The Ebay Myth-buster: Turn 199 Misconceptions Into Money

By David D. Busch

This groundbreaking book shatters such common beliefs as the highest bid determines the final price, Sunday night is the best time to end auctions, and more Pioneer eBay seller David Busch shows buyers how to find bargains through misspelled words, items that are incorrectly categorized, and other "hidden auctions" Packed with unpublished secrets for eBay success, this book provides the real story behind each myth and supplies proven success techniques Explains how multiple accounts can benefit sellers, where to find truly free shipping, and how to identify items that will produce the highest profit The author shares his imaginative solutions that have resulted in thousands of profitable eBay transactions

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764576127
• ISBN13: 9780764576126
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 0.5" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Incredibly useful and concise

I have been a buyer on ebay for a couple of years and would like to get started selling. Due to a combination of procrastination and lack of confidence I have not yet taken the leap. Well, now I have the confidence to try. All of my lingering questions were answered by this book. It doesn't walk you through getting started, that would be a waste since that info is available from so many other sources. But it does address things like determining when to start and finish an auction, how long to set the auction for, when to use Buy it Now or set reserve prices, etc. The author has a really great writing style- not cutesy or gimmicky and very readable. (I read the book in one day- I should have been sleeping, but I couldn't put it down.) He gives great examples of different scenarios that help the reader to be better able apply the information. He tells us his opinion and the opinions of others- he does not bash ebay or paypal but he does give honest observations of some of their practices and services -whether good or bad or simply necessary. I have read alot of informational type books on various subjects lately and reading this one was a really refreshing change of pace. Mr. Busch wrote with confidence but there was nothing self-congratulatory about his style at all- he was even charmingly self-deprecating at times (but not cutesy- I hate that!) The book has very straight forward advice and doesn't waste time trying to hype one way of doing things over another. Mr. Busch's personal business style is also very appealing and one that I would be happy to emulate. As a buyer, I wish more sellers would follow his example. As a buyer I have often wondered if it was really necessary to put all of those terms and conditions and warnings in the auction- I thought there must just be a ton of bad buyers out there to warrant such practice- but now I know differently. I also find it extremely annoying when I encounter animation or overly busy backgrounds and - worst of all- sound and music when I view an auction. This book would be great for anyone- there are great tips for buyers- a couple that I will definitely put into use. I would recommend that a person get a little bit of experience on ebay as a buyer before reading this book- then you will really know what is being described and it will have more meaning because you can apply it to your own experiences. A few transactions would really be all it takes. But definitely get this book!!

Clearly one of the better eBay books.

In attempting to get started on eBay as a seller, I read about 10 books. Most covered the same ground, in pretty much the same way. I appreciated Mr.Busch's approach and believe I got more out of this one book than the others that I read up till then. This book is very good.

No Hype, No Fluff, Just The Right Stuff!

I too have read a tub full of eBay books and have to say that this book was one of the most helpful books on eBay that I have read. NO hype, NO fluff and not a whole bunch of useless crap-ola that no one cares about anyway. Just real answers to a lot of questions and problems people REALLY face on eBay. I also like the easy, reading layout of the book. Just my 2 cents. There are several more good books on eBay also, the rest are basically useless if you already have the basics down.

Excellent Book Learnt Stuff I Can Apply to Buying / Selling

This book is very useful. The best coverage for me: - ebay scams (in particular bid rigging - shilling) - interpretation of feedback (in particular assessing the likely risk to you). - auction timing - presenting information - legitimate use of multiple IDs The information on sourcing is more up for debate. Some of the comments are overstated (e.g. bargains hard to find at yard sells). In general sellers are more knowledgeable, as they are on ebay. However, many people selling through ebay or garage sells are doing so to rid themselves of items. There are some people who run "weekly" sells that sacrifice volume for profit. The author is spot on in his comments about dumpster diving though (if anything legal, health and security risks are understated in the current climate). Like the ebay hacks book, some of the information wont be new to most ebayer's. It is mostly original and well worth reading. It's not very technical in style and should be of benefit to new ebayers and old hands. I learnt alot. This book should pay for itself, this is the best test, for me, of any eBay book.

Quite a Useful Tool

eBay becomes more complex each day. David Busch has put together useful information about this challenging oportunity. He bases it on his own experience. I bought the book and am glad I did. I would recommend purchasing several works on eBay to get a complete picture. This book is worth being one of them. It is easy reading and gives answers to many questions plus offering good ideas. There are so many misconceptions as to what is allowed, right or proper on eBay. David makes a good dent in correcting many misconceptions. For example, his thoughts on the rating system are valuable. Also, useful is his observation that fighting over problems often ends up being a waste of time. Better to learn and go on. From his comments David seems to be a true modern entrepreneur; he is able to look at common things/ideas in new ways. Pretty good!