eBay Tips for Buyers
Almost everyone starts his or her eBay experience as a buyer. Learning how to buy effectively will improve your eBay experience and prepare you for becoming a seller. I recommend you make at least ten successful transactions on eBay before trying to sell. We hope the following tips will make you a better and more successful buyer.
1. Build A Positive Feedback Rating Give and get good feedback. This is less critical for buyers than for sellers, but having a good feedback rating makes other eBayers comfortable doing business with you. For example, I accept checks for immediate shipment if the buyer has a good feedback rating. If someone has very little feedback (less than 20) or several negative comments, then I hold the checks until they clear before sending an item.
2. How to build feedback quickly? Here is a quick way to build good feedback: make some purchases for a few lower cost items you use everyday or that you would normally buy at a store. There are plenty of items in the Health & Beauty category that you buy every day such as shampoo and razor blades –often at prices less than you would pay at Wal-Mart. Pay promptly using PayPal and immediately post feedback for the seller as soon as you get the item. If the seller does not post feedback, send them a short email telling them that you posted feedback for them and you would appreciate them reciprocating.
3. Be generous with your feedback Post feedback quickly and leave specific comments. Leaving a comment that says: "great seller," is nice –but it is more helpful to say, "Item arrived quickly in perfect condition, just as described." Or: "Quick Professional transaction –good email and just what I ordered." If the seller sells something specific you can mention it such as: "Beautiful Print –I will enjoy for many years." This type of feedback is very helpful to future buyers and it tends to get you better feedback comments in return.
4. Use PayPal Sellers want to be paid quickly and everyone is concerned about fraud. There is no faster or safer way to complete an eBay transaction than PayPal (owned by eBay). PayPal is now used by over 100 Million users around the world and now processes more debit and credit card payments than Citibank. Over 80% of registered eBay users accept PayPal and eBay has fully integrated PayPal into their systems. Take the time to become a verified seller and always give your verified shipping address. This gets you the fraud protection. Go to www.paypal.com .Did you know you can also use PayPal as a savings account? According to Money Magazine, PayPal now pays the highest rate on ordinary savings accounts. When I wrote this PayPal was paying 4.8% while my bank, Wells Fargo, was only paying 3.3%.
5. Avoid Fraud on Large Purchases Given the millions of transactions that occur each month, fraud is actually rare on eBay but it does exist. The most common type of fraud on eBay is a seller that offers an expensive item for sale at an unbelievably good price. When you win the item the seller asks to be paid in cash, cashiers check or money order. You send the money and then the seller disappears. Demanding a cashier’s check or a money order only is a red flag. Never bid on a large purchase if the seller will not take PayPal or a credit card. Always check the seller's feedback and how long they have been registered on eBay. Most fraudsters set up an eBay account, run a few quick expensive auctions, get the money and either disappears or are kicked off of eBay as soon as they are discovered. Be especially careful if the seller is located outside the U.S.
5. Avoid Fraud on Large Purchases Given the millions of transactions that occur each month, fraud is actually rare on eBay but it does exist. The most common type of fraud on eBay is a seller that offers an expensive item for sale at an unbelievably good price. When you win the item the seller asks to be paid in cash, cashiers check or money order. You send the money and then the seller disappears. Demanding a cashier’s check or a money order only is a red flag. Never bid on a large purchase if the seller will not take PayPal or a credit card. Always check the seller's feedback and how long they have been registered on eBay. Most fraudsters set up an eBay account, run a few quick expensive auctions, get the money and either disappears or are kicked off of eBay as soon as they are discovered. Be especially careful if the seller is located outside the U.S.
6. Pay sellers quickly Paying quickly will help you build feedback faster and you will get your item sooner.
7. Be honest – admit your mistakes If you forgot about the auction and are late getting a payment off or you forgot to ship something you sold – be up front and honest. Apologize and admit your mistake. People can be very forgiving if they believe you. They can be unforgiving if they think they are being B.S.’ed.
8. Create an About Me page on eBay. EBay allows you to create a page to describe you and your family or even include your pets. You can put a photo on the page, talk about your hobbies, your family – basically anything you like. The About Me page is where a person can get a sense of who you are and if they would like to do business with you. If you have a web site, this is the one place on eBay where it is allowed to direct buyers to your web site.
9. Master the power of searching. According to eBay, about 65% of bidders find their item by searching. Including the exact name of the product you are selling is key to bidders finding your auction. Some sellers place a tilde (~) or a star * next to their auction title to help get attention. Place a space between a tilde (or *) and a word, or the word will not come up in a search. For example: *Nikon* would not result in any items found, because eBay’s search engine sees the * as part of the word. According to Power Seller News, some of the most searched words on eBay are: DVD, Art, BMW, Gucci, Longaberger, Louis Vuitton, Laptop, Playstation 2 and Paintball. Use eBay’s powerful search engine to find items and to see what items are selling and how much they are selling for.
10. Be sure to thank people Send an email to your seller when the item arrives. Thank them and let them know you posted feedback and are happy with the transaction.
