Getting Started

The first key to becoming an eBay seller is to start buying goods from the auction site. That’s exactly how many of the Titanium PowerSellers got started themselves.

Buying on eBay serves three purposes:

First, you need to become familiar with the eBay marketplace, and there’s no better way to do that than by spending lots of time on the site. It’s only through personal experience that you’ll learn the nuances of finding products, bidding, and buying on eBay.

For example, as a convenient option, eBay uses a proxy system to make bidding on items easier and less time-consuming for customers. When you find an item you want to buy, you enter the maximum price you’re willing to pay. For the duration of the auction, eBay’s computers take over, acting as your proxy every time a competitor bids against you.

Suppose you find a CD you’ve been dying to have for sale on eBay. The starting price for the auction is 99 cents, and so far no one has placed a bid. You decided you’re willing to pay $12.99 and enter that amount as your maximum bid. As soon as you click the “Confirm Bid” button, you’ll be listed as the high bidder for that auction with a bid of 99 cents. As long as no one bids against you, you’ll get to buy the CD for 99 cents.

If another bidder comes along who is willing to pay a maximum of $11.99 for the CD, eBay will automatically raise your posted bid to $12.49. If the next bidder is willing to pay a maximum of $13, eBay will bump you right out of the running for ...

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