eBay Day at library

MILLERTON — The NorthEast-Millerton Library hosted a seminar Thursday, Jan. 17, to help residents learn how to use eBay, an online auction site that connects buyers and sellers from around the world. Roughly 20 people showed up for the 1:30 p.m. workshop; there was also a seminar earlier in the day, at 11:30 a.m.

The workshop was sponsored by the Millerton Post Office, which heavily promoted its services during the 90-minute presentation.

Millerton Postmaster George Stengel said the workshop was held at the request of Library Director Midge Quick.

"She saw a similar event over in Connecticut and it went over very well, so she decided to have a similar one here," Stengel said. "The library likes to hold community events and this event is great one because people like doing things on eBay."

During the 90-minute seminar, Stengel, along with rural carriers Gary Smith from Germantown and Phil Tremper from Pine Bush, taught the audience skills on how to use the site, including how to photograph and upload pictures, how to write effective descriptions of merchandise and how to post and sell items on the site.

Smith, who is a collector of U.S. postage stamps, said the site has given him opportunities to find stamps.

"Convenience is the big product with eBay," Smith said. "eBay is a worldwide marketplace. When you list a product that you are trying to sell, it is being seen by people worldwide. It expands the market place and it increases the avenues to beef up the seller’s revenue."

Tremper, who said he sells "just about anything I can get my hands on," on eBay, said he finds the site easy to use.

"My wife and I collect Dickens Village Houses [figurines] and we’ve purchased them from eBay," Tremper said. "It just gives people more opportunity to buy and sell items."

eBay has selected the United States Post Office as its preferred shipper.

According to the Web site, eBay, which was founded in September 1995, has 238 million registered users worldwide.