eBay in 30 Pages or Less, Second edition (Paperback)

~ Timesaver Books (Author) "Think of eBay as the world's largest garage sale..." (more)
Key Phrases: trading assistant, final value fee, insertion fee, Smart Search, Multiple Item (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

...these books tell it like it is with the least words necessary. -- Matthew S. Robinson - The Boston Herald

I've never seen anything like it! Timesaver Books are short, to the point and chock-full of information. -- John Lusk - Author of The MouseDriver Chronicles

No fluff - no philosophy. This is a how-to book in the truest sense. Short, sweet, and to the point. -- Jim Sterne - Author of Web Metrics

Product Description

If you’re new to eBay, then this short, easy to follow guide is for you. This updated version of eBay in 30 Pages or Less covers everything you need to know to be a confident buyer and seller on the world’s largest online auction house. It teaches you how to register as an eBay user, navigate through the different sections of the website, and find what you’re looking for. The book also provides you with valuable tips and tricks, as well as important information on etiquette for dealing with buyers and sellers that usually only experience would bring. Also included is a section on fraud, including the different types of fraud, and how to avoid them.

Product Details

• Paperback: 29 pages
• Publisher: Timesaver Books; 2nd edition (April 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0973163747
• ISBN-13: 978-0973163742
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #708,512 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't expect a creative work, April 2, 2004

By A Customer

I've always been a bit of a procrastinator, and the "30 pages or less" part of this title sucked me in as a quick fix for something I've been meaning to do for a long time. So, while it seemed wasteful to buy another book on this topic (I bought Ebay for Dummies a while back but haven't read it yet) I gave this one a try.

I agree with the other review that most of the information in this book you can get out of eBay's own help files, but I found this was a much more pared down and easy to follow version of it. EBay's help is good for specific issues but I don't think I'd ever get around to going over everything on their site.

The writing style can be a bit dry at times, but the whole package is so concise I got through it without putting it down. The end result? Although I haven't tried selling yet, since reading this book I've registered and purchased some things on ebay to get a feedback record started (important for selling). (...)P>Overall I'd say this book is a good value for the price.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Saves Time, December 9, 2004

By	Rebecca Johnson "SeasonedwithLove.com" (Washington State) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

If you are not very interested in reading information about eBay online, then this book is perfect to keep by your computer for your trips to eBay. It is sometimes frustrating to have to go look up info while online when you are in the middle of selling items or trying to figure out PayPal. The contents are quite helpful and include:

Introduction: The eBay story, Fun facts and statistics, international site URLs.

Getting Started: How to Navigate and Register.

Finding What You're Looking For: Browsing tips, Searching, Item Description Pages.

Before You Bid: Typs of Auctions, Pre-bid Checklists, Placing Your bid, Proxy Bidding.

Using "My eBay"

Making the Purchase

Selling: Becoming a Seller, Listing Items, During the Auction, Selling Fees and Listing Upgrades and Fees.

Etiquette: Communications, Bid Retractions, Feedback and Payment.

Tips and Tricks

Fraud: An important chapter about avoiding fraud and what to do if it happens.

When you start reading a ton of books, a tiny book that can be read in under 20 minutes is quite refreshing. They also have books out for eBay Selling (more detail), PayPal (more details) and Google.

Sure, you could read some of this information online, but who would want to when you can read in a comfy couch. This book is great to keep on hand at the computer for when you are surfing around eBay. This is not a novel, but it is novel, short and to the point. Definately a time saver.

~The Rebecca Review

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Short and sweet, June 10, 2003

By A Customer

This book told me everything I needed to know to get started buying and selling on eBay. The section on etiquette, and the tips and tricks section were especially helpful.

I love the writing style, it really cuts to the chase when it comes to covering the material. In its short 29 pages I went from being pretty much of a newbie to being a confident buyer and seller, armed with some useful tips that usually only experience would bring.

It should however be noted that this guide is more for the casual user, if you're looking to start a business selling on ebay, you might want to pick up a book that focuses a bit more on selling. Overall it's a great value.