How to Buy a New Camcorder from eBay

eBay is a great place to bargain shop for anything from books to art to antiques to clothing, to electronics. eBay is full of really great bargains on used items but when shopping for a camera it is best to buy a new one. When buying a new camcorder on e-bay there are several things to keep in mind to make sure your transaction is as successful as possible.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• paypal account
• internet connection
• computer
• ebay account

1. Open an e-bay account. This is fast and easy. Go to ebay.com to do this.

2. Open a papal account at the Paypal site. Paypal is the safest and most efficient way to pay for your e-bay purchases. Paypal allows you to pay without sharing financial information.

3. Read Reviews online before you start shopping. Have a rough idea of what kind of camera and what specs you are looking for. Keep in mind what models got positive reviews and which got bad reviews.

4. Choose your format. The format you will get will depend on what you’re using it for. VHS format camcorders are cheap and easy to find. Digital camcorders are more expensive but produce higher quality video and have more features.

5. When shopping be aware of camcorder features such as lenses, CCD sensors and resolution, viewfinders, microphones, and input and output features. Consider manual settings such as shutter speed and special effect features.

6. Accessorize. You will need to buy a carrying case, blank tapes, a tripod, cables to output your video, and for digital camcorders, video editing software.

7. Sign into e-bay. In the menu on the left side of the page, select cameras and photo. Next, select camcorders. On the left will be a list of categories to choose from. The camcorder finder feature will help you narrow down your search.

8. When shopping at eBay Stores, you can immediately buy your camera. Once you find the camera you want, put it in your shopping cart and proceed through the checkout.

9. When you are bidding on a new camcorder, you will have to enter in a bid and hope that you win. If you do win, the seller will contact you and you’ll exchange payment and shipping details.

10. Know the details of your purchase. When adding up your final cost, consider delivery costs. Find out if the seller will insure your purchase. If you have any other questions about your purchase click on ask seller a question link, found under the seller’s profile.
    

Tips & Warnings

• Research your seller. Find out their rating and read their feedback.
• Go to e-bays’ camcorder buying guide with check lists of features for each objective. For example, there is a checklist of features if you are looking for a camera on a budget, or looking for a camera for professional video.
• Steer clear of bundles that include accessories. Unless the accessories are described in detail you don’t know what quality you are getting. You may not really be getting bargain.
• Never pay with cash or instant cash transfers. These methods are not safe.

[jg29006]

on 8/22/2008 You can signup for Ebay at
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?type=1&campid=5335966117&toolid=10001&customid=