Getting Started on eBay
Behind every eBay success story is a tale of trial and error. We'll help you skip straight ahead to the success part.
October 01, 2004
Jacquelyn Lynn and Chris Penttila
You've heard the eBay success stories, and you want to become one of them. Great! eBay has created some of the most incredible entrepreneurial success stories in the history of commerce, and the surface has barely been scratched when it comes to the profit-building potential of this popular online marketplace. There's plenty of room for you.
Whether you're starting a brand-new business or just looking for ways to grow an existing operation, you can do it on eBay. Business experience is helpful but not necessary. You'll learn as you go, and you'll be part of an extremely supportive community where people are eager to help you succeed.
So where do you begin? If you haven't done so already, start by logging on to www.ebay.com to explore the site. "You really need to experience it," says Randy Smythe, 44, co-owner of Glacier Bay DVD (eBay User ID: glacierbaydvd) in Anaheim, California. Smythe and his partner, Michael Lehman, 41, sell DVDs exclusively on eBay. Last year, their revenue was $3.6 million; they expect to hit $7 million this year.
Set aside several hours to browse around the site. Click on all the different buttons to access and learn about eBay's various features. Read the news announcements, check out the help pages, surf the discussion boards, take the online guided tours, and study the listings. A great place to begin is with the eBay Learning Center, which offers free audio tours and online courses.
Learn all about eBay University; with sessions held across the country 30 weekends a year, eBay University is likely to come to an area near you soon. (Read more about eBay University in our "Up Front" section on page 6.) eBay is a huge site, but it's well-organized and easy to navigate. Take the time to get familiar with it before you get started, when you're not under any pressure to buy or sell.
You don't need to be registered on eBay if you just want to browse the site, but you do if you're planning to buy or sell. Registration on eBay is free, so go ahead and sign up. The most important part of the registration process is choosing your eBay User ID, which is the name by which you'll be known on eBay.
Jim "Griff" Griffith, dean of eBay Education and author of The Official eBay Bible, advises that because your User ID will be your official "handle" (you may actually become famous by it), it is crucial that you pick one that is perfect for you as well as reflective of your business. (To avoid trademark infringements, don't use eBay in your User ID.)
October 01, 2004
Jacquelyn Lynn and Chris Penttila
You've heard the eBay success stories, and you want to become one of them. Great! eBay has created some of the most incredible entrepreneurial success stories in the history of commerce, and the surface has barely been scratched when it comes to the profit-building potential of this popular online marketplace. There's plenty of room for you.
Whether you're starting a brand-new business or just looking for ways to grow an existing operation, you can do it on eBay. Business experience is helpful but not necessary. You'll learn as you go, and you'll be part of an extremely supportive community where people are eager to help you succeed.
So where do you begin? If you haven't done so already, start by logging on to www.ebay.com to explore the site. "You really need to experience it," says Randy Smythe, 44, co-owner of Glacier Bay DVD (eBay User ID: glacierbaydvd) in Anaheim, California. Smythe and his partner, Michael Lehman, 41, sell DVDs exclusively on eBay. Last year, their revenue was $3.6 million; they expect to hit $7 million this year.
Set aside several hours to browse around the site. Click on all the different buttons to access and learn about eBay's various features. Read the news announcements, check out the help pages, surf the discussion boards, take the online guided tours, and study the listings. A great place to begin is with the eBay Learning Center, which offers free audio tours and online courses.
Learn all about eBay University; with sessions held across the country 30 weekends a year, eBay University is likely to come to an area near you soon. (Read more about eBay University in our "Up Front" section on page 6.) eBay is a huge site, but it's well-organized and easy to navigate. Take the time to get familiar with it before you get started, when you're not under any pressure to buy or sell.
You don't need to be registered on eBay if you just want to browse the site, but you do if you're planning to buy or sell. Registration on eBay is free, so go ahead and sign up. The most important part of the registration process is choosing your eBay User ID, which is the name by which you'll be known on eBay.
Jim "Griff" Griffith, dean of eBay Education and author of The Official eBay Bible, advises that because your User ID will be your official "handle" (you may actually become famous by it), it is crucial that you pick one that is perfect for you as well as reflective of your business. (To avoid trademark infringements, don't use eBay in your User ID.)
