Overview

On any given day there are more than 28 million items listed for auction at eBay, the world's largest online trading community. Almost $34 billion worth of merchandise, in more than 1.4 billion individual auctions, was traded over eBay during the year 2004; that's $93 million a day, or more than $1,000 every second. At the end of 2004, eBay had more than 135 million registered users - more than double the number of users just two years previous. The first two editions of this book were best-sellers, so it's only natural we would update this great book to reflect some of eBay's most recent upgrades such as: eBay Stores, Half.com, and Trading Assistants.

Full Product Details

Author:   Michael Miller
Publisher:   Pearson Education (US)
Imprint:   Que Corporation,U.S.
Edition:   3rd edition
Dimensions:   Width: 17.60cm , Height: 2.40cm , Length: 23.00cm
Weight:   0.580kg
ISBN:  

9780789734310

ISBN 10:   0789734311
Pages:   408
Publication Date:   23 June 2005
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Replaced By:   9780789735614
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Out of Print
Availability:   Awaiting stock  

Table of Contents

Introduction.     How This Book Is Organized     Conventions Used in This Book       Web Page Addresses       Special Elements     Further Reading     Let Me Know What You Think I. ESSENTIAL EBAY. 1. Introducing eBay, the World's Largest Online Auction.     What Is eBay-And How Did It Come to Be?       The eBay Story       How Big Is eBay?     How Does an eBay Auction Work?     What You Can-And What You Can't-Trade on eBay       Major Categories       What You Can't Trade on eBay     What's What (and What's Where) on eBay       eBay's Home Page-For New Users       eBay's Home Page-For Registered Users       Where to Find Everything Else: eBay's Site Map       Contacting eBay 2. Joining Up and Getting Started.     Everybody Does It: Filling Out eBay's Registration Form       Checklist: Before You Register       Signing Up for Basic Membership       Creating a Seller's Account     The Costs of Using eBay     Protecting Yourself from Phishing Scams     Getting Started II. EBAY FOR BIDDERS. 3. Bidding 101: A Tutorial for Beginning Bidders.     Understanding the Bidding Process       Deciding How Much to Bid       Understanding Proxy Bidding     How to Read an Item Listing       Title, Number, and Your Information       Auction Details       Seller Information       Description       Shipping, Payment Details, and Return Policy       Payment Methods Accepted       Ready to Bid?     Before You Bid       Checklist: Before You Bid     Just Do It-Placing a Bid     Bidding in Other Types of Auctions       Dutch Auctions       Reserve Price Auctions     What to Do After You've Bid       Keeping Track of Your Bids       Increasing Your Bid Amount       Oh, No! You've Been Outbid!       Retracting a Bad Bid       Bidding in the Final Moments     Five Common Bidding Mistakes       Mistake #1: Bidding Too Early       Mistake #2: Bidding Too Low       Mistake #3: Bidding Too High       Mistake #4: Getting Caught Up in a Bidding Frenzy       Mistake #5: Not Reading the Fine Print     You Won! Now What? 4. Searching for Items to Buy.     Browsing or Searching-Which One Is for You?     Browsing: The Easy Way to Find Things     Searching: The Powerful Way to Find Things       Using eBay's Basic Search Function       Using the Find It Now Page       Using the Advanced Search Page       Fine-Tuning Your Search Results       Complex Searches-For Simpler Results     Practice Makes Perfect: Some Sample Searches       Saving Your Searches-and Repeating Them       Get Notification of New Items That Match Your Search 5. The Best Ways to Pay.     Different Ways to Pay       Paying by Cash       Paying by Check       Paying by Money Order or Cashier's Check       Paying by Credit Card-Via PayPal       Paying by Credit Card (Without PayPal)       Paying Cash on Delivery       Using Escrow     Evaluating Different Methods of Payments       Which Method Is Fastest?       Which Method Is Safest?       Which Method Should You Use? 6. After the Auction: Taking Care of Business.     Using the Post-Auction Checklist       Checklist: After You've Won     Making Contact-And Paying       Calculating the Final Price       Paying via Credit Card       Paying via Check or Money Order       Contacting the Seller Directly     Waiting for Your Doorbell to Ring     Receiving the Goods     Finishing Things Up and Leaving Feedback 7. Dealing with Fraudulent Sellers.     Protecting Yourself Before You Buy     Protecting Yourself After the Auction       Getting Help from eBay       Resolving Conflicts       Beyond eBay     Reporting Inappropriate Behavior     Tips for Protecting Yourself on eBay 8. Other Ways to Buy on eBay.     