Getting Started

Now that you're all signed up (and aware of eBay's fee structure), you're ready to start biddingand selling. The bidding process is fee-free; all you have to do is find something you want to buy, and start bidding. (This process is detailed in Chapter 8, "Bidding in Online Auctions.") The selling process is a little more involved and costs a little money. (This process is detailed in Chapter 15, "Selling Items via Online Auctions.") Whichever you choose, get ready for lots of actionand fun!

The Absolute Minimum

Here are the key points to remember from this chapter:

• Before you can bid or sell on eBay, you need to create an eBay user account; registration is free.

• If you want to sell items on eBay, you'll have to leave a checking account and credit card or debit card number on file.

• Buyers are never charged any fees by eBay.

• eBay charges sellers various fees, including listing fees (nonrefundable) and final value fees (if your item actually sells).

• eBay will never send you emails asking you to click a link to update your account; if you get one of these spoof emails, it's a scam!