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Learn to Buy and Sell on eBay, a Fundamentals course that I will be teaching entirely online. I have prepared this document to help make your online educational experience as positive and enjoyable as possible. It contains contact information, a description of our course delivery system, course mechanics, and a course schedule.
How to get Started:
This course is conducted through an online classroom. You will need to go to this classroom to obtain your lessons, work through tutorials, take quizzes, complete assignments, participate in discussions with your fellow students, and ask questions of your instructor. As soon as the registration office verifies receipt of your payment, you will be able to participate. Here's how it works:
- Wait until after 12:00 a.m. (Pacific Time) on the start date for this course.
- After the course begins, go to
https://www.ed2go.com/epcc/. The Online Classroom is open 24 hours a day and seven days a week, so please feel free to log in to your classroom at any time of day that is convenient for you.
- Once on the website, click the Login link at the top right of the page.
- Finally, log in with the username and password you provided us at the beginning of this orientation procedure. You should then be able to enter the online classroom and begin your studies.
Course Description
Online auctions match buyers with sellers in a global marketplace for almost any item. If you've ever dreamed of working from home or just earning extra income by buying and selling goods online, this course will guide you every step of the way!
In this course, you will gain all of the knowledge necessary for success in the online marketplace. You'll learn how to create titles that get noticed, how to craft advertising copy that sells items quickly and for top dollar, and how to create and upload photos of the items you are selling. You'll also learn how to safely conduct financial transactions, how to accept credit card payments, and how to pack and ship any item hassle-free. If you're a buyer, you'll learn how to value almost any item up for auction, how to get the best possible price, how to protect yourself against fraud, and how to compete effectively against other bidders.
Course Requirements
Requirements:
Hardware Requirements:
- This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.
Software Requirements:
- PC: Windows 8 or later.
- Mac: macOS 12 or later.
- Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
Other:
- Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.
Instructional Material Requirements:
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.
Course Mechanics
I will make two lessons available to you every week for six weeks. You do not have to be present when a lesson is released, but you'll need to complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
Once all 12 lessons have been released, I will give you a two-week grace period to complete your studies and take the final exam. This means that you have a total of eight weeks to complete this course. If you're thinking of taking another course after this one, you can avoid overlap by starting that course exactly two months after this one begins.
Lessons are released by 12:00am (Pacific Time) on Wednesdays and Fridays. To access your lessons, simply visit the online classroom (as described in the "Getting Started" section), and then click the lesson title you wish to visit.
Once the class access ends, I won't be able to send you the lessons. If you would like to keep the lessons for future reference, I suggest using the print lesson feature in the classroom.
Each time you complete a lesson, you will also be asked to complete a brief multiple-choice quiz. I expect you to complete each quiz within two weeks from the date that the corresponding lesson was made available. I realize that you are busy, and don't want you to worry if you can't complete a few of the quizzes on time due to illness, vacation, or other commitments. Once I release a lesson and quiz, I will make sure it is available to you as long as the classroom is open.
The interactive multiple-choice quizzes are designed to test your comprehension of the course material. When you complete a quiz, you will receive an instant analysis of your work.
This analysis will include a brief explanation of any errors you may have made. If you are not satisfied with your performance, you are welcome to re-take the quiz until you feel that you have mastered the quiz objectives.
Note: If you ever want to see a progress report showing your performance on the quizzes over time, simply return to
https://www.ed2go.com/epcc/
and click Login or Account at the top right of the page. Once logged in, click the Report tab under the course title.
Some of your lessons will also be accompanied by an assignment. The assignments are designed to help you expand your understanding of the material taught in this course. Assignments are typically more detailed and may take a bit more time to work through than quizzes.
I expect you to complete each assignment within two weeks from the date that the corresponding lesson was made available. Unlike the quizzes, your assignments will not be evaluated. Assignments are designed primarily for your enrichment. You have the sole responsibility for evaluating your performance on each assignment. If you have questions about an assignment, please feel free to use the Discussion Areas to discuss your assignments with your fellow students and me.
