| Buying and Selling on eBay is an adventure | | | | planning to make eBay auctions a part-time or |
| that can be both fun and financially | | | | full-time income generator you will need an |
| rewarding. Best of all it is relatively easy. | | | | adequate computer system. If money is no |
| But before setting out on your great | | | | object then you can get the latest state of |
| adventure you need certain minimum "Personal | | | | the art system. However if your start-up |
| Resources" which are listed below in what I | | | | budget is limited you should get the basic |
| consider to be the order of priority. The | | | | minimum recommended hardware and software. |
| Resources required are personal in that each | | | | You can always upgrade later once the profits |
| individual will need to check their own | | | | start to flow!PC or Mac with a 266 MHz |
| personal situation and decide whether they | | | | Processor |
| need some or all of the items listed and to | | | | |
| what extent.Resources Required I - Personal | | | | 32 Megabyte RAM |
| Resources and Attributes - Self-esteemYou | | | | |
| need to have or develop high self-esteem and | | | | 2.1 Gigabyte Hard Drive |
| to think positively. Self-esteem can perhaps | | | | |
| be best described as your feelings about | | | | Floppy Drive - for backups preferably a CD |
| yourself and affects every moment of your | | | | ROM Drive |
| life, either consciously or subconsciously. | | | | |
| Everything can be viewed either positively or | | | | Microsoft Windows 95 or above |
| negatively. When we find fault with | | | | |
| ourselves, we call that "shame" or "low | | | | Web Browser - Internet Explorer 5.0 or |
| self-esteem". With any activity, we can | | | | higher |
| choose either to focus on how good we are at | | | | |
| it or on how bad we are at it. Without | | | | Printer - Good quality Inkjet or LaserJet |
| exception, we do everything better when we | | | | |
| focus on how good we are at it.And the same | | | | Word-processing Software - MS Word 6.0 or |
| is true with eBay. If you approach eBay with | | | | higher |
| the attitude that you are not going to | | | | |
| succeed, then you are not going to make a | | | | Spreadsheet Software - MS Excel 4.0+ or |
| success of it. On the other hand, if you | | | | similar |
| approach it with confidence, you have a far | | | | |
| better chance of success. This is entirely my | | | | HTML Web design Software - MS FrontPage 2000 |
| own point of view.Resources Required II - A | | | | or similarResources Required VI - Computer |
| Working Knowledge, Understanding eBay, the | | | | Related Personal SkillsYou do not need to be |
| eBay Website and eBay TerminologyYou will | | | | a computer programmer or computer expert but |
| need to Read the eBay Manual by visiting the | | | | there are certain recommended computer skills |
| eBay website with special focus on:- | | | | you need to have or to acquire if you wish to |
| Navigating the eBay Website - moving from | | | | proceed successfully. The following skills |
| section to Section with Ease; | | | | are not difficult to acquire:Basic |
| | | | Wordprocessing - You will need basic |
| - Establishing and Understanding eBay | | | | word-processing skills for numerous tasks |
| Policies and Rules; | | | | including the writing of descriptions for |
| | | | your auctions, thank-you and other letters |
| - Knowing where to find what you need; | | | | and eMails to your buyers and preparing Web |
| | | | page documents for your auction |
| - Understanding eBay Terminology; | | | | listings.Spreadsheet - A "spread sheet" or |
| | | | spreadsheet is a large sheet of paper with |
| - Studying what other people are selling and | | | | columns and rows that organizes data about |
| how they describe the items they are selling; | | | | transactions for a business person to |
| | | | examine. An electronic spreadsheet organizes |
| - Studying what prices other sellers are | | | | information into software defined columns and |
| asking; | | | | rows. The data can then be "added up" by a |
| | | | formula to give a total or sum. The |
| - Comparing the various different prices | | | | spreadsheet program summarizes information |
| sellers are asking for items with the same or | | | | from many paper sources in one place and |
| very similar descriptions; | | | | presents the information in a format to help |
| | | | a decision maker see the financial "big |
| - Studying the categories where items are | | | | picture". We highly recommend that you keep |
| usually listed; | | | | track of all your winning bidders and setup a |
| | | | database or spreadsheet to capture and record |
| - Identifying any items listed in unusual | | | | important details of your auctions including |
| categories; | | | | name and eMail address and any other |
| | | | information you may find useful.HTML - Every |
| - Identifying buying trends;Resources | | | | web page you see and read is written in HTML. |
| Required III - Registration With eBay and A | | | | Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is the |
| Seller's AccountBefore you can Buy or Sell | | | | standard text-formatting language used for |
| anything on eBay you will need to Register or | | | | documents on the World Wide Web. HTML |
