There is nothing quite like the thrill of winning an auction on eBay. This victory is made even more exciting when you are able to obtain an item for significantly less than you would have spent buying it from the store! Since its founding as “AuctionWeb” in 1995, eBay has expanded to be the venue of choice for millions of shoppers worldwide. The concept of eBay is similar to that of a large auction house, allowing people to sell their clothing, cars, antiques, junk and other miscellaneous items. Some of the more notorious items sold on eBay include belly button lint, a piece of toast displaying the face of Jesus, a frozen brussel sprout, a single cornflake and a fossilized aphid. One man even put his “entire life” up for auction on eBay, which included his house, introductions to his friends and a trial at his job.
However, using eBay can put you and your personal information at risk, if you aren’t aware of the proper buying procedures. Here are five things you need to know before buying an item on eBay.
Tip #1 – Avoid Restricted Items.
Some items are restricted or illegal to sell on eBay. These auctions may not be taken down before closing, so it’s possible to accidentally bid on an illegal item. Illegal items on eBay include Nazi paraphernalia, passports, firearms, live animals, lockpicking tools, lottery tickets, military hardware, digital items in certain online games, and controlled substances.
Tip #2 – Screen a Seller’s Feedback.
When you purchase an item on eBay, you are essentially buying it from an individual or established company. It’s very important for you to check the feedback of other users on the seller before making a bid. Avoid sellers that have several recent negative feedback ratings, or that aren’t verified sellers.
Tip #3 – Never Purchase Outside of Ebay.
One of the advantages of purchasing an item through eBay is that your purchase can usually be protected. This means that if you pay for an item, and the seller never sends it, you will be able to have your money refunded. However, if a seller contacts you with an invitation to sell you the item outside of eBay, be wary. Any transactions outside of eBay will not be able to be refunded by filing a case with eBay’s claims department.
Tip #4 – Don’t Overbid.
It’s very easy to get caught up in the excitement of bidding on an eBay auction. This can lead to you paying more for an item that you could have purchased cheaper elsewhere. Before making a bid, it’s important that you make sure that you have researched the actual retail price of the item. Checking sites such as Amazon.com and Overstock.com can be helpful when attempting to determine the value of an item that you are bidding on.
Tip #5 – Communicate With the Seller.
It’s possible that you may have questions after reading the description on an item you are thinking about purchasing. The eBay interface has a method you can use to communicate directly with the seller of an item, which will allow them to send you a reply notification to your email.
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