Learn to Buy and Sell on eBay

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.