When I was in the Armed Forces we were always being issued with 'Survival Guides'. How to survive in the Jungle, the Desert, and the Sea are just 3 titles that I remember. But if there is one environment that has been crying out for a survival guide it is eBay.

So I was intrigued when I got my hands on Michael Banks latest book 'The eBay Survival Guide'. I soon realised that it was a cut above many of the recent eBay books. As the webmaster for UK auctionline I comes across literally hundreds of books and reports about online auctions every year. I expected this would just be another expanded version of the eBay site map. But I was wrong; this book is an informative and riveting read.

It is a fact that it is possible to make a very good living selling products through eBay. However, it is equally true that if you either go about it in the wrong way or in some cases are just plain unlucky you can lose money. One of the biggest causes of this happening is the person not fully understanding how the market place works or knowing what to do if things go wrong. After reading the 'The eBay Survival Guide' you should be much better equipped to tackle the day to day business of buying and selling on eBay.

One area that Michael covers in full detail is a subject that other books hardly mention and that is how to get the most out of the eBay search function. There are two detailed sections on buying and selling on eBay. The 'Do's and Don'ts chapters for both buyers and sellers not only show you the correct way to approach the task but also the traps to avoid.

The book is written in an easy to read no nonsense manner and you will find plenty of useful tips. One in particular that I liked was Michael's suggestion on how to react to a customer who claims that a sent item never arrived. To find out what it is you will have to buy the book.

There are two chapters that everyone who buys or sells on eBay should read. They are 'Shills, Sleazes and Seller Scams' and 'Bogus products and Money making Scams'. Being forewarned is being forearmed and after reading these chapters you should be able to avoid the pitfalls that can trap the unwary.

The book covers a wide range of subjects including effective bidding strategies, buying stock to sell a dhow to create compelling listings. Whether you are new to online auction or an old hand this is one item you should definitely add to your eBay Library. This 260+ page paperback is published by No Starch and is available from Amazon.com for $13.57 ('7.99). And whether you are a new comer or an experienced eBayer I think you will find this book interesting.