When you work through an assignment, you will be gaining practical first-hand experience with the new skills taught in this course. Your performance on the final exam will depend in no small part on your mastery of the assignments.
The course will conclude with a final exam, which will test your comprehension of the material covered in this class. You must complete the final exam within two weeks from your receipt of lesson 12. Please review your selections before submitting. You may only submit your final exam answers once. Your performance on the final exam is the only factor we will consider when determining your eligibility for a certificate of completion. Although your quiz and assignments will not count toward your eligibility for a certificate, I do recommend that you try to complete each quiz and assignment to the best of your abilities. Doing so will leave you better prepared to pass the final exam.
When you finish your studies, please note that our classroom log-out process is fully automated. We will log you out of the classroom automatically whenever you close your browser or shut down your computer.
Questions
This course can be highly interactive, but the level of that interactivity is controlled by you. Since I can't see that puzzled look on your face, it's going to be up to you to ask questions when you get stuck.
I expect to get many interesting questions from you and your fellow students. I want to make sure that you and your classmates benefit from these often illuminating queries.
Therefore, I would like to request that you avoid e-mailing your questions to me. Instead, I have created 12 Discussion Areas in the online classroom (one Discussion Area for each lesson). To reach these Discussion Areas, all you will need to do is wait for the course to begin, go to the online classroom, select the lesson you're working on, and click the Discussion Area tile.
Your Discussion Area questions will serve as a challenge for your fellow students. Someone is bound to have an answer for you. Likewise, you should be able to find questions in the Discussion Area that you can answer. The Discussion Area will be open to you and your classmates 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Please try to visit the Discussion Area at least every other day while the course is in session, and don't be afraid to participate!
I firmly believe that the best way to learn a new skill is to teach it to others. We will all benefit by helping one another understand this complex material.
Because I don't want to see any unanswered questions, I (or one of my very capable teaching assistants) will be monitoring the Discussion Area at least every other day (excluding weekends and holidays). If you ask a relevant question, but fail to get a correct answer (or any answer whatsoever) from your classmates, then we will try our hardest to answer the question for you.
Please understand that the Discussion Area is reserved for conversations about the material in your lessons. While it is perfectly acceptable for you to employ a bit of friendly banter as you converse with your fellow students and instructors, I must ask you to always remember to stay on topic.
It is not appropriate to use the Discussion Area to sell goods or services, complain about something, or talk about subjects that are not specific to the lesson at hand, for example. Such off-topic conversations waste people's time and detract from the learning experience for all involved. I reserve the right to immediately delete any message without comment if I feel that it does not pertain directly to the material I am trying to teach.
I will also delete any messages containing language that I feel is derogatory, controversial, insulting, or otherwise inappropriate for my classroom.
Reminder
A legitimate organization would never send you an unsolicited e-mail that contains an attachment or asks for personal information. If you ever receive an unsolicited e-mail that contains an attachment or asks for personal information, delete the e-mail immediately.
When to Write my Course Administrator
As I mentioned earlier, the course Discussion Area is reserved solely for discussion of the material in your lessons.
Please do not use the course Discussion Areas for compliments, complaints, technical support, or other personal matters. Instead, please send such messages directly to my course administrator.
To contact the course administrator, scroll to the very bottom of any page within the classroom and look for the Support link.
Please understand that it may take my course administrator two or sometimes three business days to respond to e-mail, so provide plenty of time for a response.
If you need an extension, forgot your password, want a progress report, want to register for another course, or need help when you're not in my classroom, you can contact Student Support using the Help link under Resources in the footer of any page at
https://www.ed2go.com/epcc/.
Syllabus
Note: This course will run for six weeks. Two lessons will be released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when each lesson is released. Instead, you can take up to two weeks to complete each lesson after it is released.
Important: In order to keep this material as up-to-date and informative as possible, I reserve the right to make changes to the course content, description, and syllabus at any time and without warning.
A new session of each course we offer starts on the second or third Wednesday of every month. You may enroll in more than one course at a time. If you are enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.