Vehicle (Category: Cars & Trucks )
Bentley : Continental GT 2005 Bentley Continental GT
 | US $85,000.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 13:57:55 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Toyota : Corolla CE Beautiful, Just Like New Toyota
 | US $9,000.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 13:58:02 PST Buy It Now for only: US $10,500.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Toyota : RAV4 2007 TOYOTA RAV4
 | US $21,500.00 End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 13:58:03 PST Buy It Now for only: US $21,500.00 Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Lexus : LS 02 LS430, Service Records, Very Clean, Wholesale!!!!
 | US $13,900.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 13:58:16 PST Buy It Now for only: US $13,995.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Jaguar : S-type 4.0 RWD 4-Do 2002 S-TYPE * 4.0 * NAVIGATION * LOW MILES * S/NICE.
 | US $7,700.00 (15 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 13:58:38 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Mercedes-Benz : SL-Class AMG 03 Mercedes SL55 AMG, A/C Seats, KeylessGo, Wholesale!!
 | US $35,990.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 13:59:05 PST Buy It Now for only: US $35,995.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Porsche : Cayenne Turbo 05 Cayenne Turbo, Navigation, New Tires, Wrnty, 1 Owner
 | US $38,900.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 13:59:44 PST Buy It Now for only: US $38,995.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
BMW : 7-Series BMW 740i Sport In Excellent Condition
 | US $10,000.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:00:00 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Audi : Allroad Audi Allroad Quatro Wagon, 2003 78,471 miles
 | US $11,600.00 End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:00:00 PST Buy It Now for only: US $11,600.00 Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Toyota : Corolla LE 2008 Toyta Corolla LE - Runs and Feel Like New Car --
 | US $6,110.00 (29 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:00:00 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Honda : Accord EX-L Like New,Leather,Navi,Auto start,Warranty,No Reserve
 | US $20,995.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:00:12 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
GMC : Sonoma SL GMC SONOMA EXT-CAB PICK-UP 4X4 2003
 | US $3,550.00 (12 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:00:28 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Ford : F-350 LARIAT FORD F-350 LARIAT CREW CAB 7.3 DIESEL 4x4 Auto
 | US $5,100.00 (41 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:00:48 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Chevrolet : SSR CONV TRUCK YELLOW OVER BLACK LEATHER CONVERT. LIKE NEW LOW MILES!!
 | US $24,800.00 End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:00:51 PST Buy It Now for only: US $24,800.00 Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Toyota : Paseo 1994 TOYOTA PASEO GAS SAVER 2DR SPORTY
 | US $868.00 (7 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:01:04 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Audi : A4 3.2 quattro FREE SHIPPING* LOADED NON-SMOKER QUATTRO
 | US $19,985.00 End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:01:08 PST Buy It Now for only: US $19,985.00 Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Pontiac : -16 HARDTOP 29 PONTIAC 3 WINDOW 2 DOOR COUPE 6 CYL PARTIAL RESTORE
 | US $9,995.00 End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:01:10 PST Buy It Now for only: US $9,995.00 Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Bentley : Arnage T JUST REDUCED! Price INCLUDES Door 2 Door SHIPPING! CALL
 | US $115,100.00 (8 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:01:12 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Jeep : Liberty Limited 4x4 2002 JEEP LIBERTY LIMITED 4X4 NO RESERVE US NC
 | US $7,495.00 End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:01:21 PST Buy It Now for only: US $7,495.00 Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Porsche : Cayenne 2005 CAYENNE V6 SILVER/BLACK, NAV HTD SEATS, 18" ALLOYS
 | US $27,900.00 End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:01:25 PST Buy It Now for only: US $27,900.00 Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Nissan : Sentra Sedan 2006 Nissan Sentra 1.8S
 | US $12,995.00 End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:01:53 PST Buy It Now for only: US $12,995.00 Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Mercedes-Benz : CL-Class CL500 05 CL500, Auto Trunk, New Tires, Sport Wheels, PRISTINE
 | US $27,500.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:01:59 PST Buy It Now for only: US $27,995.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Chevrolet : C/K Pickup 1500 1990 CHEVY 4X4 WITH GEM TOP & LADDER RACK
 | US $1,125.00 (17 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:03:24 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Cadillac : CTS 2009 Cadillac CTS Roof Nav 18" Wheels 163 Miles Save$$$
 | US $36,000.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:03:27 PST Buy It Now for only: US $38,955.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Chevrolet : El Camino 1980 Chevrolet El Camino
 | US $680.00 (4 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:04:03 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Jaguar : XK8 Convertible 2006 Jaguar XK8 Conv Limited Edition 24k miles Warranty
 | US $26,995.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:04:13 PST Buy It Now for only: US $29,995.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Mercedes-Benz : E-Class E350 2006 MERCEDES E350, NAV, HK SOUND, HTD SEATS, BTOOTH!
 | US $21,900.00 End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:05:02 PST Buy It Now for only: US $21,900.00 Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Nissan : Altima GLE 1997 Nissan Altima GLE Great Shape LQQK!!!
 | US $1,525.00 (36 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:05:04 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
GMC : Sierra 2500 slt 2001 4x4 diesel auto 4 door leather onstar loaded slt
 | US $10,999.00 (20 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:05:09 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Chevrolet : Astro LS Brown Chevy Astro van in good condition
 | US $1,225.00 (3 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:05:28 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Bentley : Continental GT GTC BLACK VELVET GTC!! "Buy It Now" INCLUDES SHIPPING! CALL
 | US $120,100.00 (15 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:05:29 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Ford : Model A MODEL A 1930 FORD MODEL A COUPE
 | US $8,007.00 (6 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:05:41 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Volkswagen : Beetle - Classic BEETLE 65 CLASSIC CALIFORNIA BEETLE RUST FREE
 | US $6,000.00 (26 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:05:42 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Pontiac : Grand Prix sporty Grand Prix 6 cylinder. Pewter gray. Cheap price
 | US $1,890.00 (26 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:05:42 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Mercedes-Benz : 300-Series 123 1985 Mercedes Benz 300D HHO WVO NEW TIMING CHAIN EXTRAS
 | US $610.00 (6 Bids) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 14:05:44 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |