Just a few years ago, it seemed like everyone (including yours truly) was describing
the Web as the new Wild, Wild, West for businesspeople—a place where they could
strike out on their own, stake a claim, open up their own storefront, and start to do
business for the first time. Well, the bloom is off the rose, as far as e-commerce on
the Web is concerned, but eBay remains a thriving destination for anyone who wants
to make a few extra bucks or even start a new career as an auction seller.
eBay has quickly become a part of everyday life rather than a novelty enjoyed
by a few. Now that eBay has been around for several years, it has become more
reliable and easier to use. It has also inherited both the good and bad aspects of the
free market—the people who are trustworthy and community minded, as well as
those who don’t follow through with transactions and actively try to swindle other
people. Luckily, the first group of eBay users far outnumbers the second. eBay’s
network of trust still makes it great place to realize the highest possible profits
on online sales and start up your own online business. It’s also giving a new lease
on life to antique dealers and small business owners who have suddenly found a
worldwide market of eager bidders rather than local people who drove or walked
to their stores.
This book is for especially for people who want to sell regularly on eBay—
those who want to run a business selling on eBay. “Running an eBay business”
can mean a variety of things. It might mean you sell full-time on eBay, as some
experienced and successful sellers do. It might mean you make small but regular
part-time income selling after work or on the weekends. Or it might mean you sell
a handful of items on eBay each month. This book assumes, though, that you want
to sell regularly on eBay, and that you want to be a successful seller. It assumes
that you’re already familiar with eBay, at least as a buyer. Part I, “Get Started With
eBay” starts at the beginning—deciding what you want to sell, how you want to
sell it, and who you want to sell it to. You also get suggestions for how to do the
kind of strategic buying that will keep your business flowing smoothly rather
than having fits and starts simply because you’ve run out of merchandise to sell.