Week 1
Learning eBay's History and How to Navigate the Site
Wednesday
Entering the world of eBay can be somewhat like visiting a foreign land. It has its own community, culture, and language (so to speak). In the first lesson, you'll learn all the ins and outs of the eBay marketplace. The lesson will go over eBay's history, the motivations for buying and selling, and how to browse the categories of eBay.
Registration and Searching
Friday
Knowing how to search the eBay auction listings for items of interest is fundamental if you're interested in buying or selling goods in the eBay marketplace. In this lesson, you'll learn the basics, as well as some advanced search methods, allowing you to not only find what's currently up for auction, but also to gather information on items that have recently sold. You'll also go over the eBay registration process so you can truly begin your eBay experience.
Week 2
Auction Pages and the My eBay Section
Wednesday
In this lesson, you'll take a tour through the eBay auction pages to help you understand the site's terminology and layout. You'll learn what specifics to look for in item descriptions to help you become an astute buyer. You'll also explore the My eBay section of eBay—an invaluable tool that you'll use to keep track of everything from your buying and selling activities to keeping lists of favorite searches, sellers, categories, and much, much more.
Bidding and Buying After the Auction
Friday
This lesson will guide you step-by-step through the eBay bidding and buying process. Not only will you learn all the bidding basics, but you'll discover the art of bidding, including proxy bidding, bid sniping, and other tips for winning an auction at the best possible price. It will also prepare you for what happens after the auction ends—communicating with the seller and making your payment.
Week 3
Your First Sale
Wednesday
In this lesson, you'll learn how to prepare for your first sale on eBay. You'll go through the first steps of the selling process, including locating items to sell, creating effective auction descriptions, and properly promoting your listings for maximum exposure.
The World of Digital Photography
Friday
In this lesson, you'll learn why digital photographs are so important when selling an item on eBay. The lesson will cover what type of camera you need, lighting and background techniques, picture editing, and even how to protect the images you capture.
Week 4
Basics of Pricing and Shipping
Wednesday
This lesson will go over the basics of pricing your auction items and discuss setting your shipping rates. You'll learn why pricing your item lower may actually get you more money in the end. The lesson will also discuss how value plays a part in the price you ask and what a reserve price is. Then you'll go over what supplies you'll need to ship your merchandise, and where to find valuable shipping tools and resources.
Launching Your Auction
Friday
This lesson will guide you step-by-step through the process of launching your auction. You'll learn selling fundamentals such as registering as a seller, understanding eBay's fee schedule, and filling out the selling form for your item. You'll also go over adding pictures to your listing description, accepting online payments, and using online escrow services.
Week 5
Post-Sale Management
Wednesday
In this lesson, you'll learn the steps you may need to take once you've listed your item. You'll see how to make revisions to an auction currently in progress, how to answer questions from bidders regarding an item you have up for sale, how to cancel bids from unwanted bidders, and how to end an auction early.
Discussion Boards and Your Profile
Friday
In this lesson, you'll truly be inducted into the eBay community! You'll discover all the different elements that make up the social world of eBay, such as the discussion forums, "About Me" pages, chat boards, and other eBay tools such as eBay radio and the eBay News Section. When you're finished with this lesson, eBay will be your online home away from home.
Week 6
eBay Stores and Other Sellers' Resources
Wednesday
In this lesson, you'll take a tour through the world of eBay stores where you can take your eBay selling experience to the next level. You'll find out how to design and open an eBay store and then look at other valuable sellers' resources, such as listing tools and auction management software.
Advanced Selling Topics
Friday
The final lesson will go over some advanced selling topics. You'll learn which items tend to sell the best, how to find out what the hottest sellers are, and how and where to find inventory to sell. It will also discuss eBay's trading assistant program and other auction websites. You'll finish the course with some priceless parting knowledge that will help you jump-start your eBay selling success.
Instructor
Shirley George Frazier
Shirley George Frazier is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and popular speaker at trade shows and small business events. Her business advice has been featured on CNBC, Food Network, and LiveWell Network; and her tips have been published in CNN Money, Entrepreneur, and Costco Connection. Shirley's passion for education inspires creative people to achieve their goals.