| open an account by completing a Registration | | | | documents are text files that contain two |
| Form. Registration is Free, takes only a | | | | parts: content that is meant to be rendered |
| short time and is very easy to complete.Your | | | | on a computer screen; and markup or tags, |
| eBay User ID - The Registration Form requires | | | | encoded information that directs the text |
| you to Create an eBay User ID. Your User ID | | | | format on the screen and is generally hidden |
| is a valuable asset for participating on | | | | from the user.If you are planning to be an |
| eBay. Before choosing your eBay User ID you | | | | active seller you will need to learn basic |
| should be aware that Your User ID becomes | | | | HTML as it gives you greater control over the |
| your eBay identity and along with your | | | | design and looks of the Ads for your |
| Feedback Rating helps establish your | | | | auctions. An alternative to learning HTML is |
| reputation and identity within the eBay | | | | to use HTML software such as Microsoft |
| Community.Choose a User ID that is suitable | | | | FrontPage. If you do then you will not need |
| for a long, successful life on eBay. Of | | | | to learn HTML. BUT you will need to know Hot |
| course you can always change your eBay ID | | | | To Cut & Paste and/or Copy and Paste.Zipping |
| anytime. Choose a User ID that you like and | | | | & Unzipping Files - Zipping is a standardized |
| that you'll remember. For example you might | | | | way of shrinking data files into smaller |
| use words identifying your favourite | | | | kilobytes or megabytes thus saving on disk |
| collecting area, your business, or | | | | space. If you plan to send or receive data |
| occupation.Seller's Account - After | | | | files via eMail or via file transfer on the |
| registering you will need to set up a | | | | Internet and if you plan to buy or sell |
| Seller's Account before you can sell anything | | | | eBooks, software or any product which can be |
| on eBay. You must provide a valid debit | | | | delivered digitally or by file transfer you |
| credit card and bank account | | | | will need to know how to Zip and Unzip |
| information.Resources Required IV - Your | | | | Files.Resources Required VII - Organization |
| Computer EquipmentFirstly you will need a | | | | of Your Multi-Payment OptionsYou will need to |
| computer, or access to a computer, that is | | | | pay for any items you may have purchased, to |
| equipped with a modem. Whilst organizing your | | | | pay for eBay listing fees for items you are |
| computer equipment you may also want to | | | | selling, to pay for your inventory or to pay |
| investigate getting a DSL (Broadband or | | | | the Drop-shipper and, if your auction is |
| Digital Subscriber Line) or a cable modem as | | | | successful, to pay eBay's final value fees |
| opposed to a telephone modem. It not only has | | | | and your merchant service provider fees.The |
| faster connection speeds, but also many | | | | precise amount can be calculated in advance. |
| telephone companies provide unlimited | | | | Buyers want a multi-choice of Easy Payment |
| Internet access for a fixed monthly fee. | | | | Options. You will need to organize these |
| Telephone expenses can be costly so you want | | | | multi-payment facilities before you start any |
| to keep these expenses as low as | | | | buying or selling activities.As a seller you |
| possible.Once you have your computer | | | | should try and offer every type of payment |
| equipment, you will need to plug your modem | | | | option. By covering all the bases you can |
| into a telephone line. Next, you will need to | | | | perhaps deter a potential bidder from bidding |
| open an account with an Internet Service | | | | for the same or similar product from a seller |
| Provider (ISP) - a company that provides | | | | who offers more payment options than you.Over |
| connections to the Internet, usually for a | | | | 80% of buyers on eBay prefer to use PayPal |
| monthly fee. Most telephone companies provide | | | | and especially now as PayPal is part of the |
| this service. Also you may be able to find an | | | | eBay Group of Companies. A PayPal Account is |
| ISP in your local area.The final element | | | | a must. PayPal provides a variety of merchant |
| required is software called a Web browser | | | | tools to meet all your needs including |
| which enables you to find and read the | | | | accepting online credit card payments |
| information on the Web. The more popular web | | | | instantly. In addition, PayPal offers a full |
| browsers are provided by Microsoft (Internet | | | | suite of tools to keep your payment |
| Explorer) and Netscape Navigator and are | | | | processing running smoothly.Stephen S Alison |
| usually installed free of charge when you buy | | | | is a retired "bean counter" who spent 26 |
| a computer. Of course, once set up you can | | | | years in middle management positions for |
| always browse or surf on the Internet, | | | | major US financial institutions in Europe and |
| establish what other browsers are available | | | | a further 10 years as an adviser/consultant |
| and download the browser you feel more | | | | to a number of European financial |
| comfortable with.Since you are probably | | | | institutions. |