How to Shop on eBay

Also try: How to Sell on eBay for Beginners
Also try: eBay

Guide Note: This page contains advice about and strategies for how to shop on eBay.

Table of Contents

Introduction: How to Shop on eBay

  • Millions of people use eBay to find bargains, one-of-a-kind treasures, and everyday essentials. But are you getting the most out of your eBay experience? Do you know when and how much to bid? Can you tell when a seller is trustworthy? No matter how often you use eBay, the strategies on this page can help you become more successful.

Step 1: Create an eBay Account

  • To buy anything on eBay, you must be a registered user. If you are already registered on eBay, feel free to move to the next step. If you do not have an account on eBay, please create one using the steps below.
  1. On eBay's first page, choose the "register" link in the upper left hand corner.
  2. On the Registration page, fill in your personal information.
    • Choose an email address that you check regularly, as any eBay alerts or watches you sign up for will go to that inbox.
    • eBay might have the item of your dreams. (Creative Commons photo by Adam Campbell)
      eBay might have the item of your dreams. (Creative Commons photo by Adam Campbell)
  3. Choose a username and password.
    • To protect your privacy, do not choose a username that reveals too much personal information. For example, do not use your email address or first and last names.
  4. Make sure to read through the terms of service, then check the box if you agree to them.
  5. Click continue.
  6. eBay will send a confirmation email to the address you provided.
  7. When this email arrives, open it and click on the link "Activate Your eBay Membership."
  8. Now you're ready to start shopping!

Step 2: Find an Item on eBay

Searching for a Particular Item

  1. eBay is a wonderful site for finding specific items; with so many sellers, your chances of finding what you want increase exponentially.
  2. To begin your search, click on the "Buy" button in the upper right corner.
  3. Search using different names for the item you want to purchase.
    • For example, if you want to buy a hair dryer, search for hair dryer. Then search for hairdryer, hair dryers, hairdryers, blow dryer, blow dryers, blowdryer and blowdryers; different listings will show up.
  4. Services like Missing-Auctions.com and MisspelledAuctions.com let you check eBay for item misspellings. If an item's name is misspelled, it won't be seen by as many people. Reduced competition can mean lower prices!
  5. If you are looking for a particular product, use detailed words to describe it. Searching for a "Little Mermaid musical poster" will turn up more specific results than a search for "Little Mermaid poster".
  6. To broaden your results, search using both titles and descriptions.
    • Be careful doing this using a common word or you may end up with too many results!
  7. Advanced search lets you exclude words, as well as search by payment option, seller, payment option, and location.
  8. If you need to pare down search results, customized search fields increase your chances of finding the perfect item.
  9. If you cannot find the particular item you want, try posting in the Want It Now section. This will alert eBay sellers to what you want to buy.

Browsing on eBay

  1. If you're not looking for something in particular, try browsing.
  2. Use the categories to find merchandise that interests you.
  3. You can select a category by using the drop-down menu, or by looking at the categories listed on this page.
  4. Poke through multiple categories to discover what types of items they have listed.
  5. Also visit eBay stores, a section where items are grouped by seller into a virtual "storefront," instead of being arranged by category.

Step 3: Review Seller's eBay History

  • Once you've found an item you're interested in, look at what other people have said about buying from your potential seller before placing a bid.

Check Seller's eBay Rating

Check the seller's eBay rating before placing a bid.
Check the seller's eBay rating before placing a bid.
  1. eBay asks people to rate their interactions with people on the site.
  2. Check the feedback the seller has received. It is most desirable to buy from a seller with a high feedback score and a high percentage of positive feedback.
    • Be wary of a new seller with no history; 100% positive feedback from just two people is not the same record of success as 95% positive feedback from 3523 people.
  3. eBay now offers detailed seller ratings. Buyers can give sellers 1 to 5 stars on four criteria: item as described, communication, shipping time, and shipping & handling charges. Check to see if the seller has good feedback in these areas!
  4. Always read the feedback comments and ratings from other buyers before making a decision.
    • Investigate negative reviews further before opting out of the auction. Perhaps the buyer was at fault or being unreasonable.
  5. Check to see what type(s) of item(s) the seller has received feedback on.
    • Be cautious if the seller is branching into selling a new type of product. Ideally you will see a history of happy buyers for the same kind of item you're purchasing.

Step 4: Investigate the Item on eBay

  • Before you buy an item, double-check what it costs and what you will receive.

