The largest auction site in the world usually doesn't need an introduction. If you don't know about eBay, you not only don't go online, you don't watch television or read newspapers, either! This gigantic marketplace has a presence in practically every country in the world. It was originally going to be called "Echo Bay", but that domain was already taken. It was shortened to ebay - and the rest is history.



While it was originally just a way for folks to auction off personal property and unusual items, it has grown far beyond the "yard sale" image it began with. For you, the aspiring entrepreneur who wants to break into Internet Marketing, it can be the easiest and cheapest way to do so.

Rather than detailing how it works (which you can find out by going there and poking around) here are some tips for making the best use of this resource:

- Think of eBay as a starting place for your marketing efforts. Be ready to move beyond it. The real value of eBay is in the customers and contacts you will develop.

- Always play by the rules. Trying to bend or break them will just get you banned or ruin your reputation.

- Be very careful when it comes to costs, fees and extras for your auctions, fixed price sales and classified ads. Don't end up spending more to sell than you make in profit.

- Learn to make use of the social networking opportunities there. Blogs, groups and discussion forums are a great way to expand your knowledge and make valuable connections with other marketers.

- Test, test, test! Always be examining and tweaking your ads and sales copy. A minor change can sometimes result in major profits.

- Get a Premier or Business PayPal account. You'll increase your credibility and make it very easy to accept payments from people all over the world.

- Explore the international markets on eBay. Each country has its own version and you may discover untapped markets outside your own country. Some new member countries offer an eBay store or shop with no fees for a whole year!

- Make good use of the Help and tutorials for learning about how to make the best use of eBay.

- Discover ebay's PULSE, a source of current hot search terms and best selling items.

- Take advantage of the tools and statistical analysis products. They can provide you with information that will increase your profits and reduce your workload.

Remember that your business will only be limited by your imagination and vision. The bigger you see the possibilities of using eBay for starting and growing your business, the bigger you can become in a relatively short time.

If you are unfamiliar with doing business online, you may feel overwhelmed by all the things you have to learn. "Information overload" is a natural part of starting up. Just know that the system is set up to make it easy for just about anyone to get started and learn quickly how to make it work.

Once you are established in your particular niche within the marketplace, start learning how to expand beyond eBay itself. Find out about hosting your own Web site, getting your own domain name, building a list of contacts and customers that you keep in touch with, expanding your business to reach the World Wide Web and more. Yes, you can make a nice profit just on eBay. You can also create a business that uses eBay as a starting point, and ends up making you more successful than you dreamed possible, when you first started out.