Buying on Ebay

There are countless bargains on Ebay. Whether you're looking for a steal on a new or slightly used item or an old collectible from your past, Ebay is one of the best sites to visit. Its easy to register and set up an account but try to follow these simple rules.

Don't get over zealous. If you're not looking for an extremely rare item, make your bid and if you don't get your price, try again when a similar item comes along.
Don't get in a bidding war. Many buyers just wait for the last 5 minutes or less to make there move. Many items are lost in the last minute of an auction.
Pay attention to the shipping cost. One item may be listed for a few dollars less, but the seller may have a much higher shipping cost. Some sellers state they only ship once ever few weeks so if you're in a rush for your item you may want to avoid these types of sellers.
Pay attention to the sellers rating. You may see an incredible price on an item with a brand new seller, but a low rating means you could be taking more of a risk.
Read the item description carefully. It should say if the item is new or used for example. It could say the autograph is a facsimile which is a copy of an autograph or the item is a copy not an original. The item may have pieces or manuals missing. These could be why the deal might be too good to be true after all.
Try using different keywords sometimes for an item. An item listed with a less than common keyword could mean less viewers and potentially less bidders.
When paying for an item you might want to consider setting up an Ebay PayPal account. Its quick and easy. You link the account right to a bank or credit card and purchases you make take that amount of money out and put it right into the buyers Paypal account. It makes the transaction go through a lot quicker and easier. No writing and mailing checks and waiting for the checks to clear and no running to a bank or grocery store to get a money order for and extra dollar or two.
Are you looking for a movie or video game and you don't want to wait for the listing to expire. You might want to check Ebay's other site Half.com. Half.com has thousands of items for sale broken down into many categories. Most are listed in ways like New, slightly used or worn. There is no bidding on these items. If you see a game or movie you want you just put it into your cart and make your purchase. Shipping is usually very reasonable on this site as well.
Make sure you leave a rating for the buyer after the exchange is completed. This helps buyers and they will usually return the favor by leaving a favorable rating for you as well which can be very useful if you plan on possibly selling items in the future.
If you think its been a long period of time and you haven't received your item contact the seller. If no response then contact Ebay. If there is a response and they explain the problem give the item a little time and if nothing contact the seller once again or contact Ebay to help solve the problem. If you don't get what you think you ordered though or get no response after payment don't be afraid to leave a negative rating. You have the ability to warn other shoppers to be wary and if a seller gets too many negative ratings they can have there account suspended or terminated.

Selling on Ebay

If you have a little clutter around the house and you could use a little money Ebay is a great place to make yourself a little money. Unlike a garage sale where you have to sit around all day and hope someone offers more than a quarter for some of your cd's with Ebay you just spend a few minutes creating a listing and let the time run down. Almost anything can be sold on Ebay. If you got a large collection of old video games, dvds, records, toys, baby items, appliances or just about anything that's legal to sell then Ebay is for you. You can even sell your car or truck on Ebay. Below are just a few tips I would try to use when selling on Ebay.

The most important part of an auction is the listing. Check your spelling carefully and the more keywords such as the brand name or model number the better.
Give a good description and try to use a couple keywords that might pull up your listing during a search. For example if you were selling a car in local newspaper you wouldn't put "RED CAR for sale" You might put 1999 Honda Accord with low miles, AC, 4 door, Runs great, Moon Roof, etc. You are selling your product so try to SELL your product. Let them know why someone might want your item. Let them know if its hard to find or if its in great condition.
State your shipping charges clearly so there are no surprises later for the buyer.
Once payment is received try and ship your item as soon as possible. This will more likely lead to a favorable rating which can potentially mean more future business for you.
Be clear with what type of payment methods you will accept and consider setting up a PayPal account so its easy on you and the buyer.
Make sure you leave a good rating for the buyer of your item once the exchange is completed. Many sellers won't leave a rating if you haven't rated them first.