Get It Quick with Buy It Now     Shopping at eBay Stores       Browsing and Buying from an eBay Store       Searching eBay Stores     Just Like Amazon: Half.com     Express Shopping for Books, CDs, DVDs, and Video Games     Want It Now? Then Ask for It! 9. Secrets of Successful Bidders.     The Guaranteed Way to Win an Auction-Be Sneaky and Snipe       Sniping: Pros and Cons       Successful Sniping, Step-by-Step       Using Software to Snipe     Forty Sure-Fire Tips for Placing a Winning Bid-And Getting the Most for Your Money       Tip #1: Bid in the Off Season       Tip #2: Look for Off-Peak Auctions       Tip #3: Do Your Research       Tip #4: Don't Bid on the First Item You See       Tip #5: Know When to Say No       Tip #6: Don't Let the Proxy Bid Things Up       Tip #7: There Are Other Fish in the Sea       Tip #8: If It Sounds Too Good to Be True, It Probably Is       Tip #9: Ask Questions       Tip #10: Check the Feedback       Tip #11: Check the Seller's Past Auctions       Tip #12: Check the Seller's Other Current Auctions       Tip #13: Search; Don't Browse       Tip #14: Search Smart       Tip #15: Search for Misspellings       Tip #16: Search for Last-Minute Bargains       Tip #17: Don't Show Your Hand       Tip #18: Watch, Don't Bid       Tip #19: Use the eBay Toolbar       Tip #20: Watch the Finish       Tip #21: Get in Sync       Tip #22: Put Your Best Foot Forward       Tip #23: Bid in Odd Numbers       Tip #24: Don't Be a Deadbeat       Tip #25: Use My eBay to Track Your Auctions       Tip #26: Read the Fine Print       Tip #27: Don't Forget Shipping Costs       Tip #28: But Don't Overpay for Shipping       Tip #29: Pay Quickly       Tip #30: Pay by Credit Card       Tip #31: Money Orders Cost Money       Tip #32: Provide All the Information Necessary       Tip #33: Use a Middleman for Expensive Items       Tip #34: Insure It       Tip #35: Document Everything       Tip #36: Keep a Log       Tip #37: If You Win It, Inspect It       Tip #38: If You Get Ripped Off, Tell eBay About It       Tip #39: Communicate!       Tip #40: Be Nice III. EBAY FOR SELLERS. 10. Selling 101: A Tutorial for Beginning Sellers.     Getting Ready to List       Checklist: Before You List an Item for Auction     Getting Started: Creating an Item Listing       Step 1: Get Ready to Sell       Step 2: Choose the Type of Auction       Step 3: Choose Your Category       Step 4: Choose a Listing Option       Step 5: Describe Your Item       Step 6: Fill in the Details       Step 7: Enter Payment and Shipping Info       Step 8: Review and Submit Your Listing       You're Done!     Selling Commonly Sold Items with Pre-Filled Item Information     Dealing with Different Types of Auctions       Set a Higher Minimum with a Reserve Price Auction       Sell Larger Quantities with a Dutch Auction       Keep It Anonymous with a Private Auction       End It Quick with Buy It Now     Managing Your Item Listing       Editing Your Listing       Canceling an Auction       Blocking Buyers       Relisting an Item     Five Common Selling Mistakes       Mistake #1: List in the Wrong Category       Mistake #2: Set Too High a Starting Price       Mistake #3: Don't Adequately Describe the Item       Mistake #4: Don't Include a Picture       Mistake #5: Don't Charge Enough Shipping and Handling     The Auction's Over! Now What? 11. Determining What to Sell-And for How Much.     Finding Items to Sell       Garage Sales and Yard Sales       Flea Markets       Estate Sales       Live Auctions       Vintage and Used Retailers       Thrift Stores       Discount and Dollar Stores       Closeout Sales       Going Out of Business Sales       Classified Ads       Friends and Family       Liquidators and Wholesalers       eBay!     Picking the Right Category     Setting the Right Price       Set It Low Enough to Be Attractive       But Don't Set It So Low That It's Not Believable       Make Sure You Recover Your Costs       But Not So High That You Pay Too High a Listing Fee       Make Sure You Can Live with a Single Bid 12. Deciding on Your Payment Methods-And Using PayPal.     Accepting Cash     Accepting C.O.D. Payments     Accepting Personal Checks     Accepting Money Orders and Cashier's Checks     Accepting Credit Cards-Via PayPal       Signing Up for PayPal       Paying for PayPal       Choosing PayPal in Your New Auction Listing       Collecting PayPal Payments       Withdrawing PayPal Funds     Which Way Is Best? 13. Choosing the Right Listing Options.     Choosing the Right Length     Choosing a Different Start Time     To Reserve, Or Not to Reserve     Sell It Now?     Public or Private?     A Pretty Picture     Grab Attention with Listing Upgrades       Subtitle       Gallery       Gallery Featured       Bold       Border       Highlight       Featured Plus!       Home Page Featured       Gift Icon       Listing Designer     Count 'em Up 14. Writing a Listing That Sells.     