When thinking about buying homeschool materials on ebay, there are some very important questions to ask yourself before you begin.  Some you may not be aware of, even if you've used ebay before.

If you are shopping for homeschool curriculum on ebay, you need to first ask yourself what you are looking for.  Ebay has instituted a new policy banning the sale of teachers' manuals and guides, or anything containing answer keys. See ebay's teachers edition policy.  The above pictures are examples of past auctions I have held which would no longer be allowed under the new rules.  If you are looking for strictly student materials, and don't need any of the teacher materials to go with it, then ebay may be the place for you.  You may be able to do without teacher's materials in the lower grades, especially if you don't mind typing up your own tests and quizzes.  Or if you are willing to use ebay for the student materials, and buy the matching teacher's materials directly from the publisher or another source, then give ebay a try.  Just take the extra shipping costs involved in having to buy from multiple sellers into consideration when comparing prices.  If you buy an older student version, be sure to call the publisher and see if it is compatible with the new teacher's guide.  CAUTION:  If you still want to purchase matched sets or full curriculum in any subject except strictly religious material (Sunday School materials, etc.), then you take a risk of having your ebay i.d. suspended if you do happen to find those materials for sale on ebay and purchase them in spite of the ban - even though ebay has never sent out any notices or announcements on the subject, and enforcement is sporadic.  However, I have seen cases where auctions were cancelled even after they had been completed because they contained teacher's guides!

If you do not need the teachers' guides, or if you find it feasible to purchase teacher materials from an outside source, then go ahead and try buying student-only homeschool materials through ebay.  The next question to ask yourself is, do you have a particular curriculum in mind, such as Rod and Staff, Switched on Schoolhouse, or School of Tomorrow (to name a few)?  Or would you rather browse the available auctions by subject?  Either method will work.  You can simply start with the category listings and click through until you've narrowed the auctions down to the subject(s) you are seeking.  Be aware, though, that there are several possible category listings for the same material.  For example, a Bob Jones science textbook could be listed under Books, Education, Science, or Books, Education, Homeschool.  You can also search by keyword(s), for example, geography, grade 1, Abeka, etc.  Try the computer software category as well, since many wonderful educational materials are available on cd.  Since many home educators use material that is also used in classrooms (Rod & Staff, Abeka, Bob Jones, ACE, etc.), you don't have to limit yourself to the homeschool category listing to find wonderful materials for your homeschool year.  You don't have to limit yourself to curriculum, either.  You can put together a terrific learning plan for your child based on stories as well as non-fiction books about each individual subject.  For more information about this approach to teaching, check out the Charlotte Mason or Unit Studies approach.  This is a wonderful way to homeschool, although it involves more preparation on the part of the teacher than purchasing a prepared curriculum.  The advantage is that you can tailor your teaching plan to suit both the student's needs and the material you already have on hand or available at the library, as well as using materials that can be purchased on ebay.

Once you find an item you are interested in, the next step is deciding what you are willing to pay.  I recommend going to the publisher's website (if the material is fairly recent) and finding out the current retail price.  I have seen used homeschool items sell at auction for more than the publisher's price for new!  Remember to factor in the additional shipping cost if you are going to have to buy teacher's materials from the publisher, and don't forget to check the shipping cost on the ebay auction you are considering.  Sellers sometimes add handling costs.  For more info, read ebay's shipping costs policy.  Again, Do Not assume you will pay actual shipping costs.  The shipping policy will be clearly spelled out on the auction - if the charge is for actual shipping it will say so, and you will be able to enter your zip code to determine how much shipping will be.  If you can't find the shipping costs in the item description, be sure to ASK.  Email the seller with your zipcode (through the ask a question option) and ask what the exact shipping will be.  Also, don't assume that you can combine shipping for multiple items from the same seller.  Some will, some won't.  If you don't see the information on the page, be sure to ask.   The idea of buying through ebay is to save money on your homeschool curriculum, so don't spend more by paying extra shipping.  I use a rule of thumb that I like to save at least 25% off the cost of new if I buy used - more if the material is not a recent edition.  You can really get some great deals - saving as much as 90% or more off the publisher's price at times.  Ebay prices range anywhere from yard-sale prices to slight discounts - just remember that shipping cost.

Having found the item, and decided on your high bid, you need to check out the seller.  DO NOT skip this!  Look at the feedback for the person you are buying from.  If their positive feedback percentage is lower than your body temperature, find another seller.  Although ebay is a well-known venue, and purchasing through the site is generally safe, the company is not responsible for the character of every individual who uses it.  Ebay provides the feedback system for the buyer's protection - make sure you use it.  Also be careful about new users - ask some questions to be sure you feel comfortable first.  Sometimes if an ebay seller gets a really bad feedback rating, he will start a new i.d. to clear the record.  Most ebayers are wonderful, but just watch out for that feedback rating, and be sure to read the comments.  Neutrals and withdrawals can be a bad sign as well, almost as bad as negatives.  For more information, read Feedback FAQ's. 

So if you're absolutely sure about this item, and you're comfortable with the seller, now you're ready to bid!  (Once you place a bid, you can't change your mind.)  Go ahead and enter your highest bid the first time.  Ebay will automatically submit higher bids as needed - you won't necessarily end up paying your highest bid.  A frequent tactic of buyers is to wait until right before the auction ends to bid in order to avoid a bidding war, so if you don't enter your highest price right away you may miss out.  Watch your email for notices about the bidding, or keep track through your "My Ebay" page.  Make sure to finish your transaction through ebay.  If you get an offer to buy the item directly from the seller, don't take it.  There are too many scam artists out there and if you buy from them directly you won't have any of the protections ebay gives you.

So you've won your bid!  Make sure to pay as soon as possible.  Paypal is very safe and reliable.  I have used it for years without a single problem.  While you're waiting for your purchase to arrive, be sure to re-read the item description and find out how long you can expect it to take.  Be patient.  There's more to processing a sale than just running down to the post office, and sellers who have multiple auctions at the same time have a lot of paperwork and shipping to work through.  If the item doesn't arrive promptly (although most do), send the seller an email to check up on the item.  Always try to resolve problems with the seller first, and give the benefit of the doubt as much as possible.  Remember to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  Give your seller every chance to resolve the issue in a friendly manner before contacting ebay or leaving negative feedback.  If you do have a really bad experience, such as you never receive the item or it is not what you bought, leaving feedback alone will not give you a resolution.  Contact ebay with your complaint and see if it can be resolved that way.   I honestly doubt you will have any problem.  Most people who sell homeschool materials through ebay are nice, honest people, and I've had very good experiences.