Hello Everyone:

My Guide is going to be about buying and selling on Ebay.  I've been a member since 1999 and at first I was apprehensive because I had zero feedbacks and I really wanted to buy a video game.  On my journey towards 1000 feedbacks, I've had many wonderful transactions and only a few major disappointments along the way, but if you are careful, shopping and selling on Ebay is a wonderful experience.

Tips for Getting Started:

• Sign up for Paypal - A great many sellers accept this wonderful service as a payment option and it's use goes way beyond online auction sites.  I've used it to send money to relatives in other states and it's faster and cheaper than Western Union.  When you sell something on Ebay, the money will go right to your bank account!
• Communicate - Whether buying or selling, don't be afraid to ask questions before you bid.  Especially when you are starting out (and have a low feedback), it is important for sellers to know that you intend to pay for their item if you win the auction.
• Leave feedback - I always leave feedback immediately.  In this age of "I'll leave feedback when you do sellers" who don't leave feedback until you leave a good one for them, I've always strived to do this the right way.  If you sell an item and the person pays for it right away.  Leave them a good feedback for making a timely payment, and tell them what day you will ship out the item.  When you purchase an item, the day that you receive the item and check to make sure that it is as described, leave an appropriate feedback immediately.  (Take into account, 1. the date on which the package was shipped (how soon after you paid for it) 2. the condition of the item and how it was packaged and 3. was it exactly as it was described.)  Not only does the feedback let the seller know that the package has been received, but it also serves to validate that the transaction has been completed.
• Pay and Ship Immediately - When bidding on an item, take note of when the auction ends and if you win, pay as soon as possible.  If you know that you do not have the funds available, do not bid on those items.  (I've had people that won an auction from me on the 3rd of the month, but told me that they couldn't pay until they got their paycheck on the last day of the month.)  When you sell an item, make the effort to ship the item on the very next business day after the winner pays for the item.  (I've also had times when I've won an auction on a Tuesday, paid for it right away, and then was told that the seller only ships on Mondays, so it took me almost 2 weeks to receive something via Priority Mail)

The last thing that I want to say is that Ebay is really a good way for you to sell your excess stuff and make a little bit of money back for it.  I used to be afraid to sell on Ebay, but one day, I tried to do a few auctions and I've been hooked ever since.  It is true that you never what kinds of things that will sell.  Just like the garage sale mentality, your junk may be someone else's treasure.

Recently while cleaning out the garage, I found three pairs of Nike shoes that belonged to my mother.  She bought them in the early 1980's and they were in perfect condition and never worn.  I listed them on Ebay starting a $10 a pair, hoping that someone would take them off my hands.  What I found out is that there is hundreds of people on ebay looking for vintage shoes.  There was a huge bidding war and in the end, I was VERY pleased with the results and so were the winning bidders.  I asked one of the winners why she wanted these shoes so badly, and she told me that she just liked to wear them.  However, in her search for vintage shoes, she has run into a lot of buyers who just collect them and put them in displays.  So you just never know what kinds of things that you can sell on ebay.

In closing, I have sold many things on Ebay through the years.  From mainstream stuff like Video Games (PC and Console), Music CDs and DVD movies all the way to old baby toys, clothes, and old tools.  With a little bit of effort on my weekends and a lot of stuff around the house that I didn't know that we even had, I've been able to accumulate almost 1000 feedbacks and make a small profit each month.  I also like how I can go into a store, buy something because it looks interesting, go home and try it out, list it on ebay when I'm done, and sure enough it will sell for almost what I paid for it originally.  I love Ebay and I hope that this guide will help you love it also!

~Jon~  Ebay ID# jdog4779