Write a Title That SELLS!       Include Key Information       Make Your Title Stand Out     Write the Right Description       Take All the Space You Need       First Things First       The Bare Necessities       Describe It-Accurately       Stress Benefits, Not Features       Break It Up       Don't Forget the Fine Print       Include Alternate Wording     Making the Grade       Making a Mint       Getting Graded     Other Ways to Describe Your Item 15. Using Pictures in Your Listings.       Checklist: eBay Pictures     Take a Picture-Or Make a Scan       Tips for Taking Great Product Photos       Scan Instead of Shoot       Use eBay's Stock Photos     Convert a Picture to a Digital Graphics File     Edit the Image File       Things to Edit       Graphics Editing Software       Resizing Your Photos       Resizing Your Files     Upload Your Image File to the Internet-Or Use eBay Picture Services       Using eBay Picture Services       Using Another Web Host       Adding a Picture Within Your Item Description 16. Creating a Great-Looking Listing.     Apply Cool Templates with eBay's Listing Designer     Create Fancy Listings with Listing-Creation Tools       eBay Turbo Lister       Free Listing Templates       Third-Party Listing-Creation Tools     Insert Simple HTML Formatting with eBay's HTML Editor       How HTML Works       Entering HTML Codes       Codes to Format Your Text       Codes for Font Type, Size, and Color       Codes for Paragraphs, Line Breaks, and Rules       Codes for Graphics       Codes for Links       Codes for Lists 17. Automating Item Listing with eBay Turbo Lister.     Downloading and Configuring the Turbo Lister Software       Downloading Turbo Lister       Configuring Turbo Lister     Creating an Item Listing     Creating Listings for Commonly Sold Items     Uploading Your Listings 18. Managing the Auction Process.     Keeping Tabs on Your Current Auctions       Receiving Daily Updates from eBay       Using My eBay       Using Auction Management Software and Services     Editing In-Process Auctions       Updating Your Auction Listing       Deleting Unwelcome Bidders       Canceling an Auction       Answering Bidder Questions     Promoting Your Auctions       Linking to Specific Item Listings       Linking to All Your Auction Listings 19. After the Auction: Concluding Your Business.     The Post-Auction Process       Checklist: After the Auction     Communicating with the Winning Bidder     Accepting Payment     Packing and Shipping     Finishing Things Up and Leaving Feedback     Handling Buyer Complaints and Problems     What If You Don't Sell Your Item?     What If the Buyer Doesn't Pay? 20. Automating Auction Management with eBay Selling Manager.     Introducing eBay Selling Manager       How Selling Manager Works       For Higher-Volume Sellers: eBay Selling Manager Pro     Sending Buyer Emails       Sending a Standard Email Message       Editing an Email Template     Receiving Payment     Printing Invoices and Shipping Labels     After the Item Is Shipped       Leaving Feedback       Archiving Completed Listings 21. Shipping It Out-Cheaply and Safely.     Packing 101       Essential Packing Supplies       Checklist: Packing Supplies       Where to Find Boxes and Packing Materials       Picking the Right Shipping Container       How to Pack       Packing for International Customers       How to Seal the Package     Labeling 101       Buying the Right Kinds of Labels       How to Create an Idiot-Proof Label     Printing Labels and Postage on Your Own Computer     Shipping 101       Examining the Major Shipping Services       How to Reduce Shipping Weight-And Shipping Costs       Shipping Large or Heavy Items       How to Price Shipping and Handling for Your Item Listings       How to Track Your Shipment       When to Recommend Insurance       What to Do When Things Go Wrong       Tips for Less-Painful Shipping 22. Dealing with Deadbeat Bidders.     How to Handle Bum Bidders       Checklist: Dealing with Deadbeat Bidders     Contacting an Unresponsive Bidder     Filing an Unpaid Item Dispute     Asking eBay to Refund Your Fees     Leaving Negative Feedback     Giving Other Bidders a Second Chance     Relisting Your Item 23. Other Ways to Sell on eBay.     Fixed-Price Selling on Half.com     Finding Buyers with Want It Now     Letting Someone Else Sell It for You     Listing Your Real Estate on eBay 24. Secrets of Successful Sellers.     