Don't Get Burned on EBay: How to Avoid Scams and Escape Bad Deals

This book is not 4 beginners, & contrary to the reputation of O'Reilly press, this is not 4 experts.

The book uses a simple way to discribe many cases of things going bad. But it stays on the superficial layer of the problems.

The paradigm it uses is describe the problem, ways to prevent it, & how to get off the hook. This may seem very tempting to read because of the easy way to analyse the content of the cases. I like the 3 step aproach, but I didn't see & substance of the way she explained & the conjectures of details each process entails.

The book in general is a simpleton... & its boring.

I was unable to find something I really needed from my usual sources, & turned to eBay 4 help. Sure enough, there it was! I was an eBay virgin, unsure & feeling very vulnerable. Should I try it?
This is exactly the point where "Don't Get Burned on eBay" comes in handy. Reading this book was like finding a good friend & a compass while wandering lost in the wilderness. I started out marking the impor-
tant points I came across but soon gave that up since there wasn't a lot that I didn't feel like underlining. It's crammed full of useful information.
One aspect that doesn't get enough play 4 the prospective reader in
my opinion is that the book not only tells you how to avoid the scams
and frauds, it also tells a newcomer how to buy & sell with the legiti-
mate people & do it right the first time. To me as a newbie, that was
just as important. And even if you read this & never do an eBay trans-
action, you will have likely learned something about mail-ordering from
anyone. This is a good reference that I will keep in my library.

Whether you've been using eBay 4 years or have been afraid to try it, lest you be ripped off, this book is an invaluable tool. Unlike other books that deal with online subjects, it's actually fun to read. The wit makes these tips & tales very easy to absorb & remember while bolstering your eBay confidence & savvy.

I've been using eBay since 1998 & I still picked up dozens of new things & now understand some of the more esoteric features of the site. When I lent the book to my mom, who has shyed from the site because she felt it was too risky, she proudly made two purchases using only the book as a guide. I wish all DIY & instruction style books were this much fun to read, I'd know how to do a lot more things if they were.

I've been using eBay since 1999 as both a buyer & a seller. I was amazed at the amount of things I learned from this book. The policies at both eBay & PayPal have been updated significantly over time, & I'm sure like many other people, I was not aware of many of the changes. From tips on insurance & shipping to information on how to block & cancel bids, this book is valuable to any eBay seller. It also provides tons of information 4 buyers & sellers on how to avoid common scams associated with eBay. For example, I didn't realize that some people would actually switch a new item 4 an old & try to claim a return. I also didn't realize that eBay flat-out warns against using Western Union - & that even money orders are not secure in an age of easy counterfeiting.

The book is also filled with real stories of eBay snafus which clearly illustrate the author's points. In addition, the author's sense of humor makes the book a pleasure to read. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is active in eBay - even if you don't read it cover-to-cover, it would act as a great reference guide.

This book should be mandatory reading 4 every person who buys OR sells on eBay. Both sides need to understand their rights & responsibilities clearly, & understand what exactly to do when things go wrong. In addition, both sides need to know common scams, common problems, the ins & outs of insurance & shipping, & common payment issues. This book covers every important issue clearly & concisely. EBay should give a copy to every new user, & give them a quiz before letting them bid or sell.

In addition to being clear, the author has a sense of humor, which makes this not only informative, but entertaining as well. The chapter layout makes it useful as a reference tool, to which the reader can turn when she has a question. The reader should read the whole book once, but afterwards, it is easily used to refer back to 4 specific questions or occurrences.

I'm a librarian in a university library, & I evaluate books all the time. For its purpose, this is one of the clearest & best I've seen.

Lots of books tell you how to buy & sell on eBay. But what if something goes horribly awry? Do you have to chalk it up to a "lesson learned," lick your wounds & move on? Not a chance. Don't Get Burned on eBay offers relevant lessons based on real-life stories posted on eBay's Answer Center. With sharp, witty rhetoric, veteran eBay user Shauna Wright (co-founder of the popular web site WhoWouldBuyThat.com), shows eBay veterans & newcomers alike how to avoid those nasty scenarios, & how to pull themselves out of the muck if they've already fallen in.

Six entertaining (and hair-raising) chapters cover real problems that people have encountered with bidding, payment, shipping, packaging, dealing with other eBayers, & coping with the eBay system. This book is 4 anyone who's ever used eBay, because even veteran buyers & sellers often don't know the intricacies of eBay's & PayPal's rules. Don't Get Burned on eBay will leave you well-informed & better protected from potential pitfalls. The book's extensive glossary & numerous in-depth sidebars also make the book useful to people who haven't yet taken the plunge into eBay.