Hello, and welcome to my guide to buying and selling on e-bay. This guide is for the newbie's, those of you that have been using e-bay will not find anything new here. This is just a cursory bit of e-bayology that will give you a brief knowledge base that will hopefully make your e-bay experience a more pleasant and informed one.

 Buying on e-bay: I will use CD's as an example, as this is what I have been mainly purchasing. First, shop around, and get a feel for what an item is "worth", what a typical copy is going for. Second, while shopping around, for the price, also get a feel for what the typical shipping cost is for the item. Now you are ready to buy a copy, again, be aware of the item condition, whether new or used, and also be aware of the cost of shipment, which can be more than the item itself. You should also know that if an item seems a little high priced, try searching other online sources for a comparison price. You can also search e-bay worldwide by clicking on the appropriate button on the left tool tray of the e-bay search page, sometimes you may find a less expensive copy this way. Half.com, an e-bay company, is also a good way to find a less expensive item. Paypal, also an e-bay company, is a great way to pay for your online purchases; your purchases are guarded with a money back guarantee. And, in case of a dispute over item condition, or if an item fails to arrive, you are covered by Paypal's courteous staff. Never send cash for payment, a mistake I learned the hard way. If Paypal is not accepted, send a cashier's check or money order, or a personal check, where you have the means to prove the date and amount sent. E-bay also provides a way for you to post a wanted item, where it can be viewed by potential sellers. You should allow up to six weeks for an item to arrive by media mail, before opening a claim for item not recieved, often, a seller will provide you with a means to track the item through the Post office, or UPS. Paypal will convert all foreign currency for you, so buy that item from Russia, Germany, Italy, England, Australia, etc. with peace of mind! You can trust e-bay, Half.com, and Paypal to be a fun, courteous, and secure way to make all of your on-line purchases. After your purchase has arrived, and has been inspected, make sure that you leave an appropriate feedback for the seller. Nothing makes a seller's day like a well earned good feedback, and nothing ruins a seller's day like no feedback left, after the hard work and customer service they undertook to serve you, and make you happy with your purchase.

Selling on e-bay: Selling on e-bay is really not all that complicated. But first, just as in purchasing an item, you should start by researching how much a similar item is selling for, and how much the shipping is for a similar item. Now, by clicking on the right button on the left tool bar, you can start your "ad" for your item. You can upload your own photos (reccomended), which allow prospective buyers to see what they are purchasing, or you can use a stock photo of the item as well. Make sure that you include all information that you can when listing an item, such as price it is worth, condition, size, weight, payment options, etc.(Be honest, the fewer surpises a buyer encounters, the better!) Paypal is the preferred payment, but you should also accept a money order, or cashier's check as well, just in case buyer does not have a Paypal account. Personal checks are up to you, but be aware that a personal check from out of state, may take several days to clear the bank. Shipping the item; make sure that you package the item well enough to survive shipment. You can print out an invoice, courtesy of e-bay! And most important of all: ship the item A.S.A.P. nothing ruins a buyer's day like waiting and waiting and waiting for an item that has been payed for, for two months! And, nothing makes a buyer's day like recieving the item much faster than expected, this should ensure a great feedback! Speaking of feedback, make sure that you leave a feedback for the buyer, a well deserved feedback is just as important to a buyer as it is to you, as a seller.

   E-bay, and Half.com are the Holy Grail of online shopping, that's why there are so many trying to emulate them!

  I hope that you have been helped by this modest, brief guide. Good hunting, and happy shopping!