eBay can be a confusing land.

My experience has mainly been as a seller - although I have made purchases based on personal preferences. Friends and neighbors ask me how I got started, and I usually point to the fact that I went through a lot of trial and error. Paying attention to detail and customer service is paramount. Going the extra mile - to help solve problems a buyer may have is very important as well as keeping communication smooth and business-liike.

Tons of books exist to try and and teach you how to be an eBay bigwig or make tons of profits. I have yet to find great validity or a secret formula for eBay. If you know of one - pass it along! For now - these get my stamp of approval:

eBay Powerseller Secrets by Debra Schepp and Brad Schepp, ISBN 0-07-225869-1 (An indespensible book. Well organized. Good for anyone.)

Tricks of the eBay Masters. 600 Tips & Tricks from eBay's Most Successful Buyers and Sellers. ISBN 0-7897-3290-4 (Says it's for Intermediate to Advanced levels. I thought it had a poor title because no one is really advocating "tricks" per se. This could be an addition once someone has familiarized him/herself with eBay. Some material might be a bit old - but worth considering.)

The 7 Essential Steps to Successful eBay Marketing, Janelle Elms, Phil Dunn, Amy Balsbaugh. ISBN 0-07-226091-2 (Not the all-encompasing book on marketing and identity - but good for those who just want a light amount of info. Will help with pushing your selling or eBay business forward. Lots of good tips. With eBay changes in pricing strategies for sellers - some of the recommendations in this book might not be the best, i.e., opening a storefront.)

How to Buy, Sell & Profit on eBay, Adam Ginsberg. ISBN 0-06-076287-X (Unless there is an updated version of this book - it is very hard to use as handy refer-to book for eBay. There is no index in the back to quickly find what you need. Mr. Ginsberg tells lots of personal experiences, which are worth noting. He has some good tips.

eBay Hacks, 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools, David A. Karp (an O'Reilly book) ISBN 0-596-00564-4 (I'm reserved to a degree to list this book - as it may be somewhat outdated for the current eBay. No real "hacks", just lots of moderate technical info. I used to adore O'Reilly books - but can't say they are all worth the name anymore.)

--- And lastly, Entrepreneur.com has an eBay Center that I feel is great for people starting out. Pretty straight forward. Info on phishing scams and protecting your business.