This is a guide for buyers who are new to eBay...below are 8 areas to review which may help make your buying experiences pleasant:

1. Check seller's feedback

Look at all of their negatives - were they for buying or selling?  Some buyers can be unreasonable - did the seller deserve the negative feedback or was it for something out of their control like the post office taking longer to deliver item or item caught up in customs?  Are most of the negatives for the same issue (lack of communication, damaged item, NWT item that is very worn, etc)?   Look at their positives, too.  Get an idea of the kind of seller they are.  How long have they been selling?  If you recognize other people who have bought from them, can you email them to see how happy they are?   Remember - feedback percentage is only one indicator of how your transaction may go. 

2. Check what else the seller has for sale

Do they specialize in the item you are looking for & can they answer questions about it intelligently?  Ask some questions...are they responsive and do they answer quickly?  Are they interested in your concerns?   Sometimes sellers have tons of disclaimers on their auctions to protect themselves (my auctions have quite a few!) but when they respond to a question, they are really nice.

3. Return policy

Many reputable sellers do not accept returns:

• This is because the cost of selling on ebay can be quite high, not only financially, but also an item may not do as well if it has to be relisted a second time.  In addition, many sellers are concerned that an item may be exchanged for a fake or damaged when they receive it back. 
• If the seller does accept returns, note if they charge a restocking fee, refund shipping, etc.  Make sure you agree to the terms of the sale before bidding.  Not all sales go well, so understand if this is a final sale or the costs involved in returning an item. 
• If you do return an item, send it insured with signature confirmation for your safety and the seller's safety.  It may cost you extra, but it's worth it if the item gets lost.

Disputes filed with paypal do not always go they way you would think...best to get things worked out before it gets to this point.  If you buy the item for a decent price but are not pleased with it, sometimes you may be able to resell it for a profit and avoid the dispute process. 

4. Payment

Note the types of payment the seller accepts before bidding.  Does the seller require a confirmed paypal address?  If so, make sure your address is confirmed (the address on a credit card is the shipping address in paypal).  If you want to get your address confirmed, go to paypal and they will help you through it.  You can also call them at their toll free number which shows up in paypal.

5. Shipping

Domestic shipping:  find out the shipping cost if it is not listed.  Does the seller offer insurance?  Best to always get insurance in case of loss or damage to your purchase.  Once the seller mails the package, the seller has limited control over the package.  Although signature confirmation may be a hassle if you need to pick up the item from the post office/delivery unit, it's better to have to sign for the item - this becomes important if a sellers says you received the item and you haven't.  Delivery confirmation is fine on lower cost items; however, many times the postal carrier will leave the item at your doorstep and it could get stolen or damaged during bad weather.  Make sure your address is correct!  Also check for combined shipping deals. 

• Please note that the shipping price quoted usually includes the cost of postage, packaging, box, paper to print label, gas to take item to post office, etc.  If you don't agree to shipping cost, best not to bid than take issue with it later.  Of course, the seller may have made a mistake on quoted shipping cost, so you could confirm cost or ask for a discount.  Usually, a seller cannot discount shipping on one item or change the shipping method.  Shipping rates for the post office can be checked on the USPS.COM website if you are interested in postage costs.  Others may use Fedex, DHL, UPS, etc.

International shipping: this can be very costly.  Not only is shipping higher, but as a buyer, you may encounter very high customs fees/duties.  Most sellers expect the buyer to cover the cost of these duties - ask before bidding or review the seller's ME page & information.  Ask about how a seller declares items for customs.  Many are very clear about not declaring items as gifts or under-declaring the value of the item.  For USPS Express shipping, a seller can only insure an item up to the value claimed for customs or the allowable amount per country.  Understand that these costs can be substantial & that the seller may want to protect her/himself by fully insuring the item.  Please note:  Many sellers will not ship overseas...make sure the seller you are researching ships to your location before bidding. 

6. Getting discounts when buying

Once you have located the item you wish to buy, found a seller you'd like to buy from and understand the seller's policies, it's time to buy.  Many times, repeat buyers may get discounts or free shipping.  Contact the seller and remind them of your prior purchases.  Ask for a price reduction or a deal on shipping.  Even if the seller can't afford a discount on this item, they many keep you in mind for future items or give you a price break on something else with a higher profit margin.  Of course, there are sellers who may be offended if you ask for a discount...I personally would rather ask and be told "no" then never ask at all :)

7. Buy! (or to BIN or not to BIN)

Make sure that the seller you are reviewing accepts bids from new buyers.  Some sellers will cancel bids on buyers who have less than 10 or 20, etc. feedbacks.  This is because a high percentage of new buyers bid and then don't pay.  Since this costs the seller the Listing Fee (which can be anywhere from a few cents to over $30 depending upon the listed price and listing options like bold, borders around an item, or a featured listing at the top of the page) and quite a bit of time, this policy is not unreasonable.  If you really want to bid on an item where the seller does not allow new buyers, try emailing the seller and asking if you can bid.  Many will change their mind if they determine that you are a serious bidder!

