Want to know how best to use eBay? Whether you're a newcomer or longtime user, eBay Hacks will teach you to become efficient as both a buyer and seller. You'll find a wide range of topics, from monitoring the bidding process, getting refunds, and fixing photos so that sale items look their best, to in-depth tips for running a business on eBay and writing scripts that automate some of the most tedious tasks. That's just the nuts and bolts. The book also gives you an inside look into the unique eBay community, where millions of people gather online to buy and sell. Author David Karp--an eBay user himself, with years of experience--teaches you how to work within this community to maximize your success. eBay Hacks includes four powerful sections:

• "Hacks for All" covers eBay's diplomacy and feedback system, describing how you can maintain a good feedback profile and use it to inspire trust in others.

• "Hacks for Buyers" shows you how to focus your searches to find auctions before anyone else--including ways to create an automated search robot. Then, learn how bidding works in the real world, using eBay's proxy bidding system to improve your win rate while spending less money.

• "Hacks for Sellers" teaches strategies for competitive selling, like promoting your items without spending extra money and protecting yourself from deadbeat buyers. Learn how to run a fulltime business on eBay by streamlining the listing process, communications and checkout.

• "Hacks for Developers" delves into eBay's API, an interface for writing programs that do the work that most users have to do by hand through a web browser.

With eBay Hacks, you'll be more than a buyer or seller. You will become a savvy power user who knows the smart way to save time, save money, and dramatically improve auction success.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 22 Ratings

Looking Under eBay's Skirts - 2004-09-08
Reviewer Rating:
Ah eBay. Purveyor of treasures and reliever of junk. Is there a bigger garage sale in the world? I think not! But there are many ways to make it easier to make your "millions" on eBay then the old fashion way. (You still have to "earn it" however.)

Within this list of 100 tips and tools you will get an insider's look on how to become the most effective buyer or seller on eBay you can be. Being a novice myself, I learned more from this book than all the other eBay books combined. It cuts all the cutsie fluff and gets to the business end of the eBay: making you money.

An easy start is getting the eBay Toolbar. You should already be using the Google Toolbar so you know how much easier the eBay Toolbar can make your buying and selling. But for me selling was my main focus in eBay Hacks and I was not disappointed. I found how to automate sending my payment instructions using built-in PayPal service that I didn't even know existed. The then there was the prepaid mailing slips that will save me hours of time in line at the Post Office. But wait, I found out that I could generate these prepaid shipping labels from my PayPal account also. What doesn't this marriage between PayPal and eBay NOT bring forth?

But the one that will probable make me the most money is using The Merchant and Editor Kits on eBay. On them I can create search boxes and category listing that I can host on my own web site and make going to my or other's auction a breeze; and I get paid for them doing so. Now how cool is that?

One of the best eBay books - 2005-04-02
Reviewer Rating:
This book is great. It contains a wealth of information that is not found in other books. It is probably not the best book to read first if you are just starting out, because it can make eBay seem a bit overwhelming. This book is worth buying.

After reading the top eBay books, below are my recommendations:
---Beginner with eBay and computers---
1. The Official eBay Bible

---eBay Seller---
1. Sell it on eBay
2. eBay Hacks

---Full-Time eBay Business (not for the casual seller)---
1. eBay Strategies
2. eBay Business the Smart Way

Great guide but needs updating - 2004-08-26
Reviewer Rating:
This book is excellent for both the novice and experienced eBayer alike. Everyone who uses eBay regularly should be able to take something away from this book.

As a previous reviewer has stated, some of the tips are common sense, and come straight off the ebay site. However, its great to have these tips in one place and easily referenced. This can serve as a checklist for your own buying and selling procedures.

PS: Second edition has now been released. Make sure you are buying the new one.

The one big negative - no coverage of the latest 'bid sniping software'. This automates your bidding, allows better planning, does not increase the sell value early in the auction and maximizes the chance of winning (by placing a bid in the last seconds of auction). This software isn't highly publicized by ebay.

This is a great book, but look out for newer texts covering the latest auction software.

eBay Hacks - Awesome Book - 2004-07-28
Reviewer Rating:
eBay Hacks isn't a 'how to use eBay' book, and it doesn't try to be. Instead, it's a great collection of strategies, advice, and software tools to be used when buying and selling on eBay. I have already increased my sales and found new ways to save time creating auctions. And for buyers, there are sniping and searching hacks. The code is a little over my head, but maybe someday... Altogether, an awesome book, and a must for anyone who uses eBay.

Cool, very cool book.... - 2006-02-21
Reviewer Rating:
Loved the tips on sniping...although, many buyers can't stand people who do that. I won a t.v./dvd combo for $30. no shipping because it is in my area and I can pick it up. Also, another tv/dvd/vcr combo toshiba 24", that I sniped for $197. I paid no shipping because this one I was close enough to pick up, too. I saw this last tv set for over $300 buck in BestBuy...is that a deal or what. I love eBay. And I know for a fact those other tv's are worth way over $30 bucks, as well. I already have people in my local area who agreed to pay me $85 dollars for it and I haven't even picked it up, yet. $55 dollar profit without doing much...not bad. I love sniping...it's fun!

[...]

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