eBay For Dummies, (Updated for 2020)

Marsha Collier 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.

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