Not a pro by any means...
I've probably sold 30 things on ebay.
I just registered with a credit card, so not sure on that other way of doing it.
type of payments: I try to stay standard, accepting paypal, personal checks(which I make sure clear based on feedback rating)
Shipping charges, I guess.
usps.com and ups.com both let you figure out prices, so I guess, but a scale would be the way to go, to get more exact prices. Also, most people use a "handling" charge. That way you can just say a blanket $5 for shipping, and then if it's between 3 and 5, your basically covered.
And one suggestion, for books, I've found half.com to be a lot easier.
Also, make your auction look good, keep it standard, use CAPS sparingly, try to be as descriptive as possible.
Also, if just starting out an ID, it's best to buy 5-10 things first, and get at least a few positive feedbacks. I rarely, if ever bid on a seller that has a rating below 5, or for that matter below 100.
good luck, dragonb