When not pursuing her collecting interests on eBay, it-girls runs an eBay business that supplies homes and businesses with quality commercial clothes hangers below wholesale prices, in a variety of sizes and styles. Check out it-girls' About Me page.

Four months later, my mother's collection grew to almost a thousand Cabbage Patch Kid dolls, more than 90% of which we got on eBay. Some people call it obsessive-compulsive behavior; I call it perfecting the art of buying on eBay.

As soon as I felt 100% comfortable with the eBay site, which didn't take long, I asked myself the inevitable question that most buyers eventually ask themselves: If it is this easy to buy, how easy is it to sell?

Learning by participating in the online Community
Coming from a generation for whom a DOS computer course was an unpopular elective (and the only computer-related elective) in school, computers can be quite intimidating to me! Learning how to sell on eBay was a major challenge, but one that I was willing to take on. Some people get books, and there are some good ones out there (The Official eBay Bible by Jim “Griff” Griffith or eBay for Dummies by Marsha Collier), but I didn't. Some people research the Internet and read countless how-to articles, but I didn't. I went to the eBay Community. Right here on eBay, on the discussion boards, the chat rooms, and the Answer Center!

I started in the eBay Café and “peeped” quietly on the board, absorbing the discussions that were taking place. I took notes on any useful piece of information that could possibly help me on eBay. I even made a list of “pinks” (widely used member term for eBay staff posting on the discussion boards – so called because of the pink stripe that is displayed on their posts) who were helping others on the boards. After I reached a level of comfort, I began posting on the boards—that opened up a whole new world to me! I got caught up in the swirl of activity, emotion, and passion that characterizes eBay's discussion forums.

"Talking eBay"
After I started selling and posting on the boards, I found many facets of my life revolving around eBay. My thoughts were eBay related, my computers were on all the time, and it was very difficult for me to hold a conversation in “the real world” without “talking eBay.”

What is “talking eBay?” Have you ever had one of those conversations where you mention to someone this great item you found or sold on eBay, go on to tell them your eBay buying or selling experience, where the item went and to whom it went? That's “talking eBay.” Generally, the person on the other end of the story looks at you with glazed eyes or pretends to listen but really doesn't. All my non-eBay friends do this—bless their hearts for being patient when I start “talking eBay.”

Build an eBay Community—locally
After several years of buying and selling on eBay, going through all the improvements and changes along the way, I felt that, because eBay had given so much to me, it was my turn to give back. I wanted people to have a safe and honest place to go when they had a really great collectible to sell, when they needed help with their listing, or when they had general eBay/PayPal questions. A place to go to discuss their newfound treasures, a place to “talk eBay” without the glazed-over eyes. I wanted people to feel like they weren't lost and, like at any other workplace they had a place to go for support if they wanted it. My goal was to recreate what I see happening on the eBay boards, only in person.

And that's how the Oregon Region eBay Sellers Group was established.

The group meets once a month in Eugene, Oregon. We “talk eBay" and network. We share ideas and stories. We meet new people and make great friendships with others who share the same eBay passion. The Oregon Region eBay Seller's Group is open to all levels of active eBay sellers. The group is free to join, and there are no catches.

Sharing, learning, teaching—and having fun
We get together on the first Tuesday of every month to share our eBay experiences. I've realized that you never know so much about doing business on eBay that you can't learn something from others. Just when you think you do, someone sitting next to you blows your socks off with what they just told you. We've even had special guests come and talk to us about eBay-related taxes, give us tips for online photography, and even to offer free appraisals of items group members want to list on the site.

The group has become quite well-known locally, and we often get inquiries from people wanting to learn to sell on eBay or to hire someone to sell for them. Our members are always happy to share our collective knowledge of eBay.

Now that we have our own little eBay group locally, we also participate more in the local community here in Eugene, Oregon. Every year, our group participates in an annual barbecue and Fourth of July parade, during which we toss toys to the children spectators. The Oregon Region eBay Sellers Group has developed a reputation in these parts for being “for the people, by the people” and that is what it is all about.

Seeing people come together each month, like a family gathering, to share their stories and knowledge is very uplifting. Putting eBay people together face to face has had a powerful return.

I've worn a lot of hats during my years as an eBay member—including buyer, seller, and obsessive collector. I'm sure that will continue. But this hat is the perfect size and fit, working with the local community to build a bigger and better eBay Community.