Ever hear the question, "Working Hard or Hardly Working?"  A good number of people would like the answer to be "Hardly Working." This workforce gobbledygook implies that the smart employee will accomplish their work goals with the least amount of invested energy.  As we approach this holiday shopping season, add a new jargon to your Christmas list. "Shop smart, Not hard". The person who has a Christmas shopping plan will buy appropriate gifts and have fun doing it, with time and pocket change to spare.  This is what is meant by the term, "Shop smart, Not hard".  Invest the minimum amount of energy required during this holiday shopping season, find an appropriate gift for your loved ones, get the best gift at blowout prices, and have a pleasant shopping experience.

At eBay.Com, Shopping smart, Not hard has never been easier.  You can shop-24 hours-a-day and find eBay items as well as"hundreds of thousands more for auction in over 500 categories". At eBay, say goodbye to canvassing store aisles to find the perfect gift, standing in long checkout lines and giving the cashier the evil eye so that he or she will read your mind and move faster than a zombie.  The heck with paying retail cost, carrying bulky packages to the car or searching for a parking space close to the mall's main entrance.  You no longer have to leave work early to beat the holiday shopping crowd or mastermind your strategy at the toy store because your young urchin must have that new game shown nonstop on YOUR television during commercials.  And, you will never have to wait until the last possible moment to do your Christmas shopping because you dread the entire Christmas shopping fiasco.  Black Friday, the big shopping day after Thanksgiving, is memorable.

"What ever happened to the real meaning of Christmas", you mutter under your breath as you weave in and out of store jams.  Suddenly, you see the light. No not that light. You are very much alive.  There is a firework of red, blue, yellow and green colors. Sounds like utopia?  No, it is only eBay, a world's online marketplace and according to eBay, "the world's largest auction". Enter the future where you can not only avoid the Christmas shopping melee but also have fun bidding.  However, there are a few guidlines a smart shopper must know if they want to accomplish their holiday shopping goals with the least amount of invested energy.  Here are the top ten ways to Shopping Smart, Not Hard at eBay. Com. 

Number 10. You must be a registered member to successfully bid on items.  eBay can cancel a bid if the buyer is not a registered user.  It is called an administration cancellation.  Complete your obligatory requirements before you start browsing to find the perfect gift.  You will avoid disappointment later.  A note about being a seller's guest. A seller can provide you with a link to their item, which means that you will become their guest.  As a guest user, you can: 1. View your eBay information on one computer only. 2. Watch up to 10 items to track their status. 3. Save up to 10 Favorite Searches.  Although you will be able to view and bid on a seller's item, you are not considered a registered user.  Unlike a guest user, as a registered user, you can: 1. View your eBay information on any computer in the world. 2. Save your favorite searches. 3. Get an email whenever new favorite items appear.

Number 9. eBay has 500 categories such as Antigues & Art, Collectibles, Jewelry, Gems, Photo& Electronics, which are subdivided.  If you have an idea what you are looking for before you go online, you can narrow your search and not spend hours searching in vain.  Have a general plan then let eBay guide you in that direction.

Number 8.  If you find an item, do not bid until you have done a little comparative shopping.  See what the going price is for a particular item.  You will have an idea if you are getting the best price.  Of course, if you find that seller X is selling the exact same item as Seller Y for a lower bid price (all things being equal), you know where to place your bid.  You want to spend the least amount for the same quality.

Number 7. Know the bidding lingo.  All items have an opening bid also called the first bid.  If an item receives only one bid, the buyer will pay this first price.  However, each time there is another bid for that item, the current bid will be posted.  This current bid will now be the new high bid.  There are ten different increment levels ranging from $0.01-0.99, $1.00-4.99, $5.00-24.99 to $5,000, and up.  A bidder will pay increments of $0.05, $0.25, $0.50 and $100.00, respectively.  The bid increments get bigger as the bid price increases.  For example, let's say an item is showing a current high bid of $0.69.  The increment at that level is 5 cents, which means you have to bid a minimum of $0.74.  The bid amount will continue to be raised in 5-cent increments until bidding reaches $1.  At that point, the increment will change and the new increment will be 25 cents.  The higher bidder gets the item.

Number 6. Make sure you know the auction duration.  Items can be listed for 1,3,5,7 or 10 days.  Each item will have a start date and end date. As the Christmas countdown begins, you may want to bid only on those short-term items.

Number 5. Knowing the quantity of an item can tell you the rank and file of the seller.  A seller can not have a multiple item auction listing (a.k.a Dutch Auction) unless the seller has been a member of eBay for 60 days or more and has a Feedback Rating of 10 or above.  For instance, if you are shopping for several exact items to give to your staff or to your bridal party, the seller with a multiple item auction is your logical choice.  If you are looking for only one item in a specific color or style and have found it with a single item auction seller, bid on the item because the presumption is those sellers are trustworthy and honest.  For added protection, they also must meet three qualifiers before they are allowed to sell their items at eBay.  Of course, you can always be the first to rate the seller after your item arrives.

Number 4. To save time with your gift search, bookmark an item you may want to bid on by selecting the "Watch an Item" option.

Number 3. Buying Christmas gifts is serious business.  You do want your gift to find its final resting-place in the attic, basement, or worse, recycled to-You-on your next birthday. "Hey, I brought you the same thing for Christmas last year." And, bidding is serious business.  Make sure you are serious before you place a bid because the winning bidder has a binding contract with the seller.

Number 2. Details. Details. Details. Pay attention to the details on the view item pages.  Every bid will have information that will help you determine when and if you should place a bid (i.e. picture, item description, item location, payment methods, ship-to-locations, counter).

Number 1. eBay has many options to help the seller and buyer navigate its site. Visit the home page and take a few moments to learn what those are.  Keep in mind that options change from time to time. Take advantage of the eBay community services and stay informed with up-to-date information. eBay offers many goodies. For instance, the Buy It Now feature may be offered by a seller.  You don't even have to bid on an item.  You buy before the auction starts and are given the Buy It Now Price, which saves you even more money.  Look for this feature on a seller's view item pages.

Shopping online at eBay is a fun, hassle-free way to shop for the holiday or for any day.  When you visit eBay, stop by to see Robin & Company-24 hours a day/seven days a week. Go to my homepage to view current auctions.  Click on the "Community" box on your home page.  You will be directed to "View Someone's Member Profile and More".  Type the User ID-robinandcompany- in the box then click on find a member.  You will be taken to my link, click on "robinandcompany" to view my current listings and to bid on any item. To save you time, click on the following links to view two of my current bids  Designer Garment bag  and Sri Lankan’s Friendship Stamps Packet.

I am currently adding items. Please visit often. I love smart shoppers.

Happy Shopping and Merry Christmas,

Robin