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I have been a member on Ebay for a year and a half and have been selling for about 6 months now. When I first started to bid on auctions, I didn't know what to do. I would bid an amount and keep checking and if I got outbid, I would enter a higher amonut, before I understood that I should enter my maxium bid and the computer will do the rest. I have figure a system that works for me and 9 times out of 10 times I win the auctions I bid on!
First, be educated on the item you are interested in. Do your research! Watch auctions for that product and see how much it sold for before you place a bid. Also check shipping charges, if they are too excessive, don't bid! Another thing I do is research the product elsewhere. Check the BIG stores for the item and see what they are selling it for. If it is less at the store than it is on Ebay, buy it there! If you are interested in an obscure item, google it first and see prices on other websites before you place a bid. Education and research is the key to being an informed shopper!
Next, if you know you are getting the best deal on Ebay because you did your research, check the sellers feedback score for the item you are interested in buying from them. If it is 95% or higher, I would say it's a trustworthy seller and ok to place a bid on their auction. Make sure there are no hidden fees that the seller might be adding to their auction too! Find out if they charge a shipping and handling fee, or tax. Both are legitimate charges, just as long as these charges are not too excessive.
Now, it looks like you are ready to bid. When you place your maximum bid, keep in mind that if someone outbids you, don't get into a battle with bids! If you entered your maximum bid you were thinking with a clear head about how much you could really afford and not just trying to win. The same item will be just around the corner and you can try again. You do not want to spend more that item is worth, so be careful!
Some peole like to wait until the very last minute to bid on an auction. That is fine too, just remember, you might not be the only one that is waiting, and the item can double it's price in the last seconds! I f you want to be an informed, educated buyer, I would not suggest this.
My big secret is this! If my maxium bid is $20, I will bid $20.01 or $20.02 and will almost always win the auction because most people bid in whole numbers! A penny can make a BIG difference! Try it, and you will be amazed.
Next, if you know you are getting the best deal on Ebay because you did your research, check the sellers feedback score for the item you are interested in buying from them. If it is 95% or higher, I would say it's a trustworthy seller and ok to place a bid on their auction. Make sure there are no hidden fees that the seller might be adding to their auction too! Find out if they charge a shipping and handling fee, or tax. Both are legitimate charges, just as long as these charges are not too excessive.
Now, it looks like you are ready to bid. When you place your maximum bid, keep in mind that if someone outbids you, don't get into a battle with bids! If you entered your maximum bid you were thinking with a clear head about how much you could really afford and not just trying to win. The same item will be just around the corner and you can try again. You do not want to spend more that item is worth, so be careful!
Some peole like to wait until the very last minute to bid on an auction. That is fine too, just remember, you might not be the only one that is waiting, and the item can double it's price in the last seconds! I f you want to be an informed, educated buyer, I would not suggest this.
My big secret is this! If my maxium bid is $20, I will bid $20.01 or $20.02 and will almost always win the auction because most people bid in whole numbers! A penny can make a BIG difference! Try it, and you will be amazed.
Ebay is a wonderful, exciting place! Just be careful that if a deal seems to good to be true it probably is! Also be informed and educated so you can always come on top and win an Ebay auction everytime! Thanks for reading, and I hope this was helpful.
Guide created: 09/12/06 (updated 11/22/09)
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