EBay for Dummies Read Online Free PDF Page A

everything works great, everybody’s happy, and eBay never has to step back into the picture. But if you happen to run into trouble in paradise, eBay can help you settle the problem, whether you’re the buyer or the seller.
    eBay regulates members with a detailed system of checks and balances known as feedback, which is described in Chapter 4. The grand plan is that the community polices itself. Don’t get me wrong — eBay does jump in when shady activity comes to light. But the people who keep eBay most safe are the community members, the buyers and sellers who have a common stake in conducting business honestly and fairly. Every time you sell something or win an auction, eBay members have a chance to leave a comment about you. You should do the same for them. If they’re happy, the feedback is positive; otherwise, the feedback is negative. Either way, your feedback sticks to you like glue.
    Building a great reputation with positive feedback ensures a long and profitable eBay career. Negative feedback, like multiple convictions for grand-theft auto, is a real turnoff to most folks and can make it hard to do future business on eBay.
    If your feedback rating becomes a –4 (negative 4), eBay suspends your buying and selling privileges. You can find out more about how eBay protects you as a buyer or a seller in Chapter 16.
    Features and Fun Stuff
    So eBay is all about making money, right? Not exactly. The folks at eBay aren’t kidding when they call it a community — a place where people with similar interests can compare notes, argue, buy, sell, and meet each other. Yes, people have married after meeting on eBay. (Take a guess how friends bought them wedding gifts!)
    Chatting it up
    eBay has dozens of specific chat rooms and discussion boards (even a Night Owl’s Nest — for those who can’t sleep) whose topics range from advertising to trading cards. So if you have no idea what that old Mobil gas station sign you found in your grandfather’s barn is worth, just post a message on the Advertising chat board. Somewhere out there is an expert with an answer for you. Your biggest problem is deciding whether to keep the sign or put it up for auction. Those are good problems to have! For more about posting messages and chat rooms, visit Chapters 5 and 17.
    Trust & Safety
    Trust & Safety is the catchall resource for information and services about making deals on eBay safer — and for information on what to do if deals go sour. I don’t like to think about it, but sometimes — despite your best efforts to be a good eBay user — buyers or sellers don’t keep their word. In a small percentage of cases, unscrupulous louts invade the site and try to pull scams. You may buy an item that isn’t as it was described, or the winner of your auction doesn’t send payment. Sometimes even honest members get into disputes. Trust & Safety is an excellent resource when you need questions answered or you need a professional to come in and handle an out-of-hand situation. Chapter 16 tells you all about Trust & Safety.
    Extra Gizmos You’re Gonna Want
    At some point in your eBay career, you’ll become comfortable with all the computer-related hoops you have to jump through to make the eBay magic happen. At that time, you may be ready to invest in a few extra devices that can make your eBay experiences even better. Digital cameras and scanners can help make your time on eBay a more lucrative and fun adventure. You find out how to use digital technology in your auctions in more detail in Chapter 14.

Chapter 2
    Ready, Set, Go: Signing Up on eBay
    In This Chapter
    Using eBay’s easy forms
    Getting up close and personal about your privacy
    Identifying with user IDs and passwords
    Learning the ropes (eBay rules and regs)
    You’ve probably figured out that you sign on to eBay electronically, which means you don’t really sign on the dotted line as folks did in days of old. Nowadays, the art of scrawling your signature has become as