NOW I will comment on your post...

> Everyone's time is worth something. And, while what each of our time is
> worth may vary, if you can buy information that would take you hours,
> weeks, or months to gather yourself, spending the money may actually save
> you money.

> However, there's a 'but' involved with this, and it's a very large BUT
> .....

> Is the information you're buying of any real value? Does the person you're
> buying it from know what they are talking about? Have they walked the
> walk?

In the case of IMC's course, most definitely. 

Anybody familiar with Corey Rudl's company knows that their expertise is in "internet marketing" -- not eBaying -- but this course was written in conjunction with one Brandon Dupsky, who has built an eBay empire (oh, and he makes a bundle too).

> When you're dealing with eBay much of the information you that you will
> pay for is written by people who have no real idea what is involved with
> making money on a week-in-week-out or year-in-year-out basis because they
> have never done it. All they've done is sold a few things on eBay and then
> decided to write a "how-to" product because people wanting
> information about selling on eBay represent a huge on-line market.

This is the problem with buying information on "internet marketing," too, and it makes me CRAZY.

People sell a couple of products, or even just put up a website that gets some traffic, and suddenly they're experts.  That's why I go so far as to say MOST information for sale is crap -- because gurus multiply faster than rabbits.

> The result is that many of the eBay courses/programs available for sale
> are, at best, simple re-hashes of what you can find on eBay's help pages.

Most of the ones I have read are exactly that.

> At worst, many of them tell you to do things that are against eBay's
> policies and, if eBay catches you, will get you banned from selling on
> eBay.

I've seen one of those, too, and I'm sure there are plenty more where it came from.

> And while, as I said, I don't own either of the courses mentioned
> here, unfortunately most of the bad information is the more expensive
> information.

Would you be terribly offended if I rewrote that to read:  "...unfortunately, most of the bad information is AMONG the more expensive information" ??

> John Reese's course contains good basic information for someone just
> getting started on eBay, but from what I've been told by affiliates who
> promote it that I trust, it doesn't go much further than that. If you want
> your "how-to get started" information all in one place you will
> probably learn just as much from reading Terry Gibb's eBay Seller's Guide
> and it's free.

And like you said earlier, eBay gives GREAT "getting started" information, and it's free.

IMHO, this is where the IMC course shines:

Not only does it go into great depth on the basics (making some points clear to me when I didn't quite "get it" even after reading less memorable how-to books and all the free information I could find) --

but it goes WAY BEYOND the basics -- and, as I've said ad pukium, it never leaves you hanging, wondering what to do next, but I digress.  Getting back to "Beyond the Basics"...

An example would be the comprehensive chapter on Creating a Community of Loyal Bidders and Selling To Them for Life

• Why keeping your customers happy (and coming back for more) is the ONLY way to survive on eBay
• How to lay the foundation for long-lasting relationships with your customers and bidders
• Learn the insider secrets to selling more items to your best bidders, and
• Keep in touch for free using tried and tested e-mail marketing techniques.

There's also a comprehensive section on Increasing Your eBay Income Exponentially by Testing New Strategies and Tracking Your Results

• If you're not testing, you're throwing away big profits!
• What you should be testing
• How to test these elements
• Critical statistics you should be tracking
• Analyze your testing over the long term

And while I know this is covered in many other how-to products, I have yet to see it covered to this extent, or this clearly, and that is, how to research products and your potential market before you jump in.

> I know nothing about the course MaaMaa promotes, but I will say that when
> I read the sales letter it's a little like being next to a major fire
> station when they receive a call for a 7 alarm fire.

All their sales letters are like that.  We are not amused.

That's why I send people to my own testimonials first -- because while they are, shall we say, "enthusiastic," I don't think they read quite the same way (at least I hope they don't).

Having said that, the IMC people are making millions and I'm barely paying the mortgage, so I would have to conclude they know something I don't, bwahahahahahaha!.

> But they've both been
> written by people who I know have actually sold full-time on eBay for
> several years.

As is this one... it's "By Brandon Dupsky and The Internet Marketing Center," not the other way around.

If I had to guess, I would say Brandon contributed the knowledge and IMC turned it into the great product it is.

> You don't need a 30
> page sales letter to say "here's what I've got, here's what you get,
> here's what it will do for you, here's what it costs and here's where you
> can buy it."

I agree (heavy sigh).

But like it or not (need 'em or not), those 30-page sales letters really do the job.

> Most people will pooh-pooh this, but that's what you get for twenty-three
> cents from someone who's been there, done that, and walks the walk on a
> day-in, day-out basis.

I don't poo-poo it (I don't poo-poo *anything* you say).  But 30-page sales letter or not, IMC's eBay course is, IMHO, nothing short of MAGNIFICENT and the best, most solid start anyone could possibly get...

IF they want it all laid out for them.

Luv,