REVIEW and INTERVIEW
How to Sell on eBay: Get Started Making Money on eBay and Create a Second Income from Home
(Earn Money from Home Book 1)
(Earn Money from Home Book 1)
by Richard G. Lowe Jr
How to Sell on eBay is the first book in the Earn Money from Home series by Richard G. Lowe Jr. The author stops by today for an interview and to share an excerpt from the book. You can also read my review. Also available: Make Money by Decluttering Your Home.
More books by this author: Real World Survival Tips and Survival Guide (read my blog post), Safe Computing is Like Safe Sex (read my blog post), and Talented and Beautiful Belly Dancers (read my blog post).
Description
Gain a Second Income by Selling on Ebay!
Could you use a little extra cash? Do you need to make some money to pay a few bills, go on vacation or just build up some savings? Would you like to earn extra income working from home in your pajamas?
Looking for part-time employment in order to help make ends meet is challenging, and working a second, or even a third job, can quickly wear a person into the ground. But sometimes you need money to make ends meet.
I know exactly what you are going through. I needed to make money, now, but I couldn’t go out and get a second job.
Discover how to begin selling on EBay without spending any money on inventory, using good product descriptions, photos and titles to get customers to look at your products and make purchases.
You CAN make a second income by selling your own clutter on EBay, then expanding your new income by purchasing small, valuable items from local thrift stores, dollar markets and swap meets.
I know this, because that's what I've done.
In this book, I'll tell you exactly what steps you need to perform.
- What needs to be done BEFORE you start selling
- The research you need to do to become acquainted with EBay
- What kind of products you can sell, generally choosing merchandise in your own home that you no longer need
- How to keep your vital feedback score high so you attract new customers
- How to ship
- What kinds of products cause problems in shipping
- What to do when your products don't sell
And many more valuable tips and essential information. I’ve covered everything you need, from the pitfalls, the problems, and things to look out for! I’ll hold your hand and have you up and running quick.
Don't let another day go by without taking action to make some extra money to help you get caught up and even head. Get your copy of this book NOW.
Excerpt
Introduction
In six months, I made $7,500 by selling merchandise on EBay; even better, I already owned everything I sold. I made this extra income by clearing out my closets, dressers, desk drawers, bookshelves, and so forth, listing products that I had purchased years before and no longer needed or wanted.
All of these things were taking up valuable space in my home, and, on the whole, they were still worth quite a bit of money. Even though I no longer needed or wanted all of this clutter, I felt there would be quite a few people out there who find my undesired belongings valuable.
The purpose of this book is to pass along the lessons that I learned while selling my stuff on EBay and, at the same time, making a little bit of extra income. This money helped pay off a few credit cards, and made the budget a little less tight. The companion book to this volume, Make Money by Decluttering Your Home, goes into detail about how to convert your clutter into cash. A third volume, Make Money Using the Internet to Build a Second Income and Create your Own Business, gives you other ways to increase your income while working from home.
Once I had taken the leap into EBay, I decided to expand my efforts by finding merchants that would sell me merchandise to resell. These included local flea markets, swap meets, sales at department stores, and so forth. Even specials on web sites such as Amazon can serve as sources for merchandise to resell on EBay at a good price and reasonable profit.
How I Got Started on EBay
Over the years, I’ve dabbled with selling on various online stores, including EBay, usually just an item now and then. I had no idea what I was doing, and EBay, in particular, appeared to be complicated and difficult to confront. Nonetheless, everything I listed sold quickly for a reasonable price. Most of the other online stores were disappointments, resulting in few sales and leading to a lot of wasted effort.
I also used EBay to make a few purchases now and again and was happy to discover that I could find just about anything that I wanted. I bought marble collections, rocks, crystals, used books, movies and an old Super Nintendo console complete with a couple of games and cheater module. It was easier than hunting around for what I wanted at thrift stores, hobby shops, and other places all around town.
A few years ago, I decided it was time to do a purge of my library of paperback and hardcover books. I realized that I was never going to read them all. I began by listing them on Amazon since that seemed to be the right place to sell books. In about four months I sold roughly 200 volumes and made between $600 and $700, after fees and shipping. Not a lot of money, to be sure, but much better than throwing the books out or leaving a big box of them at the library.
