Most of us were raised to "not talk to strangers" so why would we buy something from one?  Getting information on Ebay Sellers is easier than you might know.  After you have registered (for free!) get to know the Ebay site by not only searching for items you may be interested in purchasing, but click on other links as well. 

For instance, at the top of the screen you will see a link entitled "site map".  Click on that and scan the many catagories available that will help you become more familiar and in the long run more comfortable with Ebay.  Suppose you are a collector of costume jewelry, click on the chat rooms link and find the jewelry room.  You can read posts made by other Ebay members.  You don't have to "talk" with anyone unless you want to and if you do, you'll find most people to be willing to answer just about any question you have from hard to find items or spotting fakes. 

Suppose you find an item you really want on Ebay, what now?  DO YOUR HOMEWORK.  That means check out the Seller.  All Sellers rely on "Feedback" ratings which, simply put, is a measurement of how well buyers rate their experience with that Seller.  You can click on the Sellers feedback number and read ALL the comments made by buyers.  Take the time to read them.  This is an excellent indicator of the type of service you can expect to receive from this Seller. 

Check the completed listings page to see how similar items have sold in the past.  This is a link you can find in the site map page.  Let's say you are buying a McCoy cookie jar.  Simply type that information and check "search completed listings" and you will get a listing of completed sales.  You can get a good idea of what you can expect to pay for the same or similar item. 

You may also wish to do research outside of Ebay by using sites like Google.  Nine times out of ten the results from these search engines will include Ebay sites.  Spend enough time researching and you will see that all roads lead to Ebay! 

Once you have checked out the Seller and the item it is time to bid.  Make sure you have thoroughly read the listing.  The listing should contain every bit of infomation you need to make an informed and safe purchase.  Look at all the photos, be sure the measurements included in the description jive with the item you have in mind, and look at the payment and shipping options.  There are some Sellers that will not ship internationally.  There are some Sellers that will only accept money orders.  There are some Sellers that add a handling fee on top of shipping.  If you are uncomfortable with any aspect of a particular Sellers method of business, do NOT bid.  If you have a question that is not addressed in the listing scroll to the bottom of the listing and click on the "ask the Seller a question" link.  As a Seller myself, I can tell you that I welcome questions.  I want the buyers of the items I list to be happy with their purchase.  If you wait until the last few minutes of the auction to ask your question you may not recieve an answer so ask your questions well before the auction ends.  I have found most Sellers to be extremely responsive to my inquiries.

Carefully consider the TOTAL cost of the item you wish to buy.  Some Sellers offer items at low prices that seem to good to be true.  Make sure you factor in shipping and handling.  There are many items I almost bought until I realized that the shipping and handling cost more than doubled the cost of the item alone!  Why is that?  Maybe it is a fragile item that requires expensive packing materials.  Or maybe the item is overseas and shipping is expensive.  Sellers have to pay a "final valuation" fee on the items they sell.  This fee is based on the selling price of the item alone without shipping and handling and maybe this is a way for them to make a few extra bucks without having to pay Ebay a percentage.  I don't sell this way and I do not deal with Sellers who sell this way.  I've spent a lot of time researching shipping methods to ensure that my Buyers are paying the lowest shipping price possible.  The USPS offers very low media rates for bound printed matter, they offer flat rate boxes to anywhere in the US regardless of weight.  They offer flat rate envelopes to Europe.  UPS offers free insurance and tracking.  You should familiarize yourself with the many options available.  If you have a preferred shipping method in mind that a Seller does not offer in their listing, ask them if they will do that for you.  Maybe they weren't aware of that particular shipping service or they simply forgot to put it on their listing.  Remember, smart people ask questions.

Purchasing on Ebay can and will be a positive experience for you if you do your homework and ensure that your expectations will be met by the Seller of the item you choose.  If you spot an item that you want ASAP and the Seller ships only once a week, your expectations may not be met.  As a Buyer, you are in the drivers seat dealing from a position of great power.  You decide who to buy from.  You decide how much you are willing to pay. 

I love Ebay.  I will never buy retail again!  Did you  know you can buy gift certificates to restaurants, beauty salons, and department stores?  Did you know you can buy that gravy boat to complete your china set at a third of the cost you might find elsewhere? If it's not on Ebay, you don't need it!

Thanks for taking the time to read my review.  I hope you become a regular Ebayer like me.  Just remember to do your homework on the item and Seller and you won't be dissappointed.  Happy Bidding!