Just imagine how angry you’d be if you rushed into purchasing a watch for $50 (thinking this was an excellent deal) only to see the same watch sell for $30 a week later. Whatever you do, don’t rush into a purchase just because you think it might be your only opportunity to buy - with the exception of very rare collectibles, most sale items will pop up again and again on eBay.
Whether the seller’s feedback rating is good or poor should inform your decision to buy the item. If the rating is poor, you buy the item at your own risk. Though uncommon, it’s possible that the seller may ship you a broken or faulty item, or fail to send the item at all. You can also read reviews of each seller on their feedback page, written by previous buyers. This will also help to give you an idea of what you can expect when buying an item from them.
Remember that if you are disappointed with the condition of your item when it arrives, even though the flaws were clearly noted in the item’s description, you will have no one to blame but yourself. In this situation it might be very difficult to arrange a return and the seller will not be happy. Examples of things to watch out for include whether the item is new or used, whether it comes in its original packaging, and whether it includes any necessary extras (batteries, chargers etc. ) Be wary of very vague or confusing descriptions, as there is an increased risk that the item will not be what you expect.
If you are not satisfied with the shipping charge on the item, then you should not bid on it. It is very unfair on the seller to commit to buying the item, then refuse to pay high shipping charges. If you really wish to find a compromise, message the seller before agreeing to buy the item, to see if a solution can be found. You also need to check what location the seller is shipping from and where they are willing to ship to. This is particularly important if you are buying from an international location, as some sellers will refuse to ship outside their own country. This information is available underneath the shipping costs.
In order to message the seller, scroll down the item page until you reach the “Question and Answers” box beneath the item’s description. There will be a link titled “Ask a question” which you can click on to message the seller. [2] X Research source You should make sure that you have all of the correct information about the seller’s preferred payment method and return policy before making a purchase. If this information is not supplied on the item page, ask the seller directly.
In some cases, the situation can be resolved if you have a legitimate reason for backing out of the sale and you message the seller immediately requesting a cancellation. You may need to cover the cost of the fee they’ve already paid, but at least you won’t be forced to buy an item you don’t want. If you do not have a legitimate reason for backing out of the sale and simply refuse to pay for the item, the seller is entitled to open a non-paying bidder dispute against you. This may result in an unpaid item strike being placed on your account, which will deter future sellers and buyers from wanting to do business with you. If you get three of these strikes, eBay will suspend your account. [4] X Research source
Sometimes the “Buy it Now” price will be very low – this is when the seller is trying to get rid of the item in a hurry, so they sell it at a lower than average price. You can get some great deals using the “Buy it Now” option, but these items get snapped up quickly, so you will have to act fast to avail of them. A good way to deal with this is to set up email notifications, where eBay will notify you when a particular item becomes available for immediate purchase. [5] X Research source On the other hand, the “Buy it Now” price can often be higher than the average bidding price. This is because sellers are counting on buyers who need particular items in a hurry and are not willing to wait the several days it takes to bid in an auction. So unless you are in a hurry, it’s important that you do your research to find out the average selling price for a particular item, before buying it using “Buy it Now”.
eBay will only raise the price of your bid high enough to outbid other potential buyers. Once they reach your maximum amount, and the auction is still running, you will either need to accept defeat or raise your maximum bid. Once you have placed a bid, there is no way to retract it. If you win the auction, you will be obligated to buy the item. If you refuse, you will face penalties from eBay and may even have your account suspended.
Never send cash to a seller in the mail. It could potentially get lost or stolen, or the seller might keep it and refuse to ship you your item. You should make your payment as promptly as possible after winning the auction, a seller is entitled to open an unpaid item case if you fail to pay for the item after as little as two days. When entering your shipment information, double check it to make sure all of the details are correct. If the information is incorrect and the item is shipped to the wrong address, you are the one at fault.
While feedback is encouraged, it is advisable to contact a seller directly about any negative experiences before you give them a poor rating. Most sellers will do their best to reach a solution which is agreeable to both of you - whether that’s providing a refund, or some other form of compensation. Your bad experience may have been due to unforeseen circumstances or simple human error, so it is best to give sellers the benefit of the doubt before slating them on the forums. When giving feedback, you can rate your experience as positive, neutral or negative, as well as provide a more detailed seller review. Try to be as factual and informative as possible and avoid making any offensive or personal comments, as this may discourage other people from selling to you.
For example, if you place a bid of $150. 97 on a piece of furniture, you may win the auction over someone who placed a round bid of $150. 00. You get your coffee table, but you only had to spend an extra 97 cent to do so.
You can take advantage of this fact, particularly if you live in an accommodating time zone, if you place your bids while all of the East Coasters are asleep. Surprisingly, many auctions end during the early hours of the morning, so you’ll have plenty of items to choose from. Holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving are also quieter than normal days, so take advantage of this by placing your bids while the turkey’s in the oven.
Unsurprisingly, most sellers will be very happy if you place a high bid early in the game, as they know that they are guaranteed that amount no matter what. Unfortunately for you, you may end up having to pay a much higher amount for an item you could have got for half the price, if you’d played your cards right. Avoid over-bidding by researching amounts that have been paid for similar items during past auctions.
Firstly, if your snipe is a lower value than that of the maximum bid of another buyer, then eBay will automatically increase their bid to the next incremental value. In this case, you will not have enough time to come back with a higher bid and you will lose the auction, in addition to raising the buying price for the winner. Lose-lose. Secondly, sniping is very risky if you have your heart set on a specific item. A last minute sniping war with another buyer may cause you to bid higher than you originally intended out of panic, thus undoing any potential savings. In addition, you run the risk of your computer crashing, of unexpectedly having to log in again before placing your bid or some other external factor which will prevent you from making your bid. [5] X Research source
This is a pretty safe way to bid, as the only way you will lose the auction is if the selling price is higher than your maximum amount. Only eBay knows what your highest maximum bid is, that information is not available to the seller or to other potential buyers.
It is possible to increase your maximum bid to get another shot at securing the item, but without knowing what the other buyer’s maximum bid is, you cannot guarantee that you’ll win. Don’t be too angry or frustrated if you you lose an auction. The same items pop up again and again on eBay and you may find an even better deal next time round.
