Starting an eBay Business For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance))

386 Pages·2007·7.76 MB·English

by  Marsha Collier

Starting an
®
eBay Business
FOR
‰
DUMmIES
3RD EDITION
Marsha Collier
Starting an
®
eBay Business
FOR
‰
DUMmIES
Starting an
®
eBay Business
FOR
‰
DUMmIES
3RD EDITION
Marsha Collier
® ®
Starting an eBay Business For Dummies, 3rd Edition
Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
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Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2007933285
ISBN: 978-0-470-14924-9
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
About the Author
Marsha Collier is one of the foremost eBay experts and educators in the
world. With more than one million copies of her books in print, she is the
top-selling eBay author. Her eBay For Dummies is the best-selling book for
eBay beginners and her eBay Business All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies
is the best-selling title on operating an eBay business. In Starting an eBay
Business For Dummies, Marsha combines her knowledge of business, market-
ing, and eBay savvy to help you make a smooth and quick transition from
part-time seller to full-time moneymaker.
Marsha also shares her eBay business expertise through videos at Entrepreneur.
com’s “Entrepreneur’s Coaches Corner.” Her monthly column on Entrepreneur.
com is also syndicated on many other major news sites. In addition, thousands
of eBay fans also read her monthly newsletter, Cool eBay Tools, to keep up with
the changes on the site.
Along with her writing, Marsha is also an experienced spokesperson. She was
one of the original eBay University instructors as well as a regular presenter at
eBay’s annual convention, eBay Live. Marsha also hosted the highly acclaimed
“Making Your Fortune Online,” a PBS special on online business that premiered
in 2005. Traveling across the country and recently in Singapore and Toronto,
she continues to makes regular appearances on television, radio, and in print
to discuss online commerce.
Marsha earned her eBay expertise as a longtime seller on the site. She began
her eBay selling career in 1996 to earn extra money for her daughter’s educa-
tion. She grew her business to a full-time venture and was one of the first
eBay PowerSellers. Nowadays you can find everything from autographed
copies of her books to photo supplies, pet toys, and DVDs in her store,
“Marsha Collier’s Fabulous Finds,” and on her Web site. More than anything,
Marsha loves a great deal.
Marsha currently resides in Los Angeles, CA, and can be reached through her
Web site, coolebaytools.com.
Dedication
This book is dedicated to the eBay entrepreneurs who have a zest for knowl-
edge and the “stick-to-it-iveness” to follow through on their projects and stare
success straight in the eye. It’s dedicated also to those who are convinced
that get-rich-quick schemes don’t work and that, in the long run, hard work
and loving what you do get the job done and lead to financial achievement
and contentment.
Good luck in your endeavors. I know this book will help you get started.
Author’s Acknowledgments
Updating a book like this is a challenge. Lots of people have helped, but
the lion’s share of assistance comes from the encouragement that I receive
from the eBay community and those I’ve met when “doing it eBay.”
Thank you to the eBay sellers referred to in this book for helping me
show how eBay can reach out to the world: Jody Rogers and Asad
Bangash (Beachcombers!), Robin Le Vine (Bubblefast), Dan Glasure
(Dans Train Depot), Evan and Sandra Prytherch (EvanP), Stephen Kline
(GalleryNow), Jonathan and Ellen White (Magic-By-Mail), Mary, Joanne,
and Roz (MaryJoRoz_Aroma_Galaxy), Robert McMahan (McMahanPhoto),
Jeff Stannard (Melrose_Stamp), and SallyJo Severance (SallyJo),
Then, of course, I thank the upper crust at Wiley. My publisher, Andy
Cummings, and my acquisitions editor, Steven Hayes, have tried to reach
“out-of-the-box” with some of my crazy ideas.
In this book, I had an amazing editor: Susan Pink. Susan was with me for the
second edition and helped me upgrade this edition to make it even better. As
always, thanks to Patti “Louise” Ruby, my technical editor and dear friend.
This is the fifth book of mine that she’s worked on as tech editor; I just can’t
think of a smarter person to go to for bouncing off ideas.
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: Heather Kolter
Project Editor: Susan Pink
Layout and Graphics: Joyce Haughey,
Acquisitions Editor: Steve Hayes Stephanie D. Jumper, Laura Pence,
Alicia B. South
Copy Editor: Susan Pink
Proofreaders: Aptara, John Greenough,
Technical Editor: Patti Louise Ruby
Jessica Kramer
Editorial Manager: Jodi Jensen
Indexer: Potomac Indexing
Media Development and Quality Assurance:
Anniversary Logo Design: Richard Pacifico
Angela Denny, Kate Jenkins, Steven
Kudirka, Kit Malone Special Help: Laura Bowman
Media Development Coordinator:
Jenny Swisher
Media Project Supervisor:
Laura Moss-Hollister
Editorial Assistant: Amanda Foxworth
Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case
Cartoons: Rich Tennant
(www.the5thwave.com)
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