How to Get a Bargain on eBay

You have probably heard it more times than you can count: "I got it on eBay - it was a great deal!" The speaker will be bragging about their designer handbag that they snapped up for twenty bucks or how they completely outfitted their toddler in adorable winter clothes for only five dollars plus some shipping. It can be frustrating if you do not know how to make eBay work for you, as the system is designed to provide the means to great bargains, but also to encourage people to sell their stuff on the website because they can make a lot of money. Getting a bargain on eBay can take some time, patience and practice, but that gorgeous pair of diamond-studded sunglasses that you do not have to feel guilty wearing will make it all worthwhile.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Patience
• Internet connection
• Email address

How to Get a Bargain on eBay

1. Set up an account. Click the "sign up" button near the top of your screen and follow the instructions to give yourself a username and a password. You will need an email address so that eBay can verify your identity.

2. Watch items that you like. Instead of bidding immediately, watch items that you like and keep track of how much longer they have before the auction ends. If you bid early, you will only drive the price up. A bargain generally shows little sign of action until the last hour or two before the auction ends.

3. Set your budget before you start. Set a limit on how much you want to pay for an item and do not surpass that limit by so much as a single nickel. Once you start bidding, it can be difficult to let an item go because we are used to being able to decide we want something and then get it by paying. In order to avoid getting swept up in the excitement, you must limit your expenditures long before they begin.

4. Bid last minute. Wait until the last 20 minutes of an auction to get involved in the bidding. If you can stand it, wait until the last minute. This gives other bidders less time to respond to your offer for the item and increases your odds of keeping the price down and winning the item.

5. Bid low. eBay gives you the option of entering a maximum bid but will not actually make you pay that much unless the bidding gets that high on its own. For example, if you are bidding on a pair of designer sunglasses that you are willing to pay up to 50 dollars for, then you can enter $50.00 as your bid and then wait to see if anyone else actually bids that high. If the next highest bid is 21 dollars, then you will end up paying about 22 dollars for the sunglasses. However, this strategy actually drives the prices up because people get curious about how high the maximum bid is and each time they bid they are more emotionally invested and likely to bid higher. If you are willing to spend $50.00, then enter your first max bid around $15.00 and see what happens.

Tips & Warnings

• It is vitally important that you realize that you will not win most of the auctions you bid in. You may have to select several items, then let most of them go in order to get a bargain. If you are determined to win, then you will probably not be able to withstand the temptation to try and outbid another eBay member, and the two of you will battle it out to the benefit of the owner of the merchandise rather than to the benefit of your wallet.