Parinita

I cant claim to be either a professional eBay user, or even a semi-professional eBay user, but I have used it quite a lot, both as a buyer, and to a lesser extent as a seller, but maybe, just maybe theres some advice in here that novices might find useful.

Ill also touch upon Paypal, which, although it is another organisation, being a payment processor not an auction site, just so happens to be part of the same parent company as eBay, and so the two are inexorably linked, seemingly.

WHAT IS eBAY?

Well, its nowt but a damned-great car-boot sale on the internet with all that this implies. You can buy things there or sell things. Some sellers are traders, others are private. Id imagine that a larger proportion of buyers are private, unless a crafty trader sees a bargain they can sell for more later!

It carries with it, just like a car boot sale, one huge caveat

KNOW YOUR PRICES.....AND KEEP YOUR HANDS IN YOUR POCKETS

...err, that's TWO HUGE caveats, sorry, I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition.

Its very easy to assume that an open air market is cheaper than conventional retail, and the same applies here. Time and time again, people buy at markets, only to find theyve paid the bog-standard High Street price.

So many times Ive checked the Amazon price for something on eBay to find that its only a little higher than buying a possibly second-hand version of it, say a camera, on eBay.

I put this down to the fact that amateurs selling used electronics sometimes have an inflated view of the items current worth; lets say half of what they paid for it.

To be fair, this rule-of-thumb works fine for most inanimate objects with the notable exception of modern technology.

For example, the Casio 3.4 mega-pixel camera I paid 700 for, 5 years ago, is now virtually worthless, having been surpassed by even the most entry level digital cameras, some with 5 mega-pixels and price tags of 70. You need to be realistic about these things, and agree never to be an early-adopter again if you dont want to get caught like this.

Then again, if an electronic item works and you have no use for it, dont wait for it to go faulty, sell it; just dont expect to get a lot for it!

In the same way as its possible to get carried away on the spur of the moment (heh, its a market, it has to be cheaper, hasnt it?), dont get caught up in the thrill of the chase and bid more than you intended just to get one up on the second highest bidder, who may, very sensibly have stuck at a level theyve researched as being worth paying.

Quite often, you, as the second highest bidder will be offered the goods at your price just because youve met some invisible ceiling price that the seller had in mind, and theyve got more than one of whatever it was you were bidding for. Anyway, it saves them the expense of re-advertising Ill come to fees later.

This happened to me a while back. I was prepared to pay 150 and no more for a Canon Ixus 750 from the official Canon Refurbished site where shop-returns are repacked as new and guaranteed by Canon for a full year. I was outbid at the last moment by someone prepared to pay 165 but I still got the camera, warranty and all for my price because they had nine of them for sale. In this case, I was also aware that I was buying a superseded model (now the Ixus 900 Titanium), but someone buying on a whim could feel cheated when they find its not the latest item.

Dont just know your prices; know your product variants too!

I have left some auction prices below for Terk Technologies LF IRX Leapfrog Remote Control Extender and other items you may be interested in.

Click Picture Below to see great prices for Terk Technologies LF IRX Leapfrog Remote Control Extender on Ebay:



Product Details:
Terk Technologies LF IRX Leapfrog Remote Control Extender:

Terk LF-IRX Leapfrog Remote Control Range Extender - This device converts any IR remote signal to the much more powerful RF radio signal. Allowing you to control A/V components through walls and floors up to 120 feet away! Installation is simple too. Place the receiver in the room you will use the remote. Then attach the base unit onto the component you want to control. Works with Most Remote Controls and A/V Components Unit Dimensions - Receiver - 2 1/2 x 4 x 5, Height With Antenna Extended - 9 7/8; Transmitter - 2 1/2 x 4 x 5 System may be expanded - Add an additional receiver (LFIRX-RX) and/or transmitter (LFIRX-TX) sold separately Terk 1-Year parts and labor warranty

Ebay is one of the biggest online shopping sites on the net you sell your items which is even better then going to a carboot sale.

I have only bought items from Ebay but yet i have only ever had one problem which was a DVD Employee of The Month. I bought from ebay only to find it was an Asian copy i was disapointed after paying 8 but it was from the original DVD but thats not the point i want original DVD.

Every other item i have bought from ebay has been fine and has been really good quality and most times it's been cheaper then buying from HMV. DVD's and games i use it for and if i see it cheaper then in shops i will buy them off the internet. You have to be careful when buying items from other country's as you sometimes get hidden charges. Buying the Skins Series 1 DVD i found strange that it said the location was United Kingdom only to find out it was send from Hong Kong.

As for ebay it's a site you have to beware of and always check people's comments and check the photo to see if it is the real item. If you ever problems on ebay try to take up the matter to them to try and help you. Always beware of shopping on ebay because there is tons of fake DVD's which is really annoying as ebay have not removed some which they should have.

Summary: Good but always be careful when buying from a seller

I have left some auction prices below for Fellowes Powershred C 320 26 28 Sheet Strip Cut Shredder and other items you may be interested in.

Click Picture Below to see great prices for Fellowes Powershred C 320 26 28 Sheet Strip Cut Shredder on Ebay:



Product Details:
Fellowes Powershred C 320 26 28 Sheet Strip Cut Shredder:

A high performance shredder designed to meet the needs of a department up to 6 users. . Powershred cutting system reduces confidential documents to 7/32" strips. 1.7 HP thermally protected motor shreds 26-28 sheets per pass as fast as 20 feet per minute. NEW Turbo Jam Release button - the fast, easy way to clear jams. Wide 10" paper entry shreds standard documents and continuous-feed 80-column paper. Durable, hardened steel cutters accept credit cards, staples, small paper clips and shreds CDs in a designated safety slot. Electronic auto start/stop ensures quick, easy shredder operation. Shredder shuts off and alerts operator when a jam occurs, basket is full or door is ajar. Door offers convenient holder for oil, manual and shredder bags. 24.6-gallon wastebasket pulls out for easy waste disposal.

My husband introduced me to ebay, hes a bit of a magician and he found it a convenient way of purchasing magic tricks. Once introduced, I was hooked.

Ebay is an online auction site, selling a variety of items including cars, pottery, collectable items, clothes and just about anything you can imagine. There is no charge by ebay to buy things; the seller pays a charge depending on the item sold, and any special features used to advertise i.e. bold headings and pictures to make the item more attractive cost more.

The layout of the site is excellent, very clear and user friendly, a search is available and quickly takes you to the items you are seeking. To use ebay you have to register, but this is quick and easy. Your e-mail address is protected from everyone and you can contact sellers to ask questions via ebay.

I have left some auction prices below for Peripheral iPod GM Interface Kit Use your iPod in select General Motors vehicles Kit includes a mounting cradle and vehicle specific cables and other items you may be interested in.

Click Picture Below to see great prices for Peripheral iPod GM Interface Kit Use your iPod in select General Motors vehicles Kit includes a mounting cradle and vehicle specific cables on Ebay:



Product Details:
Peripheral iPod GM Interface Kit Use your iPod in select General Motors vehicles Kit includes a mounting cradle and vehicle specific cables:

iPod connection adapter for select General Motors factory stereos * works with newer iPods, including nano, classic, and iPhone * controls track selection and fast-forward / reverse * iPod remains active, allowing for access to all of your playlists * charges your iPod battery * includes an 11-1/4' cable for your iPod and three vehicle-specific connection cables *