eBay Business All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance))

855 Pages·2006·10.68 MB·English

by  Marsha Collier

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®
eBay Business
A L L - I N - O N E D E S K R E F E R E N C E
FOR
‰
DUMmIES
by Marsha Collier
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® ®
eBay Business All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies
Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
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Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
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dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2005923067
ISBN-13: 978-0-7645-8438-1
ISBN-10: 0-7645-8438-3
Manufactured in the United States of America
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About the Author
Marsha Collier spends most of her time on something related to eBay. She’s
a charter-member eBay PowerSeller as well as one of the original instructors
for eBay University. As a columnist, an author of four best-selling books on
eBay, a television and radio expert, and a lecturer, she shares her knowledge
of eBay with millions of online shoppers. Thousands of eBay fans also visit
her Web site, www.coolebaytools.com, to get Marsha’s latest insights on
e-commerce.
Out of college, Marsha worked in fashion advertising for the Miami Herald
and then as special projects manager for the Los Angeles Daily News. She also
founded a home-based advertising and marketing business. Her successful
business, the Collier Company, Inc., was featured by Entrepreneur magazine in
1986, and in 1990, Marsha’s company received the Small Business of the Year
award from her California State Assemblyman and the Northridge Chamber of
Commerce.
Bargains drew Marsha to eBay in 1996, but profitable sales keep her busy
on the site now. Marsha applies her business acumen to eBay, and in this
book, she shares that knowledge with you. In eBay Business All-in-One Desk
Reference For Dummies, Marsha combines her knowledge of business, mar-
keting, and eBay savvy to help you make a smooth and quick transition from
part-time seller to full-time moneymaker.
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Dedication
I dedicate this book to budding eBay entrepreneurs. This book will help you
through the tough spots and, I hope, to a hugely successful eBay business.
Author’s Acknowledgments
My career on eBay is totally due to the kindness of others. I have met many
fine people on eBay and I’d love to acknowledge them all (but my publisher
won’t let me have the space).
I’d like to thank the eBay education group: Susan Philips, Sharon Guldner,
Mike Rudolf, and Tom Cotton. My goal is your goal; we’re in this education
thing together.
Thanks also to Marc Cohen and Mark Oleesky from the KABC Computer &
Technology Show for letting me stand in for a missing host every now and
then. I’ve learned a lot from you guys and it’s about time I thanked you
publicly!
And thanks to the Wiley crew, once again: Andy Cummings, for the access;
Steven Hayes, for your creativity and humanity in a dog-eat-dog publishing
business, and Susan Pink, for your continued work on my books — I’ll bet
this will be the last one for a while!
Patti Louise Ruby, my technical editor, is also my good friend. Thank you for
your fine work on this challenging project.
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Publisher’s Acknowledgments
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration form
located at www.dummies.com/register/.
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and Composition Services
Media Development
Project Coordinator: Adrienne Martinez
Project Editor: Susan Pink
Layout and Graphics: Andrea Dahl,
Acquisitions Editor: Steve Hayes Denny Hager, Stephanie D. Jumper,
Lynsey Osborn, Melanee Prendergast,
Technical Editor: Patti Louise Ruby
Heather Ryan, Julie Trippetti
Editorial Manager: Carol Sheehan
Proofreaders: Laura L. Bowman,
Media Development Supervisor:
John Greenough, Leeann Harney,
Richard Graves
Carl Pierce
Editorial Assistant: Amanda Foxworth
Indexer: Richard T. Evans
Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)
Special Help: Laura L. Bowman
Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies
Richard Swadley, Vice President and Executive Group Publisher
Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher
Mary Bednarek, Executive Acquisitions Director
Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director
Publishing for Consumer Dummies
Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher
Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director
Composition Services
Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services
Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services
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Contents at a Glance
Introduction .................................................................1
Part I: eBay Basics.......................................................5
Chapter 1: Hooking Up with Online Technology ............................................................7
Chapter 2: Navigating through eBay ..............................................................................19
Chapter 3: Signing Up and Getting Started....................................................................31
Chapter 4: Understanding eBay Sales............................................................................53
Chapter 5: Checking Things Out Before Buying ...........................................................75
Chapter 6: Bidding to Win ...............................................................................................97
Chapter 7: Completing the Transaction ......................................................................119
Chapter 8: Participating in the Community ................................................................137
Part II: Essential Tools ..............................................157
Chapter 1: Researching on eBay...................................................................................159
Chapter 2: Researching on the Web.............................................................................177
Chapter 3: Efficient Communications for Better Sales ..............................................189
Chapter 4: Simplifying Payment with PayPal ..............................................................201
Chapter 5: Using eBay’s Management Tools ...............................................................215
Part III: Selling Like a Pro ........................................237
Chapter 1: Be Sure Your Listings Make Cents.............................................................239
Chapter 2: Understanding the Finer Points of Selling................................................265
Chapter 3: Listing Your Items for Sale .........................................................................291
Chapter 4: Using eBay’s Turbo Lister ..........................................................................325
Chapter 5: Managing Your Sales on My eBay..............................................................337
Chapter 6: Using PayPal to Organize Your Sales ........................................................355
Chapter 7: Checking Out Payment Alternatives .........................................................371
Part IV: Sourcing Merchandise...................................385
Chapter 1: Understanding Online Retailing ................................................................387
Chapter 2: Buying Merchandise Like the Pros............................................................397
