Post office offers eBay course

By FRITZ MAYER

ELDRED, NY — Concerned about the rocky economy, teetering big banks and the coming or current recession? Well, do something about it. Learn to sell stuff on eBay.

Okay, the income from selling online probably won’t be enough to make up for a lost job, but selling online can help to bring in a few extra bucks, and the postal service can teach you how to do it.

The Eldred, Yulan, Barryville and Highland Lake post offices will host free seminars on how to sell items on eBay. In a press release, Yulan Postmaster Paul Wilbur, said, “eBay is great for small businesses or for the homeowner who simply wants to make extra money on items no longer used. We are happy to bring these seminars to our town.”

So why is the United States Postal Service (USPS) offering this? It’s all about business. If you do decide to sell your treasures online, you’re likely to ship them through the post office.

Jim Griffith, who carries the title of eBay’s dean of education, said the partnership with USPS started in the summer of 2005 because the post office noticed, “they were getting an enormous number of inquiries about how to ship a lot of packages for eBay.” He said that many postal workers were eBay buyers and sellers, and offered to teach the classes and thus was born “eBay Days.”

On the rare chance that you’re not familiar with eBay, it’s a site that allows people to sell almost anything and everything. In fact, Griffith asks people to try to think of something that isn’t available on eBay?it isn’t easy to do.

Still, people continually come up with new ways to use the site. Just now, for instance, Ian Usher, a British man in Australia who recently underwent a divorce, wants to start a brand new life. His method is to sell his old life?all of it?on eBay. He’s selling his house, car, jet ski, all his possessions, even his friends. Okay, you can’t really buy his friends, but Usher promises if you buy his life and move to Australia, his friends will be happy to visit with you. Don’t believe me? Check out his website at www.alife4sale.com. His eBay auction is scheduled to begin on June 22.

But now back to more local concerns. The eBay seminars will be conducted on Thursday, March 27 at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the Eldred Town Hall, 4 Proctor Road at the Eldred four corners. Admission is free.

For further information call 845/557-8515.