The Official eBay Bible, Third Edition: The Newly Revised and Updated Version of the Most Comprehensive eBay How-To Manual for Everyone from First-Time Users to eBay Experts

770 Pages·2007·23.96 MB·English

by  Jim Griffith

The Official Bible

T H E O F F I C I A L
B I B L E
■ The Newly Revised and Updated Version of
the Most Comprehensive eBay How-To Manual
for Everyone from First-Time Users to eBay Experts
THIRD EDITION
JIM “GRIFF” GRIFFITH
GOTHAM BOOKS
Published by Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada
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Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
Published by Gotham Books, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Copyright © 2007 by eBay, Inc.
All rights reserved
Gotham Books and the skyscraper logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Griffith, Jim.
The official eBay Bible : the newly revised and updated version of the most comprehensive eBay how-to
manual for everyone from first-time users to eBay experts / Jim “Griff” Griffith. — 3rd ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 1-4295-4272-1
1. eBay (Firm) 2. Internet auctions. 3. Electronic commerce—Management. 4. New business
enterprises—Computer networks. I. Title.
HF5478.G75 2007
658.8'7—dc22 2007013239
Set in Sabon with Frutiger
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced,
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While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers and Internet addresses at the
time of publication, neither the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors, or for changes
that occur after publication. Further, the publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any
responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.
To the millions of eBay members
who have helped make eBay what it is today

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments xv
Introduction xvii
Section One—Buying the eBay Way! 1
1. Let’s Get Started 3
■ The eBay Phenomenon 3
■ Registering on eBay, Step-by-Step 9
■ User ID and Password Selection Tips 11
■ Terms of Use and Your Privacy 13
■ Changing Your Contact Information 17
■ Changing Your User ID, E-mail Address, or Password 19
■ Troubleshooting Registration Problems 21
■ Opening a PayPal Account 22
2. The eBay Web Site 29
■ Navigating the eBay Web Site—a Road Map 29
■ The eBay Navigation Bar 29
■ The Sign In Page 36
■ Navigating the eBay Home Page 38
■ Navigating the Site Map, Categories, and Item Description Page 40
■ eBay Categories 41
vii
TS ■ My eBay 53
N ■ Your eBay Account 68
E
T ■ The Feedback Forum 78
N
O ■ Reading Feedback 78
C ■ Leaving Feedback 84
■ Feedback Protocol 85
3. Shopping on eBay—Find It! 93
■ What Can I Buy on eBay? 93
■ Browsing eBay 96
■ Searching eBay 118
■ Title Search 120
■ Search Tips 127
■ Search Command Chart 129
■ Advanced Searching Options 134
4. Shopping on eBay—Buy It! 151
■ Before You Bid or Buy—a Safe Trading Checklist 160
■ What Type of Payment Does a Seller Accept? 183
■ Online Payments—The Safest Way to Buy on eBay 189
■ We’ve Found It ...We’ve Checked It Out . . . Let’s Buy It! 190
■ Bidding 191
■ Sniping 200
■ Multiple Item Bidding—How It Works 211
■ Buy It Now—How It Works 214
5. Shopping at eBay—Pay for It! 221
■ Completing the Transaction 222
■ Contact the Seller 230
■ Ask the Seller a Question 231
■ Payment Options 232
■ Online Payment Services 233
■ Managing Bids and Purchases with My eBay 237
■ Leaving Feedback for the Seller 242
6. Other Bidding and Buying Options and Considerations 243
■ eBay Express 244
viii