These days you have a lot of choices when you want to sell online. There are some apps/platforms that may seem easier than eBay … but … there’s only one eBay. You have the opportunity to sell your items to a worldwide audience who may be looking for the things you choose to sell.

Selling on eBay is profitable and empowering if you follow the basics rules. The beginning steps are outlined in this book and can take you to easily bring in $60,000 a year. You don’t need any more to start out than what you read in the pages of this book. After you’ve mastered the basics, you’re on your way to your own part- or full-time e-commerce empire.

This is the tenth edition of eBay For Dummies. When I wrote the original edition in 1999, eBay had just gone public, and the gross merchandise sales by sellers on the site was estimated at a staggering $2.8 billion. There has been little change in Internet transactions since eBay pioneered the collaborative economy. In 2018, eBay enabled almost $95 billion of gross merchandise volume with person-to-person transactions. I had no idea that eBay would become the worldwide marketplace it has — and that this book would become the top-selling book for those wanting to learn about eBay. (Pretty cool, though.)

Literally millions of people have learned how to succeed at an eBay business by reading my books. In your hand you have the book that will get you on the road to your own online business. Heed my words and you’ll be getting the no-nonsense facts about eBay from an active user who was selling on eBay almost from day one.

I’m a longtime eBay shopper as well as a Top Rated Seller. My original career was in retail marketing, and since launching my eBay adventure, I’ve been making money on the site. (I even put my daughter through college on my profits!) I work from home and apply my background successfully to all facets of the site.

My enthusiasm and excitement for shopping and selling on the eBay Marketplace seems to have spread to so many corners of the world. eBay users (like you and me) currently total 182 million active users worldwide — that’s quite a community. (In 1999 there were only 10 million registered users.)

It’s a community of buyers who enjoy shopping with mom-and-pop businesses (along with many famous celebrities and brand names) worldwide — and of sellers who forage for items to sell online and make a few dollars (or a full-time living). The best part is that eBay is available to anyone who wants to take the time to learn how it works.

The venue is constantly evolving; familiar links may move, but the basics are there. It isn’t too hard to master, but just as with any tool, once you know the ins and outs, you’re ahead of the game. You can then get the deals when you shop, and make the most money when you sell. You’ve come to the right place to find out all about eBay. This book is designed to help you understand the basics about buying and selling on eBay, the world’s most successful e-commerce community.

You need a firm grasp of the basics before you can succeed in any endeavor. Here are all the tools you need to get moving on eBay, whether you’re new to the Internet or a seasoned veteran. You see how to turn your everyday household clutter into cold, hard cash — and how to look for items that you can sell on eBay.

If you’re an online shopper, I show you how to figure out how much you should spend and how to get great deals. How much money you earn (or spend) depends entirely on how often and how smartly you conduct your eBay transactions. You decide how often you want to sell items and place bids; I’m here to help with the smart part by sharing tips (along with the rules) drawn from my years of experience on eBay.

A website as complex as eBay has many nooks and crannies that may confuse new users. Think of this book as a detailed road map that can help you navigate eBay, getting just as much or as little as you want from it. If there’s a specific question you want answered, try looking it up in the index. I bet you’ll find a reference that will help.

As you figure out the nuts and bolts, you can start buying and selling stuff. This book is full of terrific strategies that help you get the most out of your transactions. With this book and a little focused effort, you can join the ranks of the millions of people who use the Internet to make a profit. When you get the hang of eBay and feel that it’s time to graduate (no cap and gown required) from this book, look for my eBay Business All-In-One For Dummies — it’ll take you to the next plateau.

Remember one thing. The more items you list for sale, the more profits you make. “Thinking” about listing items brings in no profit; trust me, I’ve been there. Action = profits.

Foolish Assumptions

You may have picked up this book because you heard that people are making huge money selling online and you want to find out what’s going on. Or you heard about the brand-name bargains and wacky stuff you can find in the world’s largest shopping emporium. If either of these assumptions is true, this is the right book for you.