[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]
Praise for the Book
“There are a lot of great tools in this book. One of the most important pieces of advice that he gave is to become a buyer first. I don't know why I didn't think of that. This way you can see what it is like on the other end and cater to that. I've already collected several items to sell and am actually excited to try this again.” ~ Mishaah
“I am so excited to start eBaying for profit. This author TOTALLY nailed the process it takes to get started with this and what to do to be a better seller. I had no idea it would be so easy, but didn't know all the little tips he lays out so well. A very easy AND amazingly helpful read!” ~ Stephen V Wooten II
“Full of tips and tricks on how to enhance the process, to maximize returns. A must read for anyone who needs a to-the-point account of how to get started buying and selling on EBay.” ~ Elvis Niba
“All up, this gave me a really valuable insight into what is involved to make an income from EBay - even a living, if you so choose. A highly recommended read.” ~ AnnT
“This book is fresh packed full of every detail you need to sell on ebay AND make a profit! Richard has done his research and has loads of experience. If you want to avoid the pitfalls of selling on eBay just put a copy of this book into your library! He includes tons of information of each step along the way to selling. He also has tons of links on more information. This is a must read for everyone who wants to make money but doesn't know where to start.” ~ Robin Bremer, Best-Selling Author
My Review
By Lynda Dickson
In this handy volume, the author gives us advice on how to make money out of selling our unwanted belongings on eBay. And, once you sell off your own clutter, you can buy items wisely and resell them for profit. Topics covered include: finding stuff to sell, buying, selling, equipment, supplies, packaging, item title, item description, documenting imperfections, pricing your item, fixed price sales, auctions, the best time to set your auction to end, postage charges, shipping, refunds and returns, feedback, fees, setting up an eBay store, and getting paid.
Quite a comprehensive list! The content is a bit repetitive, but this does allow the reader to go back to particular sections without having to re-read the whole book. There are also a number of editing errors, the most glaring of these being the use of “EBay” instead of “eBay”. Nevertheless, this book is full of helpful advice. One of the main pieces of advice is to start off by buying a few items to become familiar with the platform and to build up a feedback score. Some of the best advice given is on what NOT to do, for example, not declaring all of the imperfections present. The author also includes a number of handy links for further information.
An indispensable tool for anyone looking to sell on eBay.
Interview with the Author
For what age group do you recommend your book?
This book is aimed primarily at young adults or adults who need to make some extra money to supplement their income.
What sparked the idea for this book?
I began decluttering my place, and didn’t want to throw things away or donate them. It seemed like a good idea to attempt to sell the stuff on eBay, and before long I was making $1,000 to $2,00 a month selling things I already owned. After a while, I decided to pass along what I’d learned to help other people.
What was the hardest part to write in this book?
Researching all of the various eBay options, then decided not to discuss the more advanced selling techniques to keep it simple. The idea is for anyone to create a second income very quickly, and eBay has so many options, and some of them are quite convoluted, that a person can easily become lost in the maze. My mission was to provide an easy, safe path through it all that actually works.
How do you hope this book affects its readers?
I’d like them to begin selling on eBay to help with their finances and make their lives better.
How long did it take you to write this book?
This took about a month to complete.
What is your writing routine?
In the evening, before going to bed, I create a calendar and to-do list for the next day. In that, I block out at least 4 to 8 hours for writing (I’m a full time writer) and at least 4 hours for promoting my books and other works. A self-published author MUST promote heavily. Books that are not promoted don’t sell.
The next day, I stick to that schedule as closely as possible.
Another thing that I do is seclude myself into my office when I write. All interruptions are put on hold. This includes silencing the phone (including texts), shutting down Facebook, and getting rid of any other distractions. My writing time is for writing, not playing on Facebook, answering the phone or dealing with others.
It’s important to treat your writing as the most important thing of all during the times you’ve set out to write. Treat it as if your life depended on it.
How did you get your book published?
What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer?
You have to sit down and just do it. Create a writing schedule, the same time (if possible) every single day, and use that time to write. Write every day.
