A GUIDE TO FINDING AND USING GUIDES TO LEARN & IMPROVE YOUR EBAY BUSINESS

WHAT IS A REVIEW?

A Review is a critique by an eBay user of a particular product.  For instance; thinking of buying the DVD "Flags of Our Fathers" rather than renting it?  Check out what others have to say about the quality of the film you are considering adding to your film library.  The Review site offers both a 4 point judgment scale and a place to add commentary about what the user liked and/or didn't like about the film.  Thousands of products are reviewed daily so you can check out your potential purchases ahead of time to be a knowledgeable consumer.

To find reviews, you may use many of the same processes described below (reviews areas are on the left side of the page).

WHAT IS A GUIDE?

A guide provides the reader with tutorials or information on virtually any subject you might care to learn, understand or know about.  There are many eBay Guides concerning the "How to" and "When to" of eBaying.  Many are written by dedicated members (and often Power Sellers), who want to share what they have learned (and often learned the hard way) to save you the effort.  By sharing, the Guides the authors help you to save time and energy (and even money) in learning the lessons shared.  You don't have to make the mistakes or learn the lessons first hand.  You get to make all new mistakes that you will then (hopefully) share your solutions with us in new Guides!  Guides enable eBay members and authors to share their expertise and experience on virtually any topic, subject or category.  A fellow eBayer takes the time to share what they know because they recognize that a smarter community is a stronger community.  The more we know collectively, the less predators and scam artists will be able to operate on eBay.

WHAT INFORMATION MAY BE FOUND IN A GUIDE?

Whatever your interest or expertise, you can find someone who has probably shared some wisdom on that subject or interest in the eBay Guides.  Guides truly run the gamut of information.  Subject matter available ranges from stamp collecting to How to use Auctiva or PhotoBucket and beyond.  The subjects are amazingly diverse and often extremely well written.

Guides help those who want to learn and understand.  Most importantly -- they are FREE.  They offer a FREE opportunity to find out what the need to know or want to know -- especially how to best use the tools and eBay site for your hobby or business.  You can learn to be a buying and selling expert on eBay simply by spending some quality time with these free Guides. 
As with any written material, you need find guides that are written to your own level of understanding.  For instance, if you are new to computers, you need an author who does not write in "Geek Speak."  However, if you are an information technology professional, "Geek Speak" is perfect.  As with books, not every author writes in such a way that everyone can understand.  When you find an author who writes so you can learn and understand, make note of that author so you can return again and again.  Save the author in your favorites too -- so you never loose the trail. 

There are two types of Guides: "eBay Guides" and "Member guides."  eBay Guides are either written by eBay or eBay partners, and always appear with an eBay logo.  Member guides are written by your fellow eBay members.  Frankly, I have used far more of the member guides than I have the eBay Guides probably because the subjects were more of what I needed to know and less complicated to understand.

Please note that eBay offers an opportunity to vote for those guides you have found helpful and it benefits the author in their standing on eBay in the guides.  You can vote on the Guides by scrolling to the bottom of the page and using the "Was this guide helpful?" button.  Guides with the most votes are shown as the "Most Helpful Member Guides" on eBay and can win prizes.  My Guide "Who Wants to Buy From a Sourpuss?" won an eBay prize last Fall.

FINDING THE GUIDES YOU NEED

There are several ways you can find guides.  You may search by author, the top 100 - 1000 Guide Writer's list or you may search by subject or category.

To search by author, go to the eBay Home Page.  Scroll down on the left side to find "Reviews & Guides" Link.  Click on the "Reviews & Guides" link.  In the search box at the top of the page type in "Pepper120851" and then select "Guides" from the drop down box.  Then click "search." 

A list of my Guides should appear for you.  Select those you wish to read and enjoy.  No time now?  Save the link in your favorites and come back later, or print the guide or guides you want to read later or as a reference. 

If you see that a favorite seller has a logo indicating he or she is part of the Top 1,000 or 500 Reviewers, a click on that link will take you to that sellers Guides.  If you click on that sellers status on the top 1,000 list, it will take you to the top 1,000 Guides list.   I often scroll through this list to find new information I want to read.

To Search By eBay Category:  Go to Ebay's Home Page.  Scroll down on the left side to find "Reviews & Guides" Link.  Click on the "Reviews & Guides" link.  Scroll down to the "Browse By Categories" which appears at the bottom right of the page.  Select your category of interest and scroll through until you find Guides that may be of interest to you. 

Above the "Browse By Categories" you will also see eBay's own "Category Featured Guides" (today they are related to books), and the newest guides being added. 

To search by Keywords:  If you click "Learn More" you will be taken to the Reviews and Guides Search Page.  Then use the search box at the top of the page.  The drop down menu box adjacent to the search words box allows you to search both Reviews and Guides, Guides Only or Reviews Only. 

Lets look at Guides on "Stamp Collecting."  We will Search for "Stamp Collecting."  The result brings up 177 results about stamp collecting or related to it.  I am afraid the search mechanism is not as good as one would hope.  So, I can either scroll through 177 Guides looking for the one or more I want or try to cut down on the search results.  Keep your search specification as simple but specific as possible to cut down on the number of results you get (and have to go through to learn what you want to learn).  For instance, if I forego "Stamp Collecting" and use the formal term " Philately," I get only 53 results that are much more likely to be on point for me to learn how to select and collect stamps. 

GUIDES AS GOOD VALUE FOR EBAY EDUCATION

Guides are a FREE resource for learning absolutely ANYTHING you need (or want) to know about eBay (and a bazillion other subjects too).  This week there were many folks in the eBay Blogs who wanted to know how to do some pretty important seller functions on eBay.  All they needed is there in the Guides! 

As if that wasn't enough, some of it is written by GOLD Star Power Seller no less (Monthly sales of $10,000)!  You can learn how to use Auctiva or how to post pictures in your blog or guides!  In fact, YOU NAME IT, there is a guide to tell you how, or why, or when to do it and all available for FREE! 

You will find this priceless advice and education is provided by very clever (and successful) masters of eBay, hobbiests and collectors.  Many of the guides are written by strong Power Sellers who learned the hard way (experimentation) without the benefit that you now enjoy through the information on tap in the guides 24/7 today (the Reviews and Guides were only implemented this past year). 

It is both wonderful and amazing that the Reviews and Guides are available to EVERYONE on virtually ANY subject and FOR FREE!!  All you have to do is be disciplined in READING and LEARNING to GROW and SUCCEED!!

I religiously read three to four Guides a week to learn how to sell more, save time and succeed.  I have written more than 40 guides myself!  This blog guide just joined the collection because I could not imagine people did not already know about this incredible (and FREE) resource.  A simple truth that is Reviews and Guides are essential to anyone with a true desire and drive to succeed on eBay long term. 

I also know that IT IS ALWAYS A GOOD DAY WHEN WE CAN GET A REAL TREASURE FOR NO COST AT ALL!  You CAN get a FREE education from eBay Power Sellers!  Please drop by my guides and you will see what I mean!!

Thanks for stopping by my Guide on Guides!  Please drop by my auctions at Pepper120851 and Store "The Write Place" where YOU name the price you pay every day!  I promise you will NOT be dissappointed -- check out my SATISFACTION GUARANTEED return policy!!

This Guide is dedicated to some of my favorite eBay sellers JCaolek, HelpfulHannahsCloset and Steve-o-Meter!

Happy eBaying!  Pepper