EBay is sometimes referred to as an online flea market. A more accurate description is that it's the world's biggest Internet marketplace, where people can list and bid on auction items as well as buy items at set prices.

Sellers far outnumber buyers, ranging from people who are cleaning out their garages to retailer Best Buy Co. and computer seller Dell Inc.

Aaron Oya, U.S. Postal Service small-business specialist in Honolulu, said he's seen estimates that people typically have $1,500 worth of unused items they can sell on eBay. There are several routes to learn how to sell those items on eBay.

Potential merchants should familiarize themselves with the workings of the site and develop an understanding of how eBay's feedback rating system works, eBay's PayPal payments service, why most auctions end on Sundays and what to do about buyer disputes.

Prospective sellers can start by: