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<p><b>Introduction</b><b> 1</b></p> <p>About This Book 3</p> <p>Foolish Assumptions 3</p> <p>Icons Used in This Book 4</p> <p>Beyond the Book 5</p> <p>Where to Go from Here 5</p> <p><b>Part 1: Getting a Feel for eBay 7</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 1: Why Being on eBay is Fun on So Many Levels</b><b> 9</b></p> <p>What is eBay, and How Does It Work? 10</p> <p>All About Auctions 12</p> <p>eBay auctions 13</p> <p>Reserve-price auctions 13</p> <p>Restricted-access adult auctions 13</p> <p>Private (shhh-it’s-a-secret) listings 14</p> <p>“Buy It Now” on eBay 15</p> <p>eBay Stores 16</p> <p>Buy It Now and fixed-price sales 16</p> <p>Want to Make Some Cash? 16</p> <p>Get a Deal and Get It Fast! 17</p> <p>Research for Fun and Profit 17</p> <p>eBay’s Role in the Action 18</p> <p>Features and Fun Stuff 19</p> <p>Extra Apps You’re Gonna Want 19</p> <p><b>Chapter 2: Let’s Do It! Signing Up on eBay</b><b> 21</b></p> <p>Registering on eBay 21</p> <p>Registering is Free 22</p> <p>Filling in required information 24</p> <p>Do you solemnly swear to? 27</p> <p>It must be true if you have it in writing 28</p> <p>Uh-oh, you made a mistake? 29</p> <p>A Quick Word about Passwords 30</p> <p>A Not-So-Quick Word about Choosing a User ID 30</p> <p>Your License to Deal (Almost) 32</p> <p><b>Chapter 3: Finding Your Way Around eBay</b><b> 33</b></p> <p>What is the Home Page? 34</p> <p>Sign In, Please 35</p> <p>Follow the Links 36</p> <p>Exploring Your Home Page Search Options 39</p> <p>Seeking items through the search box 40</p> <p>Going where the Advanced Search box takes you 41</p> <p>Home Links, the Next Generation 43</p> <p>Maneuvering through Categories 44</p> <p>Bottoming Out 46</p> <p><b>Chapter 4: Ground Central, Your Private, My eBay </b><b>49</b></p> <p>Getting to Your My eBay Pages 50</p> <p>Keeping Track of Your Personal eBay Business 52</p> <p>Checking your account information 53</p> <p>Choosing your communication preferences 53</p> <p>Your Feedback link 55</p> <p>Account links 55</p> <p>Understanding Your Seller Dashboard 56</p> <p>Using the Resolution Center 57</p> <p>Organizing Saved Sellers/Searches 58</p> <p>Searches you follow 59</p> <p>Sellers you follow 60</p> <p>Keeping your follows on the “down low” 60</p> <p>Sleuthing with your Watching list 61</p> <p>Following the Action on Your Buying 62</p> <p>Seeing the items you’re buying 62</p> <p>Keeping track of your purchased items 62</p> <p>Surveying Your Sales on Your My eBay Selling Overview 62</p> <p>Your Selling page 63</p> <p>Your Sold page 63</p> <p>Keeping Track of Your Transactions 65</p> <p>Getting and Giving Feedback 66</p> <p>How to get positive feedback 68</p> <p>How to get negative feedback 68</p> <p>The Feedback page 69</p> <p>Reading your feedback 70</p> <p>You have the last word — responding to feedback 71</p> <p>Leaving feedback with finesse 71</p> <p><b>Part 2: Buying Like an Expert 77</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 5: Deal or No Deal? Buying Hacks and Searching Tips</b><b> 79</b></p> <p>Online Tips for Vintage Enthusiasts 80</p> <p>The experts speak out 80</p> <p>Following an expert on the hunt 82</p> <p>Grading vintage items 83</p> <p>Finding More Research Information 85</p> <p>Searching sites online 85</p> <p>Finding other sources of information 87</p> <p>Looking to Find an Item? Start Your eBay Search 88</p> <p>Using the Advanced Search page 89</p> <p>Finding Sold Items 92</p> <p>An international search 94</p> <p>Finding a specific seller 95</p> <p>Finding items by keywords for multiple sellers 97</p> <p>Shortcuts for a quick eBay search 97</p> <p><b>Chapter 6: Get a Deal: The Art of Shopping eBay</b><b> 99</b></p> <p>The Item Listing Page 