Have You Experienced eBay Yet?
3 Expert Tips For New eBay Shoppers
It's easy for us avid eBay shoppers to assume that everyone logs onto eBay. However, many consumers have never even signed up at the online auction site. If you're one of those who have yet to buy an item on eBay, you don't know what you're missing. But before you log on, there are some things you need to know. Here are 3 tips to help you do it the right way.
1. Look At Feedback
The eBay feedback system is a very important component of the eBay marketplace. It gives you an overall picture of what a seller's track record is. Buyers need to pay close attention to the feedback of the sellers they are thinking of doing business with.
Before bidding on any item a seller has up for sale, make sure you check out the feedback. If it's less than 98 or 99 percent positive, bid on someone else's auctions.
2. Watch Those Shipping Charges
When you see an item with a retail value of $50.00 being sold for 99 cents, it's tempting to jump in and bid right away, but be very careful when bidding on any eBay item. Some eBay sellers aren't above tacking on hidden fees that jack up the price of the item you're buying.
It isn't unheard of for an eBay seller to charge $20 to ship something that only costs $5 or less to send out. This is how some eBay sellers make their profit. This is fine and dandy if the buyer understands this up front, but the only way to protect yourself is to make sure you read the ENTIRE auction description from beginning to end.
If you can't find information regarding shipping costs in an auction description, email the seller asking them to clarify. Once you bid on an item on the eBay website, you're obligated to go through with the transaction should you win. Even if you don't like the shipping terms.
3. Remember The Saying...
Remember the age-old saying, "If it sounds too good to be true..."
While there are awesome deals to be had on the eBay website, don't fall for any pie in the sky stories. You can buy many things on eBay, including big-ticket items like cars, real estate, businesses, etc.
If you see something that sounds too good to be true (like a business that makes thousands a month being sold for a few hundred dollars) run in the other direction. While eBay is generally a safe place to shop, there are some con artists lurking on the site.