Ebay- Perfect Your Bargaining Skills!
Written: Sep 4, 2002
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I discovered Ebay a couple of years ago and have been hooked ever since. I have found many people who have heard about Ebay but have been a little nervous about purchasing from such a site. Their concerned that they may get ripped off and never see the items they bid on. I am here to tell you that the vast majority of Ebay transactions are succesful.
What Is Ebay?
Ebay is an online auction site. You can use Ebay in one of two ways. You can list items you wish to sell there and have others bid on them. Or you can find items you'd like to purchase and then you bid on them.
How Does It Work?
Ebay is simple to use. If you are interested in purchasing something you've seen on Ebay all you need to do is set up an account and bid on that item. If you are the high bidder, you win! Then you pay for your item and the seller ships it to you.
If you have items to sell on Ebay you list those items for others to bid on. Once they pay you, you send them their items.
Is It Safe?
Ebay is very safe. When you register with Ebay you are agreeing to the Terms of Service which state that all bids are binding. That means that if you bid on something you really do have to buy it. Of course if you don't the seller can leave you negative feedback and report you to Ebay. If you are reported a few times Ebay will take your account away. I have had 1 person who did not pay me, once I reported her as a potential non-paying bidder to Ebay they sent her a notice reminding her that she needed to pay, and she did.
Of course there is always the potential to have someone bid on your item and not pay you. In this event you can file a complaint with Ebay and they will not charge you the selling fees, you will still be charged the listing fees though. I had a friend that had to do this and it was very comforting to her to know she would not be charged for selling the item when she really hadn't.
As a buyer, I admit it is a bit scary to send money to a complete stranger and "hope" that they send you the item and that the item is in the condition that the seller has described. I have bought many things off of Ebay and I have always been very happy with the items that I have bought.
One way to be sure you are dealing with someone who is legitimate is to check their feedback rating. All buyers/sellers on Ebay have feedback ratings for past auctions. I look at this number and the comments that other buyers/sellers have left to make sure the people are on the up and up. If I am interested in bidding on something and the seller has a low or negative feedback rating I won't bid from them. If you buy or sell on Ebay, I encourage you to leave feedback for the person you are doing business with.
What Can You Buy On Ebay?
You can buy everything on Ebay. Food, gift certificates, clothes, toys, books, DVD's, music, events tickets, collectibles, art, cars, and even adult related items (or so I've heard, LOL).
How Do I Get Started?
In order to sell your stuff on Ebay you need to set up an account. There are fees associated with selling, for instance it is 35 cents to list your item. Once your item sells you will be charged a percentage of the selling price. Because of this you will need to provide a credit card to Ebay so they can automatically deduct the fees once per month. There are also listing upgrade fees that you can pay, these are by your choice and include fees for adding more than 1 picture, selling it as a "buy it now" item, and other things.
If you want to bid on Ebay you also need to create an account. I don't think that having a credit card is necessary for this. There are no fees charged by Ebay for bidding on items listed. You do need to read the auction profile closely to see what the seller is charging for shipping/handling or any other fees.
How Do I Pay Or Get Paid?
There are many different payment options. I prefer to be paid through PayPal. What that means is that my buyers send me money through www.paypal.com and it comes to me instantly. It is deducted from their checking account, paypal account, or credit card. This is a very safe way to pay and they only give their credit card info to PayPal, not to me.
I also prefer to pay through PayPal because I do feel it is safer. You can also make payments through Ebay payments much the same way.
Another payment method would be Money Orders. I also prefer these because you are not exchanging personal information and I don't have to worry about being paid by a check which may bounce.
Make sure you check the auction listing for the payment method that will be accepted so you can be sure you can pay that way. If you are listing an item for sale make sure you plan ahead and list what payment forms you will take. If you only take Money Orders then you will need to state that in your auction. You want those payment methods to be clear. If you take personal checks I would advise the buyer that you will wait for the check to clear before sending their item.
Final Thoughts
You can find some great deals on Ebay. I have bought used books that were in great condition for my kids, as well as brand new books. You do need to be careful that you aren't paying more (with shipping) than you would in the stores, so it does take a little research. I have always been very happy with the items I have bought.
I have also been succesful at selling things on Ebay. I always check to see what the going rate is for items that are similar to what I am selling. I also check the "completed items" to make sure they are selling for a fair rate. I have found things I would like to sell and when I check the completed items I notice they don't sell, therefore I don't list them.
Ebay is a great place to bargain. You can find some great items at low prices. You can also find hard to find items or collectibles at fair prices. Just remember not to overbid.
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Location: Californina
Reviews written: 298
Trusted by: 320 members
About Me: Feel The Roar! GO KINGS!!!!
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