How to use Ebay???

[jenbermu]

Ok well i've never in my life used Ebay..I would like to use it at time
but i have no clue on how to use this site..I dont know what to look for
when buying something, who to buy from, how to buy it ..Can someone please help me

[Gracie2006]

I suggest going in and reading the FAQs for buyers, particularly the safe harbor section. They give lots of good info there. In my experience, look for sellers with lots of feedback (hundreds, not in the single digits) and feedback ratings of greater than 95%. I will only pay with PayPal or credit card, so I have recourse if I get ripped off. That has only happened to me once. Do your research and read the fine print. Sometimes the sale price looks too good to be true, and it is because the shipping charges are outrageous. Research online at other websites and learn what the same item sells for new or at other auction sites and like at Craig's list. For hot selling items, like the new IPOD shuffle, you will do better buying direct from the manufacturer than you will on Ebay. Watch other auctions for the same item and see what the item ultimately sells for, that will give you an idea of how high to go on your bids. If the item is large, like a piece of furniture, communicate with the seller before bidding so you know what shipping etc. will cost you up front. Lastly, I don't start bidding until the last 15 minutes or so of the auction (if it is not a "buy it now" only item). Every time you bid it encourages someone else to outbid you. If you really want the item, you sit and wait to pounce! Good luck!

[LuvMySissy]

It is pretty easy once you know where to look. Once you bring up the site, you will see some headings at the top left of the page that say Buy/Sell/My Ebay....

Click on "Buy" and you will find another bar where you can search for what you are looking for. When you type in what you want and hit the search button, it will bring up items that are available. When you click on the writing of the item to open the page, it will tell you what the minimum bid is, how long the auction will last and shipping charges and other information.

If you decide to bid, you have to log into your Ebay account. Once you are logged in, you can go to "My Ebay" and see those items you have bid on, and it will also show those you have won, not won, etc.

Hope this helps and have fun shopping!!!

[chachi]

I use the search alot and search for the products I want to buy

[MissiesMommy]

Have you made an account? That's the first step. Then you can either browse or search for any item you want, using the "Buy" button at the top of the page to browse (Pet supplies are under Home & Garden Hehe!). Then to bid on something you first need to read the listing thoroughly (check shipping costs, return policies, methods of payment accepted, condition of the item, and double check that it's EXACTLY what you want). Make sure the seller has good feedback (to the right hand side on every item's page it says "Meet the Seller" and shows their feedback (it should be above 90% in my opinion, and I rarely bid of it's less than 95% and with a viable reason). You can read comments from past buyers to decide if the negative feedback is something to worry about.

If you decide you want to buy the item you may have several choices. There's "Bid Now" "Buy it Now" and "Best Offer." I don't know how to do Best Offer as I haven't tried it yet. "Buy it Now" means you can purchase the item instantly for the price set by the seller (it shows "Buy it Now Price" in the listing). To bid, you have to decide what the maximum price you're willing to pay for the item is (I factor in the shipping cost and then decide), and then at the bottom of the item listing it has a box (underneath "Ready to Bid?") that says "Your maximum bid." Type in the maximum amount you're willing to pay, and Ebay will automatically bid up to that amount for you. Say it's in the last minutes and someone bids .50 cents over your max bid and you decide you want to up your bid .50 to see if you can sneak in there and get it... Then you can click "Place Bid" at the top of the page or enter a new maximum bid.

My secrets... To win you have to be watching the item when it ends. I enter my maximum bid when the auction has 1 minute to go, and then if I have time and desire I can enter one higher bid should I need to. It doesn't always work, but not everyone has figured out that to win and get a deal you have to watch as it ends, and bid at the last minute. I pay immediately by Paypal so I get good feedback from sellers.

Also, if you win something and don't receive it within 2 weeks, report it. I spent almost $100 on a rat cage once and just kept waiting for the seller to communicate (I e-mailed several times) or the item to arrive. I waited 30 days too long and was unable to get a refund for any of it under Paypal/Ebay coverage. You must report it within 30 days to get any kind of refund.

Also, try out the "Watch This Item" feature to put items in "My Ebay" so you can compare prices and decide which one you want. Then you can check your watched items often to remember if you have anything on Ebay you'd seen that you wanted.

Hope that helps! Feel free to ask anymore questions.

[jenbermu]

Thank you all so much ...I dont have an account yet but in really to start one ASAP..lol.. How do i get a Paypal??..Do you guys find it easier to use your credit card or a paypal..Is a Paypal a card you just load money into ..What do you guys find more easier to use your
credit cards or a paypal??..I really dont know about using my credit card on
Ebay ..Is it safe too??..Im sorry if im asking to many dumb questions i just
want to be safe...

Thank you once again!!!

[mhorst]

Paypal is very safe. Go to www.paypal.com to sign up. There is also a link on ebay. I both buy and sell on ebay & Paypal is the best way to pay and be paid. I only accept Paypal and am setup to accept credit cards through Paypal. It's much simpler. Paypal draws money from my checking account to pay for items if I do not have a balance in Paypal from selling items. A Paypal account works very much like a savings or checking account. Money flows in and out depending on whether you are depositing by selling and being paid, or paying for a purchase. I can also have Paypal charge to a credit card if I want to, but almost always have them pull for my checking.

You can even send funds to people and make donations to YorkieTalk using Paypal.

Have fun saving money on ebay, and if when you feel confident enough, it's a great place to get rid of stuff. You can sell items for more than you would at a garage sale. I just sold a couple of old vintage aluminum dutch ovens and made over $60.00. Can't beat that!!!

[MeganS]

Everyone's covered just about everything! lol.

There are just a few things I want to say:

Before you buy a product, look around more and make sure that there's not one for a lower price. and also check the seller's feedback to make sure it's all (or mostly) good. Make sure you also read everything that they say about their product....and ask them a question if you have any.

Good luck! I love eBay....a little too much.

[jenbermu]

Ok so using a Paypal acct. is better..Im still not clear on how to load money on to it ..Is it like an open tab on your credit card?? or
do load as you go??..