Forty Sure-Fire Tips for Closing More Auctions-And Increasing Your Revenues       Tip #1: Research Your Price       Tip #2: Make Your Listing Stand Out       Tip #3: Use Turbo Lister to Create Your Listings       Tip #4: Get All the Buzzwords in the Title       Tip #5: A Picture Says a Thousand Words       Tip #6: Be Descriptive       Tip #7: Reuse Text That Sells       Tip #8: Include Shipping and Payment Details       Tip #9: Be Honest       Tip #10: Promote Yourself with Your About Me Page       Tip #11: Make the Buyer Pay       Tip #12: Go Long       Tip #13: Or Create a Short-Term Frenzy       Tip #14: There's No Reason to Reserve       Tip #15: Single Items Are Best       Tip #16: Although You Can Unload Some Dogs in a Pack       Tip #17: Don't Compete Against Yourself       Tip #18: Start and End in Prime Time       Tip #19: End on a Sunday       Tip #20: Don't End on a Friday or Saturday Night       Tip #21: Slow Down in the Summer       Tip #22: Promote Your Auctions       Tip #23: Use My eBay to Track Your Auctions       Tip #24: If You Sell a Lot, Use eBay Selling Manager       Tip #25: Avoid Premature Cancellation       Tip #26: Avoid Deadbeats       Tip #27: Include All Your Shipping Costs       Tip #28: Use a Middleman for Expensive Items       Tip #29: Document Everything       Tip #30: Communicate Quickly-And Clearly       Tip #31: Be Nice       Tip #32: Ship Promptly       Tip #33: If Nobody Buys, Relist-With a Different Description       Tip #34: If You Get Stiffed, Ask for a Refund       Tip #35: Don't Forget About Number Two       Tip #36: The Customer Is Always Right       Tip #37: Or All Sales Are Final       Tip #38: Accept Credit Cards-Via PayPal       Tip #39: Wait for the Check to Clear       Tip #40: If It's a Business, You Pay Taxes     One Extra Tip: Join the eBay Community IV. USING EBAY'S ADVANCED FEATURES. 25. Creating a Home Base with My eBay.     Accessing and Using My eBay       My Summary View       All Buying Page       All Selling Page       My Messages Page       All Favorites Page       My Account Page     Managing and Personalizing My eBay       Sorting and Filtering       Hiding or Displaying Columns       Changing How Many Listings to Display       Leaving Notes to Yourself       Printing Key Information 26. Creating Your Own Personal About Me Page.     Introducing the About Me Page     Creating Your Own About Me Page     Publicizing Your eBay Auctions with About Me 27. Understanding and Using Feedback.     What Do All Those Stars and Numbers Mean?     Reading Feedback Comments-And Contacting Other Users     How to Leave Feedback     Figuring Out What Kind of Feedback to Leave     Dealing with Negative Feedback V. BECOMING A POWER SELLER. 28. Using Auction Software and Services.     Listing and Auction Management       All My Auctions       Ándale       Auction Hawk       Auction Lizard       Auction Wizard 2000       AuctionHelper       AuctionSage       AuctionTamer       Auctiva       ChannelAdvisor       eBay Seller's Assistant       eBay Selling Manager       eBay Selling Manager Pro       eBay Turbo Lister       HammerTap       inkFrog       ManageAuctions       Marketworks       Shooting Star       SpareDollar       Vendio     Sniping and Bidding Tools       Auction Sentry       Auction Sniper       AuctionStealer       AuctionTamer       BidNapper       BidRobot       BidSlammer       Cricket Power Sniper       eSnipe       HammerSnipe       Vrane 29. Going International.     Pros and Cons of Selling Internationally     Selling Outside the United States       Communicating with International Bidders       Accepting Foreign Payments       Shipping Across Borders-And Oceans     eBay's International Marketplaces 30. Making a Living from eBay.     Becoming an eBay PowerSeller     Turning Your Online Auctions into a Real Business     Maintaining Your Sales Inventory     Automating Your Auction Activities     Tracking Revenues and Costs     Promoting Your Online Auctions     Supplementing Your Auctions with an eBay Store       Do You Qualify?       The Costs of Running an eBay Store       Setting Up Your eBay Store Index.

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Author Information

Michael Miller is a top eBay seller and a successful and prolific author. He has a reputation for practical, real-world advice and an unerring empathy for the needs of his readers. Mr. Miller has written more than 60 nonfiction books over the past 15 years, for Que and other major publishers. His books for Que include Tricks of the eBay Masters, Making a Living from Your eBay Business, Bad Pics Fixed Quick, and Absolute Beginner's Guide to Computer Basics. He is known for his casual, easy-to-read writing style and his ability to explain a wide variety of complex topics to an everyday audience. Mr. Miller is also president of The Molehill Group, a strategic consulting and authoring firm based in Carmel, Indiana. As a consultant, he specializes in providing strategic advice to and writing business plans for Internet- and technology-based businesses. You can email Mr. Miller directly at abg-ebay@molehillgroup.com. His website is located at http://www.molehillgroup.com, and his eBay user ID is trapperjohn2000. © Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

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