tongue-in-cheek fun along the way. It is well organized and actually fun to read.