eBay Business All-in-One For Dummies, 4th Edition

Introduction

I’ve been selling on eBay for over two decades, since before it was eBay. My fascination with ecommerce made me realize that online sellers may not have business backgrounds, and a business book would help them set up their new business professionally. The Internet changes from year to year (as does the ecommerce market), and I am obsessive about keeping my advice for small businesses updated.

My books about eBay don’t just give you the information you can find in help pages; they give you the ins and outs of selling and connecting online, based on my daily experience and research. I also stay on top of the current trends in online and social marketing, test them out, and pass the results back to you. This book gives you more information than even many longtime sellers know.

I am lucky enough to have watched eBay evolve since 1996, a charter member of the PowerSeller program, and now a Top Rated Plus Seller. Running a business online has given me the opportunity to spend more time with my loved ones and have better control of my life. I can make my own schedule and enjoy what I’m doing because my business makes money. Owning a small business is empowering — and profitable.

But those of us who run a small business (even part time) always seem to be doing something. Buying, selling, and communicating — even when going on a vacation, our businesses keep humming. There’s no 9-to-5 schedule, no regular weekends or holidays. Our stores on eBay can always be open.

Alas, ...