Introduction / Purpose

The purpose of this article is to help new members of Ebay make educated and wise choices when making bids or purchases on Ebay. How to minimize the chance of dealing with a poor vendor / seller and derive major satisfaction from Ebay participation.

So, you've decided to participate in the wonderful world of Ebay. Welcome. The following are some tips on how to make this new adventure a peasurable one.

o  Compare pricing on similar items. Depending on other people and their desires, this like any other auction bidding can get competitive. Don't allow yourself to make this a game of combat. Keep a cool head. Similar items appear daily. If you don't get it today, tommorow might be better. This should be fun and not a "lifeor death experience". Also be sure to check shipping costs. Sometimes unscrupulous sellers will gouge on shipping costs. the shipping will end up as much if not more than the item being purchased.

o  Read the reviews of the vendor that you are bidding to. This is a biggie. See what people that have made transactions in the past have to say about the vendor and service. Long delivery times, hidden charges, no delivery, shipped different itemsetc. are flags. Don't be a victim. Ebay is like any other auction or shopping experience. There will always be someone out there looking for an easy dollar in a dishonest way. Don't depend on the Ebay staff "after the fact". They will be helpful,but even due to the law they have limits. They are not the police. Educate and study!

o Profile people you are bidding against. there are bullies everywhere you go. some have "deep pockets" and will bid just to keep some one else from getting something. This doesn't mean they'll pay for it. It just means you got "beat up and out" of the item you were wanting. It's a sign of the times. If you see from prior purchases that the person has bid and won items at ridiculously high prices, this should set off a flag. Don't compete with an ego maniac. Be smart.

o Set limits for yourself. do not spend more than you are willing to pay. Common sense comes to play here. Know what you want, and what the limit is you want to pay for it.

o Shipping costs. Let's not forget that USPS and UPS and FEDEX want to be paid too. Check with the vendor on this one. There are some vendors that will try to squeeze extra money on an item with inflated shipping costs. Trust me, I've gotten burned on this one myself. I didn't read the fine print or ask.

o  Commuication. Now here's another biggie. Don't hesitate to ask. Keep all email through Ebay. That way there is always a record should something go amiss. Remember "Murphy's Law" If it can go wrong....It will. Ask about anything prior to bidding. Condition of item, shipping costs, time to ship, payment type desired, anything that comes to mind. Ask about extras that might be included with items.

o  Bidding. O.K.now your ready to bid. Lo and behold you see a comment "Reserve not Met". This means that the vendor has set a minimum price that they are willing to accept for the article. Bid anyway. You could be the high bidder and the vendor decide to offer you the item for what you bid at a later date by lowering the price.  Put your maximum price you are willing to pay on your bid. Ebay automatically will increase your bid if someone bids against you at the minimum. This goes until your maximum bid is reached. If someone outbids you you will be notified. Handy feature so you don't have to sit and babysit the bid.

o  Snipers. Ahhh, gotta love the ones that have that software that steals the bid at the last second. Had your heart set on the widget of your dreams and at the very last second the screen flashes "You been outbid and the auction is closed" Oh yes there are those out there that have special software that will slam you on bidding. Like everything else in life there are the few that feel the rules are for everyone but them. Deal with it. Better luck next time. Again, been there on this one.

o  Winning. well so good so far. The dazzling golden widget is yours. YOU WON! now for the fun part. Pay up. Here's where you really want someone on your side. I HIGHLY recommend PAYPAL. It is added insurance to the chance of getting "ripped off" With Paypal there are records and insurance against losses. Paypal is designed for buyers protection. If you go private and send money orders or checks through the mail nothing says that the vendor ever has to acknowledge it. Think about it

o  Summary. Now that you are aware of some of the basics.. Go for it! This is designed to be fun. Whether or not you win it's the excitement of an auction that puts something back in our everyday hum drum lives. You'll also find you meet some really nice people this way. More fun than the daily trip to Megalow Mart. Just read some of the complimentary reviews people write about each other.