Chapter 3: Selling Other People’s Stuff ........................................................................415
Chapter 4: Liquidation and Drop-Shipping .................................................................427
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Part V: Presenting Your Items....................................439
Chapter 1: Your eBay Photo Studio..............................................................................441
Chapter 2: Mastering eBay Photography ....................................................................455
Chapter 3: Sprucing Up Your Listings with HTML......................................................471
Chapter 4: Getting Your Photos Ready for eBay ........................................................491
Chapter 5: Getting Your Photos on the Web ...............................................................505
Part VI: Promoting Your Goods...................................519
Chapter 1: Marketing Your Listings on eBay...............................................................521
Chapter 2: Developing Your Web Site ..........................................................................531
Chapter 3: Marketing Your Web Site and eBay Store .................................................543
Chapter 4: Using PayPal to Increase Your Sales .........................................................557
Chapter 5: Getting Advertising Dollars from eBay.....................................................571
Part VII: Storing and Shipping...................................579
Chapter 1: Organizing Your Merchandise and Shipping Department......................581
Chapter 2: Shipping without Going Postal ..................................................................601
Chapter 3: Insuring Your Item’s Delivery ....................................................................627
Part VIII: Power Selling ............................................639
Chapter 1: Upgrading to eBay’s Selling Manager .......................................................641
Chapter 2: Mechanizing with Third-Party Auction Management Tools ..................657
Chapter 3: Studying Your Statistics..............................................................................675
Chapter 4: Giving Customers Outside Assurance ......................................................685
Chapter 5: Becoming a PowerSeller .............................................................................697
Chapter 6: Opening Your eBay Store ...........................................................................701
Part IX: Office and Legal ..........................................719
Chapter 1: Getting Legal with the State and the Feds................................................721
Chapter 2: The Joys of Taxes and Business Reporting..............................................731
Chapter 3: Using Bookkeeping Software......................................................................745
Chapter 4: Keeping Your Business Secure Online......................................................763
Chapter 5: Networking Your Office ..............................................................................777
Index........................................................................789
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Table of Contents
Introduction..................................................................1
About the Book.................................................................................................1
What You’re Not to Read.................................................................................1
Foolish Assumptions .......................................................................................2
How This Book Is Organized...........................................................................2
Book I: eBay Basics ................................................................................2
Book II: Essential Tools..........................................................................2
Book III: Selling Like a Pro .....................................................................3
Book IV: Sourcing Merchandise............................................................3
Book V: Presenting Your Items ............................................................3
Book VI: Promoting Your Goods...........................................................3
Book VII: Storing and Shipping .............................................................3
Book VIII: Power Selling .........................................................................3
Book IX: Office and Legal.......................................................................4
Icons Used in This Book..................................................................................4
Where to Go from Here....................................................................................4
Part I: eBay Basics .......................................................5
Chapter 1: Hooking Up with Online Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Starting with the Right Computer ..................................................................7
The absolute necessities .......................................................................7
Buying a used computer........................................................................8
Buying a refurbished computer............................................................9
Upgrading your system with the help of eBay ...................................9
Connecting to eBay without a Computer....................................................10
Libraries: From Dewey Decimal to eBay............................................10
Commercial cyber-outlets ...................................................................11
Hooking up from work .........................................................................11
Choosing an ISP..............................................................................................11
Accessing E-Mail.............................................................................................13
Browsing for a Browser .................................................................................14
Perusing the menus..............................................................................16
Dabbling with the toolbar ...................................................................16
Expert keyboard shortcuts .................................................................18
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xii eBay Business All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies
Chapter 2: Navigating through eBay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Homing In on the Home Page .......................................................................19
Home page links, the next generation ...............................................20
Bottoming out .......................................................................................23
Navigating eBay the Easy Way......................................................................24
Maneuvering the Categories.........................................................................28
Exploring Home Page Search Options.........................................................30
Chapter 3: Signing Up and Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Registering on eBay .......................................................................................31
Filling in required information............................................................33
Do you solemnly swear?......................................................................36
