With the current state of America’s economy and a generation all-too reliant on technology, Web sites like eBay, Amazon.com and Craig’s List are gaining popularity by offering ways to use technology to make money.
This past Saturday, the Information Systems Management (ISM) Club offered a class open to both Quinnipiac students and the public, on how to buy and sell items using eBay. The class, a fundraiser for the ISM Club, was instructed by President Jason Bram. The club is trying to raise money to send members to the Association of Information Technology Professionals’ (AITP) National Collegiate Conference in Oklahoma City. Students will be entered into competitions against different chapters of the AITP and, according to Bram, will be able to “do some networking and give out resumes.”
Hamden resident Susan Gallagher knows firsthand just how confusing eBay can be. When she first tried to use eBay six years ago she bought a fax machine for $35 only to realize that the cost of shipping was $50. Gallagher ended up going to eBay court to resolve the issue. She appreciated the course because she learned about tactics which would prevent such discrepancies from occurring in the future.
Gallagher said the class was “easy to understand and right to the point,” unlike a previous instructional eBay class she had taken. Bram gave useful tips such as using capital letters in the title of your listings to attract potential buyers. He also explained the difference between a bid and a “buy it now” option.
The class was comprised of middle-aged people, which, according to advisor Wendy Ceccucci, was what the ISM Club was expecting.
“We didn’t think we’d get too many students, so we were counting on middle-aged to older people who didn’t have a lot of computer knowledge,” Ceccucci said.
When asked about the user-friendliness of eBay, Bram said, “At first it takes a little while to get used to, but then as you go and start listing items or buying items it gets very easy, it’s like second nature.”
Bram hoped that the course would allow people to understand the benefits of using eBay.
“You can find things that you might not be able to get at a retail store, and you can sell things you have lying around your house,” he said. “If you’re looking to pick up some money, it’s an easy place to interact with another user and make a sale or purchase something you might not be able to get elsewhere.”
