Is there anything better than shopping without ever having to leave your house?! If you know how to do it, shopping on eBay can be fantastic. You can find things you didn’t know you needed, pick up some amazing bargains and do it all in your PJs! So how can you make the most out of the online marketplace?
Smart searching
If you aren’t sure what you are looking for, there are a huge number of specific categories that you can browse, as well as popular destinations. For example, you may collect Chicago Bulls merchandise, in which case you need only type in “Chicago Bulls” and see what comes up. If however, you are looking for something specific, such as a signed Michael Jordan jersey from 1995, you can be that narrow in your search. There are also a whole bunch of other options such as searching for ‘buy it now’ items only, or perhaps looking to pick something up locally.
Keep browsing
Before hitting that buy button, make sure you scope out all the options. Some items in your search are likely to be cheaper (always make sure you’ve included shipping costs in this, it might change the overall price point), or perhaps in better condition. Make sure you have properly looked at all the options and weighed up all the pros and cons of each item before deciding what to put in your basket.
Be wary!
Sometimes you can find incredible deals on eBay, but if they are too good to be true, then the chances are that that is precisely the case! For example, something like a MacBook, working and in good condition would not sell for $50. Read the descriptions of a listing thoroughly (to ensure you’re being sold an item, not just a picture of the item!) and if you have any questions or anything feels off, don’t be afraid to message the seller.
Check out seller feedback
One great aspect of eBay is that anyone who buys anything from a seller can leave feedback about communication and postage time for example. This information is public, and you can see how many people have left feedback and what percentage the feedback is. The closer to 100% the better as this shows that no one has had to complain to eBay about any issues, or any discrepancies have been sorted quickly.
Shop via PayPal
If you are going to be shopping on eBay and you don’t already have a PayPal account, you should really get one. PayPal makes it easier and quicker to check out once it is linked to your bank account/debit card/credit card and some sellers will only accept PayPal as a method of transactions as it protects both the buyer and seller.
Search for typos
This is a great little hack for finding things super cheap! If someone has accidentally typed something wrong in their listing (eg., PlaysStation), it will come up in fewer searches and therefore have fewer bids! There are websites that will help you find these typo-bargains, such as Fatfingers and Goofbid so get searching!
Whether you are looking to treat yourself, buy Christmas presents or refurbish your entire house from top to bottom, you can get everything you want from eBay if you know how to shop smart.