100</p> <p>Beating the Devil in the Details 107</p> <p>Read the item description carefully 107</p> <p>Get the scoop on the seller 108</p> <p>Factoring In the Extras 110</p> <p>Payment methods 110</p> <p>Using an escrow service 111</p> <p>Shipping costs 112</p> <p>Placing Your Bid on an Auction 113</p> <p>Bidding to the Max: Automatic Bidding 114</p> <p>Specialized Categories 117</p> <p>The Agony (?) of Buyer’s Remorse 117</p> <p>Retracting your bid 118</p> <p>Avoiding deadbeat (unpaid item) status 120</p> <p><b>Chapter 7: Winning eBay Shopping Strategies</b><b> 123</b></p> <p>Make an Offer! 124</p> <p>Find Out an Item’s Bidding History 125</p> <p>Get to Know the Other Bidders 127</p> <p>Strategies to Help You Outsmart the Competition 128</p> <p>Time is Money: Auction Strategy by the Clock 130</p> <p>Using a laid-back strategy 131</p> <p>Using the beat-the-clock strategy 132</p> <p><b>Chapter 8: Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner?</b><b> 137</b></p> <p>eBay Calling: You’re a Winner 137</p> <p>Getting Your Paperwork Together 138</p> <p>Getting in Contact 140</p> <p>Sending the Payment Promptly and Securely 140</p> <p>Checking Out 143</p> <p>Communicating with the Seller 144</p> <p>Keeping in Touch: Dealing with an AWOL Seller 145</p> <p>You Get the Item . . . Uh-Oh, What’s This? 146</p> <p>Don’t Forget to Leave Feedback 147</p> <p>Properly Giving the Detailed Seller Ratings (DSRs) 148</p> <p><b>Part 3: Making Money the eBay Way 151</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 9: Selling Online for Fun and Profit</b><b> 153</b></p> <p>Why Should You Sell Stuff on eBay? 154</p> <p>Finding Stuff to Sell 156</p> <p>Know When to Sell 157</p> <p>Know Thy Stuff 159</p> <p>Getting the goods on your goods 159</p> <p>Spy versus spy: Comparison selling 160</p> <p>Know What You Can (And Can’t) Sell 162</p> <p>Prohibited items 163</p> <p>Infringing items 166</p> <p>Restricted items: Know the laws 168</p> <p>Forbidden tactics 168</p> <p>Reporting a Problem Listing 169</p> <p>Intellectual Property Violations 170</p> <p>eBay Fees? What eBay Fees? Oops 171</p> <p>Final value fees 173</p> <p>Managed Payments and PayPal fees 173</p> <p>Keep calculating your profits 174</p> <p>Uncle Sam Wants You — to Pay Your Taxes 175</p> <p>Two wild rumors about federal taxes 176</p> <p>State sales tax 177</p> <p>State income taxes 178</p> <p><b>Chapter 10: Time to Sell: Making Irresistible Listings</b><b> 179</b></p> <p>Getting Ready to List Your Item 180</p> <p>Examining the Create Listing Page 181</p> <p>Filling In the Required Blanks 185</p> <p>Selecting a category 185</p> <p>Creating the perfect item title 187</p> <p>Adding item specifics 190</p> <p>Writing your description 191</p> <p>Listing the number of items for sale 193</p> <p>Setting a starting price — how low can you go? 194</p> <p>Buy It Now for auctions 195</p> <p>Setting your auction time 195</p> <p>Your secret safety net — reserve price 196</p> <p>I want to be alone: The private listing 197</p> <p>Filling out the item location 198</p> <p>Setting shipping terms 199</p> <p>Checking Your Work and Starting the Listing 200</p> <p>Midcourse Corrections: Fixing Current Listings 201</p> <p>Making changes before bidding begins 201</p> <p>Making changes after bidding begins 202</p> <p><b>Chapter 11: Find Merchandise to Sell and the eBay Store Decision</b><b> 203</b></p> <p>Knowing the Market 204</p> <p>Do You Have Talent, Provide a Service? 206</p> <p>Catching Trends in the Media 207</p> <p>Trending on the web 207</p> <p>What’s on television 208</p> <p>Catch up with youth culture . . . 