Introduction

I’ve been selling on eBay for over two decades, since before it was eBay. My fascination with ecommerce made me realize that online sellers may not have business backgrounds, and a business book would help them set up their new business professionally. The Internet changes from year to year (as does the ecommerce market), and I am obsessive about keeping my advice for small businesses updated.

My books about eBay don’t just give you the information you can find in help pages; they give you the ins and outs of selling and connecting online, based on my daily experience and research. I also stay on top of the current trends in online and social marketing, test them out, and pass the results back to you. This book gives you more information than even many longtime sellers know.

I am lucky enough to have watched eBay evolve since 1996, a charter member of the PowerSeller program, and now a Top Rated Plus Seller. Running a business online has given me the opportunity to spend more time with my loved ones and have better control of my life. I can make my own schedule and enjoy what I’m doing because my business makes money. Owning a small business is empowering — and profitable.

But those of us who run a small business (even part time) always seem to be doing something. Buying, selling, and communicating — even when going on a vacation, our businesses keep humming. There’s no 9-to-5 schedule, no regular weekends or holidays. Our stores on eBay can always be open.

Alas, all that success and freedom takes some work. That’s why you have this book.

About This Book

This book will give you the basics, the hows and whys of setting up a business selling on eBay and on your own website. I’ve authored several best-selling books about running a business and marketing online. This book gives you the information you need to get started in one nifty (albeit heavy) volume. You can get the info found in several books about eBay all in one place. Here are some good-to-know features of this All-in-One:

  • There’s no need to read straight through all the chapters and minibooks in order. Use the Table of Contents to find information you want to learn. When you have a question, use the Index to find your answer, as you might do with a Google search.
  • Within this book, you may note that some printed web addresses break across two lines of text. If you’re reading this book in print and want to visit one of these web pages, simply type in the web address exactly as it’s noted in the text, pretending as though the line break doesn’t exist. If you’re reading this as an ebook, you’ve got it easy — just click the web address to be taken directly to the web page.
  • When instructions in the book tell you exactly what to type on your keyboard, you’ll see those letters, numbers, and symbols in boldface type. Of course, if the instruction itself is boldface, you’ll see what to type in non-bold type.
  • I occasionally give you key combinations to use as keyboard shortcuts. For example, when you see something like Ctrl+S, that means to hold down the Ctrl key and press S.

Foolish Assumptions

While writing this book, I’ve made a few assumptions about you. Because you bought this book, naturally I assume you’re an intelligent person with refined tastes. Kidding aside, that may well be true — but the main assumption I’ve really made about you is that you want to find out more about eBay and selling online.

I assume also that you

  • Have a computer and/or mobile device and an Internet connection
  • Are comfortable browsing the Internet
  • Are familiar with email
  • Are looking for a way to make some extra money
  • Have checked out eBay and bought more than a few items

You’ve probably also sold a few items and made a couple of dollars. Maybe you think eBay just might be a good place to earn a regular stream of extra income. It also helps if you’ve read my current edition of eBay For Dummies where you get familiar with the basics of eBay.

Note that eBay changes regularly, adding features and new layouts. This book keeps you focused on what’s important rather than being written about the latest shiny promotions. The location of links changes regularly too. I’ve noted the important places you need to go to and what to look out for.

If you can accept that nothing comes without a bit of effort, you might just be on the track of a new career — or a very profitable side gig.

Icons Used in This Book

I’ve written quite a few books in the For Dummies series, and all the books have cute little icons to draw your attention to special comments. Following are the ones I use, along with what they mean.

authorsays This icon indicates a story about a real event. The story may come from one of my dealings or from a fellow eBay user. I hope you find the stories interesting and learn from another user’s mistake (or dumb luck).

remember When you see this icon, it’s a friendly reminder to keep in mind the short fact that follows. No doubt it will come up again, and you’ll be ahead of the game if you remember it.

tip Here are a few words from me to you, to help you do things the easy way. I’ve made the mistakes, but you don’t have to make them too.

warning This little bomb of a fact will keep you out of trouble. Often these facts are not generally known. Be sure to read them to avoid common pitfalls.

Also, you will see sidebars (with light gray behind the text); these are important things that I like to emphasize — so don’t forget to read them.

Beyond the Book

Here, in one volume, are nine individual minibooks related to becoming an expert on eBay and online sales. Each book is broken down into individual chapters to give you more in-depth information on the subject at hand.

You will notice title pages at the beginning of each minibook (we call them parts pages) where you see what’s included in the associated minibook, and where you can go online to find more.

And don’t forget the book’s related Cheat Sheet, which is another source of quick reference information. Find it online at www.dummies.com/business/online-business/ebay.

Where to Go from Here

It’s time to open the book and dive in. For ongoing eBay-related adventures in cyberspace (the latest frontier), here are some handy destinations:

  • You can find current editions of my For Dummies books at www.dummies.com.
  • For updates on the topics I cover in this book, be sure to visit my website, http://www.coolebaytools.com. You’ll find articles about things going on at eBay, online business, and social media.
  • For time-sensitive and technology oriented posts, I have a blog at http://mcollier.blogspot.com.

If you’d like to ask me questions personally, you can find me active on the following social media sites:

You can contact 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 offices. I write books, research new products to help online citizens, consult with eBay sellers just like you, run an eBay business, and try to have a life.

Thank you for buying this book. Please email me and let me know about your eBay successes.

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