eBay For Dummies [Paperback]

Marsha Collier (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0470497416 | ISBN-13: 978-0470497418 | Publication Date: June 29, 2009 | Edition: 6

The bestselling guide to successfully buying and selling on eBay, fully revised and updated

eBay is the world's #1 shopping and selling site, where millions find bargains and make money with their own sales. Marsha Collier is the #1 eBay expert and bestselling author, with more than a million copies of her books in print. And eBay For Dummies has been the bestselling book on eBay since the original edition in 1999.

Thoroughly updated to cover all the changes in the eBay site, eBay For Dummies, 6th Edition gets you started with information about signing up and navigating the site. It shows you how to find the best bargains, bid to win, and complete your purchase securely. Then it guides you into become a successful eBay seller, showing you how you can pick up extra money in a tight economy with eBay sales.

• Covers how to find bargains on eBay, bid successfully, and pay for your purchases safely
• Helps new users become comfortable with the site and shop with confidence
• Shows you how to set up a seller account, list items, offer customer service, ship merchandise, and receive payment securely
• Prepares you for other issues that may arise
• Explores eBay's special features, showing you how to work within the rules, use the community, and even set up a charity auction
• Includes insider tips on becoming a better buyer and seller

eBay For Dummies, 6th Edition prepares you to save money on your purchases and make money on your sales, all from the comfort of your home.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Cash in on the eBay phenomenon! Bag big bargains, sell like a pro, and make a profit

What's better than saving money and making money, all without leaving home? That's what eBay is all about, and this bestselling, fully updated guide covers all its newest features. eBay expert Marsha Collier shows you how to use My eBay, make smart bids, conduct your own auctions, market and ship your stuff, handle privacy issues, and keep everything safe and legal.

• Feel at home — get registered, find your way around the site, and customize your My eBay page

• Be a savvy collector — find out how to identify real deals on collectibles and learn what people are buying

• Join the community — share ideas in discussion groups and use the Trust & Safety resource

• Become a stellar seller — learn to determine what your stuff is worth, when to list it, and how to make it irresistible

• Picture perfection — get tips for photographing your items and showing them to best advantage

• Mind your business — keep track of items you're bidding on, items you've won, and items you're selling

• It's a wrap — complete your auction, accept payment, ship your items, and manage feedback

• Keep the tax man happy — maintain the proper records and keep yourself out of trouble

Open the book and find:

• How and why to give feedback

• Secrets for great item listings

• When to bid for the best deals

• Cool sites and software to make using eBay more fun

• Ways to keep yourself safe when selling or buying

• How to communicate effectively with buyers and sellers

• Tips for finding eBay's most trustworthy sellers

• Why you should check out charity auctions

About the Author

Marsha Collier is the undisputed empress of eBay, with more than a million copies of her eBay books in print. She is cohost of the Computer & Technology Radio Show heard online at wsradio.com and an in-demand educator for all things regarding online business. Marsha was also one of eBay's original PowerSellers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 6 edition (June 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470497416
• ISBN-13: 978-0470497418
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #219,062 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #49 in Books > Computers & Technology > Business & Culture > eBay

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

200 of 207 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Was Afraid...I Was Very Afraid!...., May 8, 2004

By 

L. Shirley "Laurie's Boomer Views" (Huntington Beach,CA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: eBay for Dummies, Fourth Edition (Paperback)

This review refers to "ebay For Dummies" (4th Edition) by Marsha Collier....

I did alot of "window" shopping over at eBay, but never actually got up the nerve to bid, buy or sell over there. I felt real safe here at Amazon. I saw so many items over there that I was interested in(you name it..they got it!), but was just afraid of jumping in. Was it safe? Would I wind up with something I really didn't want? How do you know when and what to bid? If your selling, how do you go about that? etc. etc...

This book answered ALL those questions and much, much more. Even this book itself was intimidating to me when it first arrived. There was sooo much 'stuff' in it. Did I have to know ALL that before i could hang out at eBay? So I just started glancing through it and realized what a treasure chest of info it was. Pretty soon I was reading it chapter by chapter just because I found it all so interesting.

"eBay for Dummies" covers it all. From the very basics...getting a feel for eBay, how to sign up,getting the "lay of the land", getting info on the seller, and bidding, to putting items up for sale, completeing cyber paperwork, shipping and dealing with buyers and sellers.There are chapters on rules and a safety program, bidding stategies, and there's even one on how to present the best pictures of your items if you are selling.

Yes..I was afraid..I was very afraid..but there's no better feeling than going into something armed with knowledge, even if you are a newbie! And you don't need to read it cover to cover to get started. It's easy to look up and find answers to questions you have to get started, and it'll always be there as a refrence as you go along and become more comfortable.You'll be a biddin' and a buyin'(and maybe even a sellin')in no time at all. Be careful though..you may get hooked!

Thanks Marsha Collier for this great fountain of new age shopping information for beginners. I'm not afraid anymore!

Go For It...Laurie

90 of 94 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm not a dummy, but it still helped!, April 1, 2001

By 

K. Stuckey "kateling" (Port Huron, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: eBay for Dummies, Second Edition (Paperback)

I have always considered myself a fairly proficient eBay-er, but this book has helped me fine tune my habits. It may not be as helpful to more experienced user, but is definitely great for the beginner to intermediate user.

This book breaks down buying and selling point by point, everything from how to find exactly what you are looking for to a bidding practice called 'sniping' (which I use A LOT!). It also has lots of eBay's rules and is incredibly easy to read. There is really not much more I can say about it than that.

57 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Truly a beginner's book, July 2, 2001

By 

Old Fisherman "Jim" (Orange, California USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: eBay for Dummies, Second Edition (Paperback)

I've been selling on Ebay for a while and I picked up this book hoping to find some help with making my selling work better. That is really not the focus of this book so I can't fault it for not finding what I wanted. However, if you're a newbie to Ebay and want to find out what's going on without actually logging on and clicking all of the buttons, then this is a good starting place. Like all "Dummies" books it covers the basics but doesn't go very deeply into anything. And truthfully, you can learn 98% of what's in this book just by logging onto Ebay and clicking around. Ebay really is pretty easy to use. Oh yes, like most Dummies books they load it down with lame jokes. I just wish they'd leave that ... out. In summary, not an outstanding book but good at what it's designed to do.