It must be true if you have it in writing .............................................37
Your license to deal (almost)..............................................................38
Picking a Pickproof Password ......................................................................39
Selecting Your User ID ...................................................................................40
Signing In to Deal............................................................................................41
Verifying Your ID.............................................................................................42
eBay Is Watching Over You ...........................................................................43
Abuses you should report to Trust and Safety.................................44
Reporting abuses..................................................................................47
Don’t get caught in a trading violation ..............................................50
Chapter 4: Understanding eBay Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Checking Out the Listing Page......................................................................53
Bidding on Auctions ......................................................................................59
Automatic bidding................................................................................59
Private auctions....................................................................................62
Multiple-item auctions .........................................................................62
Buying an Item Outright ................................................................................62
Buy It Now .............................................................................................63
Fixed-price sales ...................................................................................63
Shopping eBay stores ..........................................................................63
Supercategories and Specialties ..................................................................66
Real estate .............................................................................................67
Cruising eBay Motors ..........................................................................67
Supercategories ....................................................................................70
Chapter 5: Checking Things Out Before Buying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Understanding and Giving Feedback...........................................................75
The magic feedback number...............................................................76
Becoming a star ....................................................................................77
Leaving feedback with finesse ............................................................78
You have the last word — responding to feedback .........................82
Scrutinizing a Seller’s Reputation ................................................................83
Conducting a “light” seller examination............................................84
Making a full-scale seller investigation..............................................85
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Table of Contents xiii
Comparing Items Before Buying...................................................................90
Getting Protection on eBay...........................................................................92
eBay fraud protection ..........................................................................92
eBay Motors limited warranty ............................................................93
eBay Motors vehicle purchase protection........................................94
PayPal buyer protection......................................................................94
BuySAFE bond.......................................................................................95
SquareTrade buyer protection ...........................................................95
Verified Rights Owner program ..........................................................96
Chapter 6: Bidding to Win . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Understanding the Bidding Action ..............................................................98
Placing your bid....................................................................................98
Bidding to the max with automatic (proxy) bidding .....................100
The Secret’s in the Timing ..........................................................................101
Using the lounging-around strategy.................................................103
Using the beat-the-clock strategy.....................................................104
In the last few minutes.......................................................................104
Shopping the Machiavellian Way ...............................................................105
My favorite bidding strategies..........................................................107
Quick bidding tips ..............................................................................110
Bidder’s research software ...............................................................111
Succeeding by Sniping.................................................................................112
Sniping techniques for the beginner................................................112
Auto-sniping your auctions...............................................................115
Retracting Your Bid in an Emergency........................................................116
Chapter 7: Completing the Transaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Checking Out ................................................................................................120
Using Your Credit Card Safely.....................................................................121
Knowing your credit card company’s policy ..................................122
Adding a layer of protection with an online checkout service ....123
Paying with PayPal.......................................................................................124
Registering at PayPal .........................................................................124
Giving PayPal credit card or checking account information ........124
Getting PayPal-verified ......................................................................126
Ways to pay through PayPal .............................................................126
Using PayPal’s eBay Payment Tool ..................................................127
Making a PayPal payment .................................................................128
Sending a Money Order ...............................................................................129
Writing a Check ............................................................................................130
Paying through CheckFree..........................................................................131
Sending Payment Promptly and Securely .................................................131
Contacting the Seller ...................................................................................132
Leaving Responsible Feedback ..................................................................134
Missing or damaged shipment..........................................................134
Item doesn’t meet your expectations ..............................................134
Choosing your words carefully.........................................................135