The Ultimate eBay Guide!
eBay Buying, Basics, Tips, Hints, Secrets, Hidden Tools and Tricks.
eBay is a mega site where you can pick up some of the best bargains and deals the internet has to offer however most buyers just find an item and bid - you're missing a trick if you do that, there are some amazing tools and tips available that can help you get an even better deal. Presenting our ultimate buying guide for eBay - take your shopping to the next level.
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1. Zero Bid/No Reserve Auctions
We wouldn't be doing our job properly if we didn't mention our Zero Bid Finder Tool for eBay first! It's quite simply one of the most powerful buying tricks around and has been used thousands of times to get shoppers the best bargains on clothes, jewelry, cars and motors, electronics and game consoles.
Our tool allows you to find auctions that are about to end that have no bids on them. That's right, find the auctions no-one else has and sweep in and seize that bargain!
Extra Tip: Use our 'no reserve' option to find auctions starting at the minimum eBay price (99p/99c) and with no bids!
2. Spelling Mistakes
Given the millions of auctions eBay has there are inevitably some (well a lot) of auctions that have spelling mistakes - try to think about other variances on names and search for those. One famous example was brand new desktop PCs being listed as 'Compact' instead of 'Compaq'
3. Best-Offers
Often Buy-it Now eBay auctions have 'Best-Offer' options available. Don't be afraid to put in a cheaper or even audacious price - you never know what you'll get! They can only say no and you can revise your offer higher!
4. Postage Costs
Don't just look at the auction price - You have to pay shipping costs for a lot of items. However, fear not, our Zero Bid Finder Tool shows you the shipping cost clearly so you know in advance.
5. Night-Owls
Auctions that are due to end late at night often attract little attention and are prime for finding last minute, last second even, auctions. We recommend you keep searching eBay (using our tool of course!) especially late at night. You never know what you may find!
6. Odd Bids
What do you think the most common bid amounts are? Rounded numbers of course ($1, $5, $10). You can often sneakily win auctions by bidding just a little higher than these values - you'll win significantly more auctions with this little used secret auction tip. Want to pay $5 for an item? Just put in a bid for $5.06 - you'll be surprised how well you do!
7. Spend within your means
Hopefully this goes without saying but don't go bidding on something you can't afford and have to cancel later on. Sellers can report bad buyers just as much as buyers can report bad sellers and it's considered bad form. However, don't be afraid to dream a bit... here's a ridiculously expensive Ferrari, go take a look, you know you want to!
8. Read and Read again
Please don't be offended by this tip however make sure you read the entire description so you're happy with what you're bidding for. Sadly, not all eBay sellers are legitimate and may attempt to deceive you (one famous case that made it to the papers was a buyer getting just an Xbox One box!). If the description is deliberately misleading/wrong you're covered by Paypal however if the description was accurate and you didn't read it thoroughly that is on you regrettably!
9. Paypal
Whilst on the subject, always pay with Paypal. Never arrange a transaction to take place outside of eBay either face-to-face or by bank transfer. Paypal offers buyer protection that is otherwise lost if you don't use it!
10. 30 days and nights
Remember you have 30 days to make a complaint after delivery! Don't hold off and act quickly if something isn't right!
11. Feedback
If you aren't sure about a purchase take a look at the sellers feedback including rating (we recommend 98% or higher) and number of sales.
Additional Note: Some deceitful sellers have been known to sell very cheap items with the intention of getting their rating and feedback high before selling an expensive item and ripping off the buyer! Check the sellers history, if it's very cheap items at odds with what you're considering buying then act with caution!
12. The World is Your Oyster
Don't be afraid to go international! You will pay for shipping (and possibly some import costs) however there are still plenty of bargains to be had - don't be put off just because it's not local to you!
13. A friendly warning
A warning for eBay users (and not because we're biased) and a strong one at that - there are a host of eBay sniper and sniping tools available and they promise to bid and auction on your behalf. However, they rely on you handing over your eBay password and will make no guarantees over how they're handled - this is a security no-no and a big risk! Yes, they're a great to use but we don't recommend them for data security reasons - you wouldn't want your account hacked!
Naturally we think the hints, tricks and tools we offer are just as great a service but without the risk!
We hope you enjoy these tips and find them useful - head over to the Zero Bid Finder Tool for eBay and see what amazing deals you can find.
Don't want to use our tool and want to just use eBay? We won't stand in your way, just click the below button and shop away.