Customer comments on this selection.
A Lot of Enthisuasm but Too Much Rah-Rah! This is really a book to get you up to speed on the full range of eBay features. I got this book from my local library to checkup on how I'm doing on eBay, and see if I could improve results. The only thing I learned was a reminder to carefully write titles that increase search hits. The rest of the book tends to minimize or ignore the negatives about eBay while putting the best face on everything else.
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br /For example, online sellers communicate in several venues such as Yahoo! Groups, to help each other sell more and solve problems (and many turn to Amazon Marketplace t oincrease sales with no up-front costs, and ease of collecting payments). One trend that has emerged in the last few years as opposed to early internet days is selling items in lots because postage and selling fees are too great on individual items, or because items just don't sell as well as they did in say, 2001. This book makes one passing mention of lots, on page 72.
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br /The book also tends to subtly portray sellers concerned about eBay fees as a little off; some people seem to think people are growing rich off eBay tariffs is his basic argument. Well, Dennis Prince, more than a few sellers think that is very true! While he advises sellers to watch costs and minimize fees, and tells which he thinks are useful, if the reader doesn't pay attention to those sections he will have a lighter wallet listening to all the hype.
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br /The book ignores sell-through rates, and sell-through rates in different categories, advising sellers to research past selling prices and to visit Vendio for online auction tools and statistics. Good advice before you decide to list a bunch of stuff from your attic that will never sell.
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br /And that is the problem with this book. It's hype. The title itself "How To Sell Anything on eBay ... and Make a Fortune!" is consumerism and marketing disrobed. If Mr. Prince thinks he can sell anything on eBay, he is welcome to take my fifty worst items and have a go at them. A lot of items don't sell at all online, or don't sell quickly or profitably. You'd never know that from the title or through the rose-colored smog of corporate media marketing. Perhaps publisher McGraw-Hill should deflate this balloon and do a little down to earth editing.
Very little of substance Promises a LOT more than it delivers; very basic information, padded with lots of "chatty" verbiage. It's particularly annoying that the author spills lots of ink telling you how he won't waste your time. Contains a few useful hints, which could have made a reasonable newspaper article, but not much more.
If You Know Your Way Around a Computer... This is not the book for you...or at least, that is how i felt.
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br /I agree with the rating that said it was very drawn out...because it is. All i kept thinking was YAWN...when are we gonna get to the good stuff.
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br /When I did arrive at the "good stuff"...for example how to title your listings, it was short, to the point and nothing enlightened me to something new.
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br /Regret the purchase and hope that in the future the publisher will add that this is a very basic book for the beginner.
informative and valuable! This book - if I ever have the time to USE it - will be a VERY VALUABLE item in my library!
How to Sell Anything on eBay...and Make a Fortune It wasn't the best out there, but there was some ok tips in there.
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br /If he was making a fortune on eBay, he wouldn't be writing this book he would be out on his yaht somewhere in the French Riviera. That is where I will be when my ebay store finally scores.
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br /My store is almost 2 weeks old. I have made over $300 in sales and by years end hoping to add a few zeros to that number.
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br /The thing is, I LOVE shopping on eBay, I love taking pictures, I love bargain hunting...and ofcourse passing on the savings to my customers and future customers. I have to be honest, some of the stuff I find, I like to much to sell and end up having to go for seconds. Then again, I love shopping, so this was totally up my alley.
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br /I also have been a photo buff since I was 15, so I love taking pictures and editing them...it's like art work to me. I then get to share. I am still working on getting some more photo props and a tripod which will make life easier, and photography of merchandise more fun.
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br /I am at an advantage, though; I live in NY so I have tons of wholesalers and manufacterers in this Metro area. It's just a matter of finding the right ones.
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br /Right now, I am still in research phase. So far, so good.
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br /Don't give up, if you like this sort of thing...it can really work for you. I am living it, right now and enjoying every minute.
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br /You can check out how I added some of the tips to my store, and critics are welcomed.
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br /www.stores.ebay.com/NYC-Trend-Setters-Outlet
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br /Wish me luck and I wish you the same. Don't give up!!
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