Make sure the item is authentic (check guides on ebay, become familiar with your item at a store/boutique, review feedback, etc.).  Make sure you are comfortable with the amount of money you are planning to spend with this seller.  I've seen some buyers spend $1000+ on a designer bag with a seller who has very little feedback or very poor feedback.  Sometimes, it works out and sometimes the item is a fake.  There are a couple of great online authentication sites for authenticating handbags and accessories.

Each seller has their own methods of determining condition of an item.  What you consider NEW (new and never been used) may be surprisingly different than the "NEW" item you may receive.   Same for MINT, GENTLY USED, GOOD, EXCELLENT, PRELOVED, USED etc.  I've received items listed as "Gently Used" that truly belong in the trash.  PRELOVED can mean someone was really careful with the item and used it sparingly or they used it day and night for years (and carried / wore it in blizzards, mudslides, gardening :)  On the other side, I've bought things listed as USED that look brand new from the store.  Ask the seller for more information on their description of condition if you are unsure.  Make sure you understand how they determined condition.  As I noted earlier, disputes with paypal don't usually go as you would expect - try to find out as much information before you purchase so you aren't disappointed.

Personally, my idea of condition is as follows:

1. NWT - Brand new, never used with tags - 100% new
2. NWOT - Brand new, never used without tags - 100% new
3. MINT - Looks almost new; used very little - not New but as close as you can get with no wear to mention- 95% new
4. Excellent - Looks great, used, very little or minor wear - 90% new
5. Very Good - Nice condition, used, minor to moderate wear - 80% new
6. Good - Looks good but is starting to show more wear; may have a small issue noted such as wear to piping, etc. - 60-70% new
7. Used with Issues - has something which needs to be noted
8. Vintage - to me, this means an older bag and doesn't affect condition.  You can have a vintage bag that has never been used (i.e. a 20 year old bag packed away and just found).  Sometimes aging will occur on a vintage item due to time and not use.

Please note this rating system is what I use...other sellers would have a different system for rating condition, of course.

Many sellers offer a BIN or Buy It Now price on their items.  If there is a small price difference between the starting bid and the BIN, you may want to BIN if this is an item you really, really want or you'd like to receive this item quickly and not wait for the auction to be over.  Otherwise, you may be outbid. 

If you have to have this item for a specific purpose (i.e. Christmas, a birthday, a trip), make sure the seller is aware of your needs and can meet them.  Sometimes it may be necessary for a buyer to pay extra for overnight Express guaranteed shipping.  Other times, a seller will not be able to meet your needs and you should buy your item somewhere else.  Sellers have limited control over the item once it is in the post office/UPS/Fedex's hands.  Shipping times may vary around holidays, rough weather, etc.

Be a good buyer and pay quickly.  If something comes up where you are unable to pay within the seller's terms, email them and let them know of your situation.  Communication is very important.  Remember, the moment an item sells, the seller incurs a Final Value Selling fee which can be quite substantial on high end items and is a percentage of the selling price.  Hopefully, the seller will send your item out within a reasonable time frame and you will receive it without incident.

8. Feedback

If you decide to leave feedback, be fair.  You can leave feedback for an item within 60 days of purchase.  Review eBay's policies regarding feedback if you have questions.  Most of the comments are permanent and can not be edited or removed once left.  My personal policy is to leave feedback once I receive an item as a buyer.  As a seller, I leave feedback once I see that feedback has been left for me.  Each seller has their own philosophy on this topic.  If you decide to leave feedback using the Star Rating system, remember that shipping costs are expensive and not entirely in control of the seller; also, a seller can ship quickly, but it's up to the postal carrier or Fedex, etc., to get it to you in a timely manner.  These Star Ratings are very important to sellers now because Ebay is now charging sellers different final value fees based on their Star Ratings...please be fair - the good sellers really try hard to make Ebay a pleasant place to shop :)  

***  Please also note that if you are extra picky, you may want to pay a bit extra and buy from a store.  For certain brands, I almost always buy from a store boutique that I can visit in person - that way I know exactly what I'm getting and am not disappointed. ***

My biggest tip would be to ask about every issue that concerns you.  Do you want to see the purse on a real person or dummy?  Would you like to see the silver jewelry on a certain color background?  Do you understand the return policy if one exists? If you aren't sure of the color, ask to see a picture of the item next to another color so you can get further perspective.  Of course, the seller may not be able to answer your questions or provide additional information...every seller handles requests differently. 

Try not to purchase an item in a hurry...take your time.  It's better to miss out on an item you're not sure of than to buy one that is not what you want.  Another item usually comes along...  BEST NOT TO BUY UNTIL YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH SELLER, CONDITION, COLOR, SIZE, AUTHENTICITY, RETURN POLICY, PAYMENT METHOD etc. 

Good luck & may you enjoy "good buys"!

*** IF THIS GUIDE WAS HELPFUL TO YOU, PLEASE VOTE "yes" BELOW! ***