Tax Loopholes for eBay Sellers

How to Buy, Sell, and Profit on eBay : Kick-Start Your Home-Based Business in Just Thirty Days

eBay Powerseller Secrets:Insider Tips from eBay's Most Successful Sellers

Ebay Inventory the Smart Way: How to Find Great Sources And Manage Your Merchandise to Maximize Profits on the World's # 1 Auction Site

Web Programming

What to Sell on eBay and Where to Get It

Format: Paperback
Author: Chris Malta
ReleaseDate: 24 January, 2006
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
Rating:

If i could give this book ZERO stars, i would
Basically what chris malta is doing is subliminally pointing you to his site, where he will try to sell you an array of books and services. all hype, nothing else. yes, his services tend to be price-worthy, but what the hell do you need the book for? not sure who this book is for, but if you cant understand REAL basics, such as - oversaturation of product on ebay - more importantly what the word oversaturation means, than no book will help you. the title of the book is SO MISLEADING to the point that publisher might be challenged over it - for lack of fully examining the content, and allowing it to go to print under this titles. contents and the title have nothing to do with 1 another. misleading, repetitive - just to fill pages, WORTHLESS!!! .

Written by two honest, sincere, and hardworking people who want to help others achieve success!
Having been familiar with Chris Malta for several years, I can honestly say that anything he recommends is worth a second look. "What to Sell on eBay and Where to Get It," is one of the most vital books that any eBay seller will want to have in their arsenal. This man works about 16 hours a day, helping eBay sellers become successful in their business. While he had several opportunities to use this book to publicize his web site, which is actually a conglomerate of web sites designed to help sellers find products, there are only brief mentions of it in this book. Also, while I'm not familiar with co-author Lisa Suttora, it is obvious from reading this book that she has a great deal of information to provide both the novice and experienced eBay seller. Although she also had the opportunity to promote her own web site, there are very view mentions of it in this book. Both Chris Malta and Lisa Suttora are highly experienced people who go out of their way to help eBay sellers become successful in their own rights. This book is written by two of the most honest, hard working and sincere people you will ever encounter, and is a very important book to add to your eBay seller library.
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Fresno--"Buyer Beware" doesn't appear to understand eBay at all--a short rebuttal
I've been selling & buying on eBay since 1999; I started selling my old clothing & accessories and sort of "accidentally" grew my business without realizing it (still selling clothing & Native American jewelry), until one day I discovered I'd become a Powerseller, and was able to quit my "regular job" . I'm not sure what happened to Fresno, but s/he doesn't seem to understand eBay at all.. . now I have my own business which is dependent upon how much I put into it! I'd always dreamt of owning my own boutique, but could never afford it. eBay has helped me realize my dream, as well as the many other successful sellers who otherwise wouldn't have had the chance to do what they love.
Okay, that said, I am concerned that "Fresno's" review will discourage potential eBayers from dipping their toes into the eBay waters. Let's see if I can help out here a little . . .
1. eBay does indeed care whether sellers make money--it's true that eBay makes money up front on the listing fees, but they stand to make much more on "Final Value Fees" which are a percentage of the final sale price. The more the item sells for, the more money the seller makes, and the more money eBay makes. In addition, sellers have the option of listing items in a store format, which runs about $15 per month and just . 03 per listing. If eBay didn't care about sellers, if they didn't offer the support that they do offer (you can find it EVERYWHERE, starting with the Community pages), if sellers weren't making money--from the person who sells a few items from her closet each month to the millionaire Titanium Powersellers--then it stands to reason that there would be very few of us sticking around! I attended eBay Live! last year and my husband & I, at the time in the lowest rung of the Powerseller program, were treated like VIPs! It was amazing--we're grossing $1500-2,000 per month, and eBay is feeding us gourmet food, freebies like you wouldn't believe, treating our entire families to free bbq cookouts and amusement park trips . . . I felt as special and important as the multi-millionaire Titanium seller!
2. Frankly, I am amazed by Fresno's open hostility toward eBay . . . s/he seems consumed with anger over a lack of supplier addresses . . . I started going to department store sales & outlets, searching for bargains, then reselling them for a profit on eBay. I did it all on my own, no need to find "secret suppliers" or search out such places. I provide a service--I sell new clothing at huge discounts to people who don't have the time to scour through the sales & warehouses. I sometimes buy lots from people & estate sales . . . I've never needed to avail myself of any of these providers. I do understand that eBay is a business, out to make money by providing an enormous online mall which is open to ANYONE who wants to try her/his luck at running a business. I don't LOVE the fees, but my overhead is MUCH less than if I were to have a brick & mortar store, paying rent, utilities, etc. etc.
3. Additionally, eBay has other ways for its members to make money, such as the Education Specialist program (a bargain at $150 or so, plus a $50 yearly update), wherein you take online classes, pass an exam, and you can then go out and teach eBay buying & selling to anyone you want, using the eBay logo & materials, with the potential to make as much money as you want, regardless of whether or not you actually sell items on eBay!
4. Fresno's #5 simply makes no sense at all! Don't be fooled by eBay Radio? Huh? It's a free service wherein eBay members can listen to different guests & regulars discuss different aspects of eBay, and listeners have the option to call in to ask questions, any questions at all (no charge for the call!)
And who promised whom "the moon?" And I'm completely flabbergasted by Fresno's "self-answering questions" -- s/he's correct, no book will do the work of a human being. And these little stats, "two thirds of small business fail" --what's the point there? With eBay you can test the waters without losing your shirt as you might with a mall store, or a franchise. eBay can actually be a terrific training ground for the dabbler to see if she has or can learn what it takes to become a small biz owner, with very minimal investment.
This book provides a great overview of the pluses & minuses of buying through eBay's Certified Service Providers . . . though I don't personally use the services, it has given me some ideas, and helped to clarify what is involved in these services. There are lots of fly-by-night product sources; at least with eBay Certified wholesalers you know the company has met certain standards and is not likely to rip you off.
I'm not employed by eBay, I don't even own any stock in the company (though I wish I did!) . . . I'm simply a seller who found some sources of my own--not wholesalers--and for the past seven years I've been running my own business, making as much money as I want to or need to in any given month. It's dependent upon ME to do the work. Think of eBay relative to a regular shopping mall--would you expect the mall to let the stores build on their property for free? Malls make money from their sellers regardless whether they fail . . . same with franchises. Duh? And a failing retail mall store is a very expensive failure indeed. Where's Obviousman when you need him, anyway?
-I suggest that anyone who is interested in selling on eBay first try her hand at selling a few items before investing in any books . . . the eBay community is incredibly rich in info you can find free. Later, when you decide to learn more details on a a specific subject, or just want to have a bound book of info at your fingertips, THEN go buy this book or one of the many others out there. I recommend "The eBay Bible" by Griffith--yes, he has a large stake in eBay, yes, he "works" for eBay, but you know what that means? That he has inside info you might not get elsewhere!
I guess my entire point here, though not too cohesive, I'll admit, is that "Fresno" is simply disparaging something he apparently knows little about; reading his "critique" of this book should have no bearing whatsoever on whether or not you actually purchase the book. I do recommend it. .