eBay for Dummies, Fourth Edition (Paperback)

~ (Author) "eBay has emerged as the marketplace of the twenty-first century..." (more)
Key Phrases: auction item page, retract your bid, subnavigation bar, Postal Service, Priority Mail, Emergency Contact Board (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

eBay is the world's #1 online shopping destination and can be a bit intimidating for first-time users. Thankfully, though, the latest edition of eBay For Dummies addresses all the issues a first-time or inexperienced eBay user will confront. Readers will be up to date in no time on the latest changes in the eBay interface, fee structure, and methods for buying and selling. Readers will quickly be on the path that makes bidding, buying, and selling the fun it should be!
A Reference for the Rest of Us!(r)
* Author Marsha Collier is a recognized eBay expert, thanks to her bestselling books, appearances as an instructor at eBay University events, and appearances on NBC's Today Show, ABC's The View, and numerous print and radio interviews
* Topics include: getting a user name, making first bids, completing transactions, selling items, and what to do if anything goes wrong
* An ideal resource for everyone from corporate customers to mom & pop retailers, as well as individuals who are cleaning out their closets and garages

From the Back Cover

Turn clutter into cash, find great deals, and shop safely

Win auctions, sell with confidence, and share the secrets of the eBay elite

Where else can you shop in your jammies, never have to hunt for a parking space, and find someone eager to pay you for that ridiculous-looking lamp? With Marsha Collier at your elbow, the virtual marketplace is your playground! From opening your first eBay account to buying or selling real estate, she’s got you covered.

The Dummies Way

• Explanations in plain English
• "Get in, get out" information
• Icons and other navigational aids
• Tear-out cheat sheet
• Top ten lists
• A dash of humor and fun

Discover how to:

• Participate in different types of auctions
• Develop bidding strategies that win
• Take digital photos that sell items
• Conduct searches for items, bidders, and sellers
• Join in the eBay community

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 4 edition (January 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764556541
• ISBN-13: 978-0764556548
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (78 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #155,172 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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

  #11 in	Books > Business & Investing > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > Online Auctions
  #33 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Business & Culture > eBay
  #44 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Business & Culture > E-Commerce

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

165 of 172 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" (fountain valley, ca United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

Amazon Verified Purchase

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

81 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book - Missed one critical tool, September 21, 2003

By	Jim Allen (MIT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: eBay for Dummies (Paperback)

This book is very well written and will give you a lot of instruction on how to use eBay that will save you lots of time. To find out how to sell products on eBay I would recommend Marsha's other book Starting an eBay business for Dummies in addition to this one. I recently became a millionaire buying and selling on eBay in my spare time in addition to my academic work and I can tell you its not that hard. You do have to know the secrets though and this book includes a lot but left out the biggest one. There is a software tool called www.powersnipe.com. eBay auctions are often lost in the last few seconds of the auction because the majority of people wait until the last seconds to place their bids. This tool bids for you at the last second and ensures you win, a big time saver and the biggest key to success.

81 of 87 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 (REAL NAME)

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.