208</p> <p>Check out pop-culture websites 209</p> <p>Follow the trends on social media 209</p> <p>The Hunt for eBay Inventory 210</p> <p>The goods are out there 210</p> <p>Salvage: Liquidation Items, Unclaimed Freight, and Returns 214</p> <p>Items by the pallet 215</p> <p>Job lots 217</p> <p>Drop-shipping to your customers 218</p> <p>Tips for the modest investor 218</p> <p>Making the eBay Store Decision 219</p> <p>Selling from Your Own Virtual Storefront 220</p> <p>Paying the landlord 220</p> <p>Opening your eBay Store 222</p> <p><b>Chapter 12: Take the Pain out of Closing the Deal and Shipping</b><b> 225</b></p> <p>Bookkeeping and Staying Organized 226</p> <p>Talking to Buyers: The ABCs of Good Communication 228</p> <p>Thank you — mean it 229</p> <p>Keep communication open 230</p> <p>Shipping without Going Postal 231</p> <p>Shopping for a shipper 232</p> <p>Getting the right (packing) stuff 242</p> <p>Buying and Printing Postage Online 248</p> <p>Preparing postage with Endicia 249</p> <p>Shipping with Stamps.com 251</p> <p>Ahoy matey! Print labels free from Pirate Ship 251</p> <p>Shipping directly from eBay 252</p> <p><b>Chapter 13: Saving and Troubleshooting Sales</b><b> 253</b></p> <p>Dealing with a Buyer Who Doesn’t Respond 254</p> <p>Requesting immediate payment 254</p> <p>Setting buyer requirements 254</p> <p>Going into nudge mode 255</p> <p>Do a little sleuthing 256</p> <p>Blocking a customer 257</p> <p>Other Possible Problems 257</p> <p>Buyer backout? Try Second Chance Offer 257</p> <p>The item you send is busted — and so are you 261</p> <p>You have regrets — seller’s remorse 262</p> <p>Going Badly? Cut Your Losses 262</p> <p>Making changes or canceling bids 263</p> <p>Editing your Fixed Price listing 264</p> <p>Ending your listing early 265</p> <p>Opening an Unpaid Item case 266</p> <p><b>Chapter 14: Increase Profits with Photography and Other Strategies</b><b> 271</b></p> <p>Using Images in Your Listings 272</p> <p>Choosing your camera 273</p> <p>Choosing a scanner 276</p> <p>Making Your Picture a Thing of Beauty 277</p> <p>Get it on camera 277</p> <p>Yes, I scan 279</p> <p>Software that adds the artist’s touch 279</p> <p>Making Your Images Web-Friendly 281</p> <p>The Image is Perfect — Now What? 282</p> <p>Getting Pictures from Your Smartphone to eBay 283</p> <p>Using Your Website to Store Images 287</p> <p>Using the Photo Uploader 288</p> <p>Tell Your Story on Your Profile Page 291</p> <p><b>Part 4: Even More of eBay’s Special Features 293</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 15: Security: Protect Yourself Online and on eBay</b><b> 295</b></p> <p>What eBay Knows about You 296</p> <p>What you tell eBay 296</p> <p>What cookies gather 297</p> <p>Your eBay sign-in cookie 299</p> <p>Web beacons 299</p> <p>What web servers collect 300</p> <p>What Does eBay Do with Information about Me, Anyway? 304</p> <p>What Do Other eBay Members Know about Me? 305</p> <p>Hack-proof Your Account with Two-Factor Authentication 305</p> <p>Spam — Not Just a Hawaiian Delicacy 307</p> <p>Sending spam versus eating it 308</p> <p>Trashing your junk mail 308</p> <p>Email spoofing 309</p> <p>I Vant to Be Alone — and Vat You Can Do to Stay That Vay 310</p> <p><b>Chapter 16: Rules, Policies, and Etiquette (and How to Get Help)</b><b> 315</b></p> <p>Keeping eBay Safe with eBay Security 316</p> <p>Buyers Are Safe When Shopping on eBay 317</p> <p>Abuses You Should Look Out For 318</p> <p>Selling abuses 318</p> <p>Bidding abuses 319</p> <p>Feedback abuses 320</p> <p>Identity abuses 320</p> <p>Operational abuses 321</p> <p>Miscellaneous abuses 321</p> <p>Reporting Abuses to eBay Security 322</p> <p>Stuff eBay Won’t Do Anything About 324</p> <p>Knowing the Deeds That Can Get You Suspended 325</p> <p>eBay Motors Vehicle Purchase Protection 326</p> <p>PayPal Purchase Protection 326</p> <p>Launching a Report or a Return 327</p> <p>Returning an item for a refund 329</p> <p>Getting the Real