How to Buy, Sell, and Profit on eBay: Kick-Start Your Home-Based Business in Just Thirty Days (Paperback)

~ (Author) "When I started selling on eBay, I would have loved to sit down with somebody and have that person teach me everything..." (more)
Key Phrases: fee circumvention, mutual feedback removal, trading assistant program, Adam Ginsberg, Quick Tip, Square Trade (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The eBay phenomenon may be the greatest opportunity for home-based entrepreneurs ever. With close to zero start-up costs and a worldwide customer base of 150 million people, the little guy can now compete on a level playing field with huge corporations. Although TV infomercials and eBay itself are teeming with hucksters trying to sell advice, wholesale lists, and auction software to help you jump on the eBay bandwagon, 99 percent of it is junk and unnecessary. In October 2001 Ginsberg had a modest business selling high-end pool tables and tried selling one on eBay on a dare. For him, the rest is history. He now runs a million-dollar eBay business and ships pool tables all over the country. This quick read is a pretty straightforward primer on the do's and don'ts of starting your own (serious) eBay business. Since Ginsberg seems to hold back somewhat on the finer points of advanced online business management and product sourcing, you will have to do some of your own homework, but there is plenty here to get you started. David Siegfried
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Review

"Ginsberg’s excitement is palpable and infectious, but more importantly, it provides an excellent medium for instruction. " -- Miami Herald

"This quick read is a...straightforward primer on the do’s and don’ts of starting your own (serious) eBay business. -- Booklist

"You will find a trove of gems about setting up shop and becoming a power seller on eBay." -- Boston Globe

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 317 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks; 1st Collins Lifestyle Ed edition (May 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006076287X
• ISBN-13: 978-0060762872
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (106 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #32,435 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #2 in	Books > Business & Investing > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > Online Auctions
  #5 in	Books > Business & Investing > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > Home Based
  #7 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Business & Culture > eBay

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

231 of 243 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Primer..., May 12, 2005

By	Kindra K. Martinenko "Technology Wiz" (Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ginsberg's book is an excellent primer for those just now realizing something that is called eBay. The first 100 pages provided, for the most part, stories drawn from Ginsberg's own personal experiences on eBay, the trial and the error, etc. If you have been using eBay for buying and leisurely selling for six years as I have, you will find most of what he has to say as a good reminder of the days when there were no manuals to tell you what or what not to do. Back in the early days of eBay, you learned the hard way. This book ensures you won't have the learning curve that myself and Ginsberg had to battle through.

The final 200 pages are a bit better in getting into the details of what things to do right and what things to avoid doing. There were small pieces of information I did not know, which I found helpful. At times he would plug his own products, which is fine, I suppose, but I would have appreciated a little bit more beef in the advice he was giving.

If you have ten dollars to blow, this is a worthwhile investment. If you don't, you could find many of the hints and tips Adam provides in a newsletter online or on eBay itself.

And, if eBay University comes to your town, take advantage of it. You will learn a lot about how to operate a real business on eBay.

I recommend that graduates of Ginsberg's book move on to read Debra Schepp's eBay Powersellers Secrets book, which provides substantial information about how to find products to sell, etc.

My own advice is to take it slow. There is not a fast cash way to success on eBay. You have to do your homework and experiment before finally finding your niche. Be patient, study hard, and read books like Ginsberg's, and you will do just fine.

148 of 158 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars WORTHWHILE ADVICE, May 6, 2005

By	Tim Janson (Michigan) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

Can YOU make a million dollars as Adam Ginsberg claims in this book? Well...probably not. I mean the key to an e-commerce business is having a good product. You're not going to make a million dollars on eBay by trying to sell your old Beanie Babies or Furbies, that's for sure. Ginsberg is an unabashed fan of ebay as he sells eBay as much as he sells his own book. Ginsberg gives a lot of fairly valuable information on starting up your own eBay business but it still all comes back to having a marketable product to sell which ultimately is the key to success. I've been selling on eBay since 1997 and have sold thousands of items but I've always considered it more of a past time than a business. Ginsberg provides some interesting ideas of setting up shop, however as well as providing tips on listing items, photography, taxes, etc. But if you're an experienced eBay seller you'll probably be aware of much of this. All in all I was fairly impressed with the book. I've read a lof of books on Ebay that were designed solely to sell books and not any useful information and Adam Ginsberg's book is one that stands out from the pack.

31 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book to start your eBay selling!!, October 22, 2005

By	K. D. Kobayashi (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a great for getting started on eBay. It's easy to read and has great suggestions on how to list our items. I started selling some things I have around the house and making some money!! Nothing huge but this stuff is essencially free for me. It is surprizing what someone will pay for things. I just followed what he says in his book.

The downside of the book is that he promotes his own eBay listing products. He mentions that his isn't the only one out there... remember that. It's an infinite internet world out there and there are more people/companies offering the same thing. Just do your research.

He is honest and gives great suggestions. It's easy to read and inspiring. It's great for people who want to try selling on eBay but just didn't have the guts to try. This will get you going...

For those who are already selling on eBay... I think there are great suggestions and insight you can pick up from this book too.

Happy eBaying...