As with most phenomena of the Internet heyday it’s no longer possible to make a fortune just by selling any old thing on eBay. However, there are still opportunities aplenty for the hard working, savvy eBay seller. In order to have a happy ending though you need to have a good beginning and that’s what we’re here to do: Start at the very beginning. Explore eBay and decide if being an e-commerce tycoon is really the ticket for you.

Never even visited eBay? There then is your first step. Go to eBay.com and have a look around. eBay realizes that buyers and sellers are its lifeblood so the eBay website is very user friendly. You don’t have to register to browse and at this point you probably shouldn’t. Registering requires choosing a user I.D. which will follow you forever. You will want to choose it and use it carefully.

For now just get the feel of the site. eBay is enormous and it’s entirely true almost anything a person could want can be found there. It may be that you already have a store and want to use eBay to increase your sales or even to become your sole outlet. Or, you may be new to the whole process and have only the vaguest idea of what you want to sell. Either way, now is the time to scope out the competition.

eBay sellers are a very sophisticated lot. Many of them make use of cutting edge software to list literally hundreds of products a day. They may also have separate eBay stores and even traditional brick-and-mortar locations. Anyone who becomes part of eBay today will need to have skills in lots of areas not just have something to sell. A successful eBay merchant needs to be computer literate, able to write copy that sells and give excellent customer service. All of this must be done while also taking care of the primary business: Selling product.

After spending time perusing the website and doing a quick study of its diverse content, stop by the eBay Learning Center. Be sure and pay strict attention to the feedback system which rates all eBay sellers and buyers. Maintaining a sterling reputation is imperative for being a winner on eBay.

Now you have probably spend an afternoon on eBay and you haven’t even registered yet; that’s exactly as it should be, too. eBay is not a sign up and get rich quick scheme. Before making a commitment of your time or an investment of your money you have some hard thinking to do.

• Do you have a product for which there appears to be a market?
  
• If so, is that market saturated?
  
• Are you comfortable with the technological skills which significant sales on eBay will require?
  
• Are you willing to spend the hours and capital needed to get your eBay venture off the ground?
  

If the answers to all these questions are yes, then congratulations: You are now ready to register on eBay and make a purchase.