Shop Better on eBay
Buying on eBay may be fun and cost-effective, but it can also be an art form—one with many common pitfalls. Here you'll find information on how to make the most of your eBay shopping at every step along the way, from searching for the products you want to knowing whether or not you're getting a good deal. With a little bit of knowledge you'll be buying like an eBay pro in no time flat.
- Common Shopping Questions (23)
- Find Better Deals (14)
- Holiday Shopping on eBay (10)
- Shopping Dos and Don'ts (13)
- Useful eBay Shopping Tools (9)
- eBay Shopping Tips (12)
Buying on eBay: Quick Tips at a Glance
Just the quick and dirty tips on how to buy most effectively on eBay. What to do, what not to do, and links to more information. If you're looking to become the best possible shopper in the shortest possible time, this is where to start.
eBay Feedback Evaluation Quick Guide
Even if you understand how eBay's feedback system works, it can sometimes be hard to decide how to measure feedback percentages and scores against one another. Just what percentage is good? What score is good? This quick guide gives you an easy-to-read table detailing it all.
Clues That Tell You Not to Bid
eBay is a great place to shop, but it can also be a minefield for the inexperienced or uncautious. Experienced buyers know that there are a few giant red flags that you should always watch out for. If you see them, move on; they're great reasons not to bid or buy.
Innocent Gotchas to Avoid While Buying
Because of the diversity of goods and sellers on eBay, hasty buyers who fail to study item listings carefully can find themselves dissatisfied with otherwise honest sellers and as-advertised goods. eBay isn't like any other online shopping venue; here are some gotchas to watch out for that can save you heartache as you shop.
Avoiding Counterfeit Items on eBay
eBay is full of rare, interesting, and popular items. While most of them are legit, some of them just plain aren't, and it can be a bad investment to buy a counterfeit product. Here are some tips and techniques to help you to separate the true desirables from the not-so-desirables.
Sniping on eBay: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Beginners are often thrilled and terrified to discover the concept of "auction sniping" on eBay and the many services that exist to help you do it. eBay veterans generally yawn at sniping and realize it doesn't affect eBay all that much. Here's why.
Take eBay Wherever You Go
Even if you have a web-capable phone, you may imagine that eBay is too hard to use with a tiny screen and keyboard, or that only users of the latest, greatest phones can carry eBay with them. Today, in fact, most everyone can eBay on the run. Here are some quick tips.
Get to Know the Proxy Bidding System
Controversial and spectacularly useful, eBay's proxy bidding system bids automatically for you if you ask it to, leading some members to think that they're being cheated and other members to bid more often than they have to. Here's everything you need to know about how the bidding process on eBay's auction listings works.
Inside the AS-IS Auction Listing
eBay is peppered with AS-IS auction listings for all kinds of items. Some of them appear to sell goods for rock-bottom prices, while others are nearly full-price. Nearly all of them include confusing disclaimers. What's going on, and should you bid on these auctions?
Earn Rewards with eBay Bucks
eBay's new buyer rewards program is in beta testing now. Find out how it works and what its limitations are.
Name Your Own price with Best Offer
Shoppers often imagine eBay to be a place where prices are set by others. In auction format listings, prices are set by what competing bidders are willing to bid for an item. In fixed-price format listings, prices are set by the seller.
In fact, there are another class of listings on eBay in which shoppers have the flexibility to offer their own price for an item. When you make such an offer u…
Buy Globally, Receive Locally
You've read about the millions of users around the world that buy and sell on eBay... so how come so many of eBay's auctions seem to be in the United States and Hong Kong, and all of them in English?
Using eBay Reviews & Guides
Use eBay Reviews & Guides to find out how other eBay members rate the products that you're interested in buying and to get hints and tips on the best way to shop.
Returning eBay Purchases
It's inevitable that eventually you'll buy something on eBay, maybe even as a gift, that just doesn't work out and needs to be returned. When it happens, there are a few things to keep in mind as you proceed.
Buying and Selling To Order With Want It Now
If you're having trouble finding a very specific item on eBay or are interested in finding a buyer before you place a listing, consider using Want It Now to streamline the process.
Use eBay to Buy and Sell Memories and Interests
Wehter you're a buyer that likes to surround yourself with unique goods that represent important events or interests in your life or you're a seller with access to goods from places or times that mean a great deal to a great many people, eBay may the the place for you.
From eBay: Buying—Getting Started
eBay's own guide to getting started as an eBay buyer. Covers the basics, from searching through payment and delivery.
From eBay: Guide to Buying Formats
eBay's guide to the many ways that buyers can make purchases from eBay sellers, and how each differs from the rest.
Five Ways to Buy on eBay Without Bidding
If you're avoiding eBay shopping because you can't stand auctions, you may be needlessly missing out on great deals and one-of-a-kind products needlessly. Here are five ways to buy on eBay without auction-style bidding.