Review eBay Product

Read the product description carefully. (Photo by C. Hannah)
Read the product description carefully. (Photo by C. Hannah)
  1. Look at the photos carefully, but do not rely on them exclusively.
  2. Read the complete product description. Do not assume a DVD will work in your player; check that it's from your region!
  3. Some eBay sellers do not accept returns. Check what the seller's policy is before you buy something!
    • Most reputable sellers will accept returns or exchanges for items that were damaged in transit.
  4. If it's too good to be true, beware. A designer handbag from China at an unbelievably low price? Odds are it's a fake.

Certificates of Authenticity on eBay

  1. Autographed or original items come with certificates of authenticity, but these certificates are easily duplicated. Check for a company website or further proof that the certificate is genuine.
  2. eBay has strict policies against such fraudulent practices. If you uncover a fraud, be sure to alert them.

Contacting a Seller on eBay

  1. If something is unclear or you have any questions, contact the seller for clarification. For example, "excellent condition" may mean something completely different for different people.
  2. If you need to talk to a seller, use eBay's internal email. If the seller writes to your external email address; redirect them to the internal system.
  3. Keep all correspondence between you and the seller; you may need it later should a dispute arise.

Compare eBay Prices

  1. Browse multiple listings for the type of item you wish to purchase. See how auctions progress and what the market rate for the item is.
  2. eBay usually has low prices, but don't assume anything! Compare prices; sites such as Amazon.com let you do a quick search to see if there are lower prices.
  3. Pay attention to shipping costs! Is the seller charging a hefty shipping and handling fee that drastically increases the cost?
  4. If you are buying from an overseas seller, consider the conversion rates and possible customs fees.

Step 5: Buy Your Item on eBay

  • When you place a bid, be sure to follow all eBay policies and guidelines. This will protect you should a dispute arise and improve your experience.
  • Remember, placing a bid is a binding contract. You should only place a bid if you are willing to purchase the item for the price you bid.
Click "Place Bid" when you're ready to bid.
Click "Place Bid" when you're ready to bid.

Placing a Bid

  1. When you're ready to buy, click "Place Bid."
  2. eBay operates on second-price auction rules:
    • When you see an item you'd like to buy, enter the maximum price you are willing to pay.
    • eBay's proxy bidding system will compare existing bids and, if your maximum allows it, bid the amount necessary for you to take the lead in the auction.
    • The system will automatically increase your bid to beat other buyers (up to your maximum amount).
    • As the system only increases your bid when it is necessary, you can end up paying less than your maximum price.
    • But if another shopper enters a higher maximum bid, even by one cent, he will win the item.
  3. Some eBay shoppers believe early bids attract competition and raise the auction price. For this reason, bidding later may keep your costs down and increase your chances of winning the auction.
  4. You can click on "Watch this Item" to save the product to your personalized watch list on eBay.
    • You can also ask to be alerted by text or email when someone places a higher bid and be reminded when the auction is about to end.
    • To do this, go to the My eBay (in the top right corner of the page) and change your notification preferences.
  5. The highest bid winning means that a bid of just one cent more than yours will win. So try bidding a penny or two over the price you had in mind; it may help you win the auction!
  6. Keep in mind that in the event of a tied bid, the earlier bidder wins.

Sniping

  1. eBay auctions have hard closes, which means they end at a specified time. The highest bid submitted before the deadline wins.
  2. Sniping is when a shopper places the highest bid at the last possible moment in an auction. The highest bid could be just a penny over rival bids; as it is made right as the auction ends, competing bidders have no opportunity to bid higher and win the auction.
  3. Sniping can be done by a person watching the clock to bid right before an auction ends.
  4. Sniping is more commonly accomplished by a software agent, such as eSnipe or BidBurglar, where you enter the auction number and your maximum bid.
    • There is usually a fee for using agents like this.
  5. Before sniping, consider whether it is worth either the extra time or money it can take to manually monitor an auction until the last minute, or to pay for sniping software to do it for you.
  6. Sniping is not looked on favorably by some in the eBay community. Sellers feel it can deprive them of the higher price other bidders may have been willing to pay. Buyers object to snipers coming in just as an auction ends, denying others the chance to outbid. But it is permitted by eBay, so you are welcome to do it.

Alternative eBay Buying Options

  1. Some auctions have a reserve price, which means the seller has set a minimum selling price. If there are no bids over that minimum price, the item does not sell.
    • If you enter a bid on an item with a Reserve Price, you can check the listing to see if the reserve price has been met.
  2. Many items have a "Buy It Now" price; if you pay that price you get to buy the item. Buy It Now is available in auction and fixed price listings.
  3. Some sellers office multiple items in one listing, also known as a Dutch auction.
    • To buy items from a multiple item listing, bid the number of items you want to purchase and the price you're willing to pay per item.
    • Note that you cannot use eBay's automatic bidding system to enter a proxy bid.
  4. Best Offer bidding allows sellers to accept or decline bids at their discretion; this option is available for Fixed Price and Advertisement listings.
  5. Shopping at eBay Express lets you buy items at a set price.