Deal? Authentication and Appraising 330</p> <p>If It’s Clearly Fraud 333</p> <p><b>Chapter 17: Marketing Sales with Social Media and the Community</b><b> 335</b></p> <p>Joining the eBay Community 336</p> <p>News and chat, this and that 337</p> <p>Joining in the social media conversation 337</p> <p>Filling in your eBay profile 338</p> <p>Hear ye, hear ye! eBay’s Announcements Board 339</p> <p>Help! I need somebody 339</p> <p>User-to-user discussion boards 340</p> <p>Category-specific groups 341</p> <p>Learning and Selling through Social Media 341</p> <p>Finding friends and customers on Facebook 342</p> <p>Connecting with other sellers on Twitter 344</p> <p><b>Chapter 18: eBay Bucks Rewards, Charitable Buying and Selling, and Going Mobile</b><b> 347</b></p> <p>Rewards Program for Shoppers: eBay Bucks 347</p> <p>Selling and Buying: Helping Nonprofits 349</p> <p>eBay for Charity 349</p> <p>Creative charity auctions 351</p> <p>Go Mobile — for Buying and Selling 353</p> <p><b>Part 5: The Parts of Tens 357</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 19: Ten (Or So) Golden Rules to Succeed on eBay</b><b> 359</b></p> <p>Buyer: Research Your Treasure Before You Buy 360</p> <p>Buyer: Check the Seller’s Feedback 360</p> <p>Buyer: Check the Price Tag and Bid Wisely 361</p> <p>Buyer: Leave Positive Feedback for a Good Seller 361</p> <p>Buyer: Protect Your Privacy 362</p> <p>Seller: Really Know Your Stuff 362</p> <p>Seller: Polish and Shine 363</p> <p>Seller: Picture-Perfect Facts 363</p> <p>Seller: Communication is Key 364</p> <p>Seller: Be a Buyer’s Dream 364</p> <p>Seller: Listen to the Music 365</p> <p>Buyers and Sellers: Keep Current, Keep Cool 365</p> <p><b>Chapter 20: Ten (Or So) Services to Make Life Easy</b><b> 367</b></p> <p>Seller Tools and Services 368</p> <p>inkFrog 368</p> <p>Sizely 369</p> <p>Important Tools for Buyers and Sellers 371</p> <p>Sniping with BidRobot 371</p> <p>Find out what it’s worth at Worthpoint 373</p> <p>Buying a warranty through SquareTrade 374</p> <p>eBay fee calculator: Salecalc 375</p> <p>Kabbage: Working capital 376</p> <p>eBay’s Software and Services 377</p> <p>Selling Manager, Selling Manager Pro, and Seller Hub 377</p> <p>eBay PowerSellers 378</p> <p>Top Rated Sellers 379</p> <p>Index 381</p>

<p><b>Marsha Collier</b> is the top-selling eBay author and among the world's foremost e-commerce experts and educators. Now a Top Rated Plus Seller, she was among the first eBay PowerSellers. Marsha makes regular appearances on television, radio, and in print to discuss business, e-commerce, and customer service, and blogs at www.coolebaytools.com.

<ul> <li>Get registered and start finding online bargains</li> <li>Create listings that attract buyers and big bids</li> <li>Manage efficient transactions and worry-free shipping</li> </ul> <p><b>The proven, definitive guide to eBay success</b> <p>Are you into decluttering? Looking for a way to make some extra cash? Always up for a bargain? Turn to eBay and this book! Since the original edition was published 20 years ago, <i>eBay For Dummies</i> has helped hundreds of thousands of people find the best deals, set up an eBay Store, write listings that get attention, make money from the stuff in their attics, create cool and profitable niche shops, sell their handmade creations, manage packing and shipping, and much more. Here's what you need to know to make the most of, and on, eBay! <p><b>Inside...</b> <ul> <li>Sign up and create an account</li> <li>Find the best bargains</li> <li>Learn winning bid strategies</li> <li>Turn clutter into cash</li> <li>Write descriptions that sell</li> <li>Locate quality merchandise</li> <li>Pay the appropriate taxes</li> <li>Market with social media</li> </ul>

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