Here are some other foolish assumptions I’ve made about you:

• You have, or would like to have, access to the Internet so you can do business on eBay.
• You have an interest in collecting, selling, or buying, and you want to find out more about doing that online.
• You want tips and strategies that can save you money when you buy and make you money when you sell. (You too? I can relate. We already have a lot in common.)
• You’re concerned about maintaining your privacy and staying away from people who try to ruin everyone’s good time.

Icons Used in This Book

The icons that appear from time to time in the left margin serve some special purposes. I try to throw them in where appropriate to draw your attention to specifics. Here’s a rundown of what they mean.

These are facts that you just have to know! Just picture me jumping up and down, just waiting to interrupt your reading with a little extra bonus tidbit. Time is money on eBay. When you see this shortcut or timesaver come your way, read the information and think about all the greenbacks you just saved.

Think of this icon as a sticky note for your brain. If you forget one of the pearls of wisdom, you can go back and reread it. If you still can’t remember something here, go ahead and bookmark the page — I won’t tell. Even better: Use a yellow highlighter on the print edition.

Don’t feel my pain. I’ve done plenty of things wrong on eBay — and really want to save you from my mistakes. I put these warnings out there bright and bold so that you don’t have a bad experience. Don’t skip these warnings unless you’re enthusiastic about masochism.

When you see this icon, you know you’re in for the real deal. This icon will give you my personal tips as well as war stories and successes I’ve heard from eBay veterans. They can help you strategize, make money, and avoid the perils faced by others. (“Learn from others’ mistakes” is my motto.)

You also see a sidebar now and then — text on a gray background to make the topic stand out. Sometimes these decorative items have important short facts that I want you to know, or they contain an interesting aside.

Beyond the Book

Like everything else in the world, eBay changes. Some of the screen grabs in this edition may look slightly different from what you see on your device. That’s just eBay tweaking and improving things on the site. My job is to arm you with everything you need to know to begin conducting transactions. Keep in mind that the table of contents or index of this book is your friend. In this book I either help you solve your problems or let you know where to go for some expert advice.

Although eBay makes its complex website as easy to navigate as possible, you may still need to refer to this book for help. Don’t get frustrated if you have to keep reviewing topics before you feel completely comfortable trading on eBay.

After all, Albert Einstein once said, “Don’t commit to memory something you can look up.” (Although I forget when he said that … .)

In addition to what you’re reading right now, this product also comes with a free access-anywhere Cheat Sheet that covers eBay buying terms. To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “eBay Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.

Where to Go from Here

It’s time to open the book and dive in. For updates on this book and to contact me, visit my website:

www.coolebaytools.com

You’ll find articles about things going on at eBay, online business, and social media. For small business and technology posts, I also have a blog at

http://mcollier.blogspot.com

If you’d like to ask me questions through social media, you can find me on the following networks (I am on more, but a girl only has so much time):

• Twitter: @MarshaCollier

  http://twitter.com/MarshaCollier

• Facebook: Marsha Collier

  www.facebook.com/MarshaCollierFanPage

• Instagram: MarshaCollier

  My family, garden, pet, and work pictures

  www.instagram.com/marshacollier

• YouTube: DealingDiva (Don’t judge my ID — I opened that account a long time ago.)

  I often post videos to answer questions I receive.

  www.youtube.com/user/dealingdiva

You can email me directly from the Contact page on my website. I read all emails and try to answer as many as I can. But please remember that I’m just me. No giant staff, no big office. I write books, research new products to help online citizens, consult with people just like you, run an eBay business, and take time to enjoy my family.

You can also send me tech questions to answer on my podcast. Every Saturday, from noon to 1 p.m. Pacific time, I cohost the Computer and Technology Show (#techradio on Twitter) with Marc Cohen. The show is also archived online at www.computerandtechnologyradio.com and on IHEARTRadio (www.iheart.com/podcast/263-computer-and-technol-28119131), Tunein (https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/Computer-and-Technology-Radio-p29078), Stitcher (www.stitcher.com/podcast/wsradio/computer-and-technology-radio), and iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/computer-technology-radio/id575805424).

Thank you for buying this book. Please give me a shout out and let me know about your eBay successes.

IN THIS PART …

Getting the basics on using eBay

Reviewing the registration process

Organizing eBay transactions and interactions through your My eBay page

Understanding the Feedback system