Retracting a Bid on eBay

  1. As listed in eBay's policies, if you place a bid you commit to buying an item.
  2. However, in exceptional circumstances, you can retract a bid on eBay.
  3. If, for example, the bid you made contained a typo, you could retract your bid and immediately re-enter a bid for the correct amount.
  4. The rules of bid retraction depend on how much time remains in the auction.
  5. If you made a mistake and cannot retract your bid, contact the seller and explain your circumstances. You may be able to come to an acceptable arrangement.
  6. eBay investigates bid retractions and notes them in your feedback profile.
  7. Bid retractions made under false circumstances may result in sanctions by eBay.
  8. Note that there is no bid retraction for Buy It Now listings.

Step 6: Pay for Your eBay Item

  • Now that you've won an item, you want to choose a payment option that is fast and secure.

Paying with PayPal

  1. PayPal is a secure way to purchase items on eBay, as you give your credit or debit card number only to PayPal, not to the seller. PayPal then makes the purchase for you.
    • Using PayPal is free for buyers.
  2. To use PayPal, go to their website and create an account.
  3. Buying with PayPal is fast, as the seller immediately receives payment, and can then send out your item.
  4. Using PayPal provides proof of payment, with PayPal's record of the transaction.
  5. Purchasing with PayPal gives you more options should a dispute arise, such as PayPal Buyer Protection.
  6. If you use a major credit card on PayPal, the credit card company may also offer fraud protection for the purchase.

Paying with a Credit Card

Payment by PayPal or credit card is always safer! (Photo by Lotus Head)
Payment by PayPal or credit card is always safer! (Photo by Lotus Head)
  1. Some eBay sellers also accept direct credit card payments.
  2. Purchases by credit card can offer proof of payment as well.
  3. Buying with a credit card is also fast, as the seller is paid immediately, and will then send out your item.
  4. Although using PayPal offers another layer of security, purchasing an item with a credit card offers protection, as major card companies will refund fraudulent charges.

Other Payment Options

  1. Paying by check or money order is not recommended; be wary of sellers who request cash or money order payments.
  2. A seller will wait for the check to clear before sending out your item, which can take up to two weeks.
  3. Money order payments are also slower than credit cards and PayPal, as you must mail them to the seller.
  4. You are also much less protected by paying with these methods; you cannot recover funds once the check or money order has been cashed.
  5. If you absolutely have to pay with one of these methods, a money order reveals less personal information than a check, thus reducing the chance of identity theft.
  6. Remember to use a security envelope, or place your check or money order in a folded piece of paper, to protect private information you send through the mail.

Step 7: After Your eBay Purchase

eBay Feedback

Leave feedback once your item arrives. (Photo by Tony Clough)
Leave feedback once your item arrives. (Photo by Tony Clough)
  1. Always leave feedback after your transaction. It is important to the eBay community.
    • Positive feedback means you would buy from the seller again.
    • Neutral indicates there were issues with the transaction, but not enough to leave negative feedback.
    • Negative feedback should only be left after you've tried to resolve the problem. If, after conflict resolution, you are still dissatisfied with the seller, then negative feedback conveys this to the eBay community.
  2. Do not use abusive or inflammatory language; treat others as you wish to be treated.

Conflict Resolution

  1. Check eBay's buyer protection programs if something goes wrong with your transaction.
  2. Remember to approach both eBay and the seller with a mature attitude. Being positive and working to resolve the conflict will get you better results!
  3. If you made your purchase with PayPal, you may lodge a complaint with their buyer protection program if you are eligible.
    • Transactions of up to $200 are all covered; if you bought from a certified seller then you may be covered for up to $2,000.
  4. If you were the victim of fraud, report the incident.

More Tips for How to Shop on eBay

  1. The buying safely on eBay tutorial has a lot of good advice.
  2. Read user-generated buying guides. Many are extremely well-written and have a lot of inside tips.
  3. If you are an online fraud victim, AuctionBytes offers a online fraud resource center.

Articles about How to Shop on eBay

eBay and PayPal Resources about How to Shop on eBay

Related Searches

How to Shop Online | eBay | PayPal | How to Use PayPal: Basics and Beyond | How to Sell on eBay for Beginners


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