How to Get the Best Deals on EBay

Finding deals is exciting. It feels like I won a game when I buy something at a great price. I shop store sales, bargain stores, closeouts, and more -- but found that I could often do much better by simply buying through online auctions - if I buy carefully.

Squeezing a deal out of an EBay auction is an art. Buying from auctions can be a costly proposition or a very economical option depending on your tactics. Buy wisely by learning from my (sometimes costly) experiences.

1. Is the Seller Honest?

Both EBay and Yahoo auctions have seller ratings. Read these and their associated reviews. If the