eBay is the official online trading place of the world, and if you don't know what it is, you better get your eyes and ears checked. It has helped sellers make a profit and buyers get their product most of the times for a lower price. But it seems there are so many "eBay experts" that it's hard to find one who is really an "eBay expert". Well, deciding if Jim Griffith is an expert is up to you, but he is the official dean of eBay Education and an eBay University instructor.

In this instalment of Larry's World, Jim explains that the reason that buyers get ripped off or sellers don't make a profit is because of the lack of research. Before the Internet was created, to research a specific market, you needed to use your feet, just like you did to research anything else. But with eBay, it's right in front of you: if you were to simply use this information and look at sellers who have made a profit and those who haven't, you would have a much better chance of succeeding in your market.

In the same way, if you're a buyer, if you look at other places first and then come to eBay as a final option, you'll save yourself going "doh!" once it arrives and a day later you see an ad with less than the price for which you bought it on eBay for. For any eBay retailer, big or small, part-time or full time, seller or buyer, this is a must.

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Jim Griffith has been with eBay as their education expert in 1996, when he was invited to join the company as its first customer support representative. In his roll as an eBay ambassador and instructor, Jim has been travelling throughout the country leading eBay University seminars and educating thousands of people about buying and selling on eBay. Jim has authored the book "The Official eBay Bible" (see below) and has made more than one hundred local and national television and radio appearances.

Resources:

• About The Official eBay Bible

This program is from the Larry's World series.

For Team ITC:

• Description editor: Sid Yadav
• Post-production audio engineer: Paul Figgiani