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.
Motocross (Category: Motorcycles )
Yamaha : YZ YZ450F NEW 2009 YAMAHA YZ450F YZ 450F PLUS 25% OFF ALL PARTS
 | US $6,399.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 23:27:11 PST Buy It Now for only: US $6,499.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Yamaha : YZ YZ250F NEW 2009 YAMAHA YZ250F YZ 250F PLUS 25% OFF ALL PARTS
 | US $5,699.00 End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 23:34:45 PST Buy It Now for only: US $5,699.00 Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Husqvarna : MAG 250 CR 1974 Husqvarna Mag CR 250
 | US $4,100.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jan-08-2009 23:45:53 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Triumph : Bonneville TT Special 1966 Triumph T120C TT Special
 | US $13,500.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 0:07:21 PST Buy It Now for only: US $18,500.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Honda : CRF CRF450R NEW 2007 HONDA CRF450R MOTOCROSS SUPERCROSS MOTO SX MX
 | US $5,299.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 7:24:38 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Yamaha : YZF YZ450F NEW 2008 YAMAHA YZF450 YZ450F MOTOCROSS SUPERCROSS RACE
 | US $5,299.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 7:24:39 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Kawasaki : KX Kawasaki KX 90, Motocross / Dirt Bike
 | US $418.13 (7 Bids) End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 7:34:59 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Yamaha : YZ YZ85 NEW 2007 YZ85 YAMAHA MOTOCROSS RACE BIKE 2 STROKE SX MX
 | US $2,499.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 7:40:24 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
KTM : SX 450SX-F NEW 2008 KTM 450SXF 450 SXF SX MOTOCROSS RACE BIKE MOTO
 | US $5,599.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 7:40:24 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Honda : CRF CRF250R NEW 2007 HONDA CRF 250 MOTOCROSS RACE BIKE SUPERCROSS
 | US $4,599.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 7:40:27 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Honda : CRF 2004 CRF250R Mint Mint MInt Rarely riden, EXCELLENT!
 | US $1,725.00 (12 Bids) End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 9:35:14 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Kawasaki : KXF KXF250 2004 KXF250 KX250F KX 250F KXF Kawasaki Motocross
 | US $1,795.00 End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 12:32:05 PST Buy It Now for only: US $1,795.00 Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Kawasaki KX65 2009 Kawasaki KX65 C.S.
 | US $2,399.00 End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 13:00:11 PST Buy It Now for only: US $2,399.00 Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Yamaha : YZF YZ250F 2008 NEW Yamaha YZ250F C.S.
 | US $4,799.00 End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 14:00:02 PST Buy It Now for only: US $4,799.00 Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Kawasaki : KXF kx250f 2008 KX250F low hours
 | US $2,650.00 (2 Bids) End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 16:58:22 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Honda : CRF CRF 50 Honda CRF 50 motocross dirt bike motorcycle bikes
 | US $699.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 17:29:07 PST Buy It Now for only: US $889.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Bultaco 1975 BULTACO 250 ALPINA MATCHING #S GOOD COND ORIGINAL
 | US $899.95 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 18:33:20 PST Buy It Now for only: US $999.95 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Yamaha : YZ Yamaha yz 85,youth motocross,rm,ktm,cr,kx
 | US $1,800.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Jan-09-2009 20:22:48 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Other Makes phantom GPI ossa phantom GPI vintage ahrma motocross
 | US $2,000.00 (8 Bids) End Date: Saturday Jan-10-2009 7:22:27 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Suzuki : RM-Z Suzuki RM-Z 450 Motocross Motorcycle 2005
 | US $3,000.00 End Date: Saturday Jan-10-2009 10:10:20 PST Buy It Now for only: US $3,000.00 Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Yamaha : YZ YZ YZ85 YZ 85 KX RM YAMAHA MOTOCROSS DIRT BIKE 2003 MX 03
 | US $1,250.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Jan-10-2009 10:24:13 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Honda : CRF CRF450 CRF450R USED 2008 HONDA CRF 450R LIMITED MOTOCROSS R SX MX MOTO
 | US $5,199.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Jan-10-2009 11:40:52 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Honda : CR Honda CR85R 2005 Honda CR85R CR 85 Honda 85 2 stroke LOW RESERVE!!
 | US $500.00 (2 Bids) End Date: Saturday Jan-10-2009 14:56:09 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
KTM : jr Cobra Dirt Bike
 | US $500.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Jan-10-2009 16:25:18 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Honda : XR XR80R 2000 Honda XR80R Dirt Bike, Helmet and Service Manual
 | US $400.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Jan-10-2009 16:32:38 PST Buy It Now for only: US $650.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Yamaha : YZ YZ450FS 2003 Yamaha YZ450FS
 | US $1,900.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Jan-10-2009 19:12:31 PST Buy It Now for only: US $2,200.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Honda : XR XR Honda XR 80
 | US $750.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Jan-10-2009 19:27:51 PST Buy It Now for only: US $1,200.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Yamaha : YZ YZ450F YAMAHA YZ450F / 2008 NEW / COMPETITION DIRT BIKE
 | US $5,299.00 End Date: Saturday Jan-10-2009 19:29:48 PST Buy It Now for only: US $5,299.00 Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Honda : CRF HONDA CRF 50, LESS THAN 4 HOURS USE, MINI BIKE,LIKE NEW
 | US $679.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Jan-11-2009 5:00:00 PST Buy It Now for only: US $849.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
KTM : SX 525 KTM 525 SX SUPERMOTO DUALSPORT EXC MOTOCROSS
 | US $1,469.00 (4 Bids) End Date: Sunday Jan-11-2009 10:29:12 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
KTM : SX SX85 dirt bike ktm sx 85 orange fast race motocross 2006 fmf
 | US $1,500.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Jan-11-2009 11:52:20 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
KTM : SX 85sx 2003 KTM 85sx race ready
 | US $1,200.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Jan-11-2009 12:03:27 PST Buy It Now for only: US $1,500.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Yamaha : PW PW 80 1997 Yamaha PW 80 and Gear, NICE!
 | US $290.00 (8 Bids) End Date: Sunday Jan-11-2009 15:42:20 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
Honda : CR 1976 HONDA RC125 TYPE 2 REPLICA ELSINORE AHRMA CR125
 | US $5,655.55 (15 Bids) End Date: Sunday Jan-11-2009 15:51:52 PST Bid now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |
KTM : SX SXF 2007 KTM 450 SXF/MOTOCROSS DIRT BIKE/EXTRAS/ NO RESERVE
 | US $3,400.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Jan-11-2009 16:38:08 PST Buy It Now for only: US $3,600.00 Bid now | Buy it now | VIEW FULL DETAILS |