This is a brief guide intended to show you how to save yourself massive amounts of money as a shopper in the metaphysical category. I call this method "paying less by paying attention".   This is a simple method that will not only prevent you from bidding on items that are false, but it will also actually show you who is being truthful and who is not.  That way, when you see  a merchant trying to pull one of these tricks, you will know straightaway that they are not sincere. One thing that I've learned in life is that if someone is dishonest about one thing, they usually aren't sincere about most other things too.

One of the most obvious phenomenons in the metaphysical category is how items with high final bids immediately get replicated by other sellers.   As a buyer, I would be insulted by this grandiose display of disrespect for my intelligence. Let's look at a hypothetical example. A seller  lists some item on eBay that has never been listed on eBay before and the item has several key words in it, so let's say the item title is HAUNTED RING OF THE FIFTY SIXTH REALM OF TIGERS-HEAD SPINNING RESULTS (this sounds like something from the metaphysical category, doesn't it? LOL).  For one reason or another the item gets a lot of interest and sells for a very high final bid. One week later another ring is listed at auction by  another seller and the title says HAUNTED AMULET OF THE THIRTY FIFTH PLANE-HAIR RAISING POWER.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen this happen on eBay, not only in regard to my own auctions but in regard to other auctions that I have seen. Maybe people who shop the metaphysical category often overlook these kind of things, but I think it is very important that this does not get overlooked because it will save people a lot of hassle in the long run.  So, if you are a buyer in the metaphysical category I suggest looking  at the items which are gaining the most interest and making a mental note of  them. That way, if you see it replicated in another auction a few days or weeks later  it will send up a giant red flag as to the legitimacy and honesty of the seller who has copied that auction.  Sometimes sellers will copy the actual "vibe" of an item too. For example, one seller may have a doll that is genuinely exhibiting ectoplasm. The seller manages to capture an ecto manifestation on film and due to the unusual nature of the doll, it ends with a high final bid. One week later another seller comes along with a doll exhibiting ectoplasm....with their own concocted video trying to copy the first seller. Watch for sellers who consistently engage in trying to follow what they perceive as trends. There should not be "trends" when it comes to paranormal items, and when there ends up being a trend peopel should start smelling a rat.

Actions speak louder than words, and the action of copying an auction simply because it had a high final bid shows this other's motives are with money alone. One of the most unfortunate things in the metaphysical category is the way that so many auctions seem to mimick other ones. This is especially true when it comes to Djinn. If one seller makes up a Wonkabar Djinn then all of a sudden five other sellers are selling Wonkabar Djinn then it should show people exactly what is going on  here. The metaphysical mashup (trying to pass of things that do not exist and calling them facts) can sometimes spin out of control, and before you know it everyone is competing to sell the same fraudulent story. This is very disheartening because it's bad enough when one person does it, but then to actually see hoardes of other people copying the first persons lie is VERY discouraging. Even sellers with authentic paranormal items have their auctions copied, but it is especially depressing when the fraudulent auctions get copied over and over again. THAT is precisely how this whole Djinn phenomenon got started on Ebay.

So, if you pay attention in the metaphysical category you can save yourself a lot of grief and be able to spot a snakeoil salesman from a mile away.