In 2000, my husband and I made the life-altering decision to move to Hawaii from the San Francisco Bay Area. We chose the Big Island, home of flowing Kilauea and the volcano goddess Pele, and the famous snow-capped Mauna Kea and ever-popular Kona coffee. We were simplifying our lives, and what better place to do this in than paradise? Our daughter was born shortly after our move, and suddenly we were parents who had to consult a checklist to figure out why our daughter was crying (checklists are very handy when you are sleep-deprived and your brain tends to work backwards).

It was around that time that I first discovered eBay. I did a handful of transactions that went very well, and was pretty excited. Then I had an unpleasant transaction with a seller, and decided to end my eBay experience.

Early in 2004, I looked at the huge pile of things we had managed to accumulate since our move. So much for the simple life! I had been watching eBay grow out of the corner of my eye and knew it was worth another shot.

So I tentatively did a few transactions. They went great. It was fun and my trading partners were fantastic. I opened a Store, started helping friends use eBay, and eventually became the island's first eBay Education Specialist. The fact that eBay helped me generate extra income was great – I am grateful to have options like eBay in my life and wanted to make sure other people on the island knew about it, too.

Going through the certification process tested my knowledge about eBay (even though I considered myself pretty savvy to begin with) and showed me areas where I needed to develop. For example, I wasn't fully aware of the extent of the Prohibited and Restricted Items list, so I spent more time familiarizing myself with it.

eBay members living in Hawaii have a rather unique situation, and need to take the good with the challenging. Hawaii is a state completely surrounded by water, which means that “ground” shipping is not just a truck, but a truck, a boat, and another truck. If you live on an outlying island (like the Big Island ), add another boat. Naturally, this increases both shipping time and costs. Here are some things I have learned as a seller:

• USPS Priority rates are higher for Hawaii. I subsidize shipping periodically to attract buyers, which is usually a successful tactic. I want my shipping rates to be competitive so my item's have a fair shot at attracting bidders.
• Be clear to your bidders that you are shipping from Hawaii, and even explain the increased shipping time so they will know what to expect.
• After the sale, package the item exceptionally well, ensuring that it's waterproof (I sometimes double-bag an item using large resealable bags and then place it in a plastic shopping bag before putting it an envelope or box with appropriate packing material). The longer the ship time, the higher the potential for damage. Ensure sufficient packing material to protect your items.
• I also like to send a bit of aloha with every order. Sometimes it's a postcard, or a small bag of macadamia nuts, or an artificial hibiscus (a real one won't make the trip, plus it would get me in trouble with the USDA). 

Buyers in Hawaii face challenges too:

• We must honor mainland sellers who state in their listing that they do not ship to Hawaii. In other words, do not bid on the item and then tell them you live in Hawaii. You might contact the seller prior to bidding and ask if they would consider shipping the item to Hawaii. Many will say yes and provide you with a revised shipping amount.
• Do not bid on an item without knowing the final shipping cost! This is a very expensive mistake many island eBay members make, myself included.
• Consider carefully 'Ground", "Parcel Post," "Media Mail", and any flat rate shipping service that does not specify the shipping method, as these can result in a 6-10 week delivery time.

My best advice to both sellers and buyers in Hawaii is to spend time up front doing your research and always check the item location, shipping rates, and times.