Second, don’t edit as you write. The first step is to write your thoughts down. The second step is to edit the writing. If you mix the two, editing as you write, you slow yourself to a crawl.
I also advise self-publishing because you have complete control over the process. The downside is you have to do everything yourself, including marketing and promotion, but once you figure it all out you’ll do fine.
One of the most important things a writer can do is get a good grammar book as well as a copy of the Chicago Manual of Style. Use these constantly. Don’t ask questions about grammar and style on the internet – look them up in these two books. That way you know what is right.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I am a photographer and spend a lot of time taking photos of nature, events. and shows.
What does your family think of your writing?
My sister is extremely supportive. She believes in the power of the written word. After all, she runs a school called the Schmahl Science Center.
Please tell us a bit about your childhood.
When I was a child, I was interested in becoming a geologist. I collected every type of rock and mineral that I could find, and had a beautiful collection. I also built military models and had a model railroad in the garage. I was always creating something.
Did you like reading when you were a child?
Books were my main friends when I was growing up. I had a library of a thousand magazines and a couple of thousand books. More importantly, I read them all from cover to cover.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve wanted to be a writer from as early as I could remember. I wrote a lot, mostly for work, until I was 53 years old, then I decided it was time to take an early retirement and become a professional writer.
In the two years since, I’ve written and published 32 books and also ghost wrote 12 additional books.
Did your childhood experiences influence your writing?
I was extraordinarily introverted when I was a child, and I found that books were my best friends. They were always there, always ready to share their experiences with me.
Which writers have influenced you the most?
Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, L. Ron Hubbard, J. R. R.Tolkien, Mike Resnick, Sir Basil Liddell Hart, Sun Tzu, Arthur Hailey, and Winston Churchill.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
My readers send me messages all the time, mostly congratulations on a job well done.
What can we look forward to from you in the future?
There will be more books in the Earn Money from Home series of books. The second volume, Make Money by Decluttering Your Home: How to Supplement the Income from Your Job or Social Security without Spending a Fortune is available on Amazon.
I’m working on a science fiction novel called Peacekeeper, which is set one million years in the future.
Plus I’ve got at least a dozen more books to publish this year.
Thank you for taking the time to stop by today, Richard. Best of luck with your future projects.
About the Author
After spending over 33 years in the computer and information technology industry, Richard decided to take an early retirement to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional writer and published author. Richard is a leader in the computer industry, serving as Vice President of Consulting at Software Techniques and Beck Computer Systems before settling down as Director of Computer Operations at Trader Joe's. During his twenty-year tenure at that esteemed company, he focused on computer security and preparing for the possibility of disaster.
In addition to creating hundreds of articles for the web and blogs, Richard actively works as a professional ghostwriter. In that role, he has completed books on a wide variety of subjects including memoirs, business volumes, and novels. Because of his in-depth background in software management and computer security, Richard has ghostwritten a number of major books in those areas.
Additionally, Richard has published books of his own. His first two volumes, Safe Computing is Like Safe Sex and Real World Survival Tips and Survival Guide, respectively touch on the subjects of computer security and how to survive emergencies and disasters. Richard has also written and published a series of short ebooks on the aspects of freelance writing, including blogging and ghostwriting. Other published books include Expert Tips on Throwing a Party and How to Surround Yourself with Beautiful Women without Being a Sleazeball.
An avid adventurer, Richard has been a photographer for much of his life, with a focus on nature, scenic, performance and event photography. He has done everything from hiking in dozens of national parks throughout the country, to photographing various unique festivals and events, such as the Labyrinth of Jareth Masquerade Ball and the World Mermaid Awards Convention. He is well known in the Renaissance Festival and Belly Dance communities, having photographed over 1,200 dance events and 400 festivals. For several years, he photographed the Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, California.
Richard is currently working on a large number of short Kindle ebooks on a wide variety of subjects. Beginning in 2016, the first of a ten volume series of Science Fiction novels will be published.
One of Richard's passions is to use the power of words to educate people on human rights. He believes the world will be a better place when human beings are treated with the full respect and dignity they are due.
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