Get a FREE fully-working copy of Steganos Security Suite 7 (worth £49.99) when you sign up to the Practical PC Newsletter. Review: The Ebay Book
Psst! Want to know how to buy and sell something on the Internet? Kai Chandler checks out 'The eBay Book'
| Product | The Ebay Book |
|---|---|
| Company | Harriman Hs Publishing |
| Web | www.harriman-house.com |
| Price | From £9.99 |
| We like | Excellent introduction to Ebay especially for beginners. English not American |
| We don't like | Not so hot for sellers |
| Rating | 8/10 |
| Requirements |
Internet auction sensation eBay (www.ebay.co.uk) has helped millions of users grab a bargain or clear their cupboards depending on whether they are buying or selling. It's certainly made a fortune for founder and philanthropist Pierre Omidyar.
With thousands or even millions of transactions daily, eBay is the auction site that everyone is talking about.
It's easy to buy or sell just about anything although there are limits. While the best way to get up to speed may be to have a go, many will want to read up first. There are many guides to eBay but "The eBay Book" by prolific author David Belbin is almost unique in concentrating exclusively on the UK version of eBay. David Belbin is described as a 'long time eBay user' but he's no power user. In a way that's refreshing as he still remembers being a newbie himself and describes his own experiences in an interesting way.
At 150 pages it's possible to read from cover to cover and even place your first eBay bid in a single evening. Belbin has a pleasant chatty style - this is not a textbook. It's littered with real life stories and anecdotes which help tell the story. Published in June 2004 it incorporates late breaking news about PayPal and is very up to date.
It comprises three sections:
The first is a general introduction to Ebay and tells the story of half a dozen eBayers.
The second section gets down to the details with description of how to register with eBay, how to buy and sell items and the importance of feedback. There's useful information on the online funds transfer system called PayPal. The chapter on "Frauds, scams, deadbeat bidders and vigilantes" is an essential read and highlights some of the less attractive sides of eBay. If anything, it downplayed some of the issues, for example the fraudulent escrow site scam in which a vendor suggests a fraudulent third party to hold onto your funds until the goods arrive. Of course they never do! If you don't know about the long fraud or shill bidding and how to avoid them then you should be reading this book!
The third part is more of a reference section covering eBay's fees, tax treatment and record keeping. Many of these items will change with time and you should refer to eBay for current fee schedules.
The book is littered with notes and tips which will be of interest to beginners as well as seasoned eBayers.
"The eBay Book" is excellent for a beginner wishing to purchase items on eBay. It's of less value to existing users wanting to sell more effectively. There's little, for example, by way of power tips on creating killer advertisements using eBay's own excellent Turbolister or third party listing services. Nor are there tips on creating attractive photographs. If you were hoping for information on what lighting to use to make your digital photographs look compelling, this is not the book for you. Indeed it has to be said that there's little new material in "The eBay Book" as most of it is already available within eBay itself or the related Community pages. However, as a self-contained starter pack geared to the UK, "The eBay Book" is highly recommended. If you find you no longer need it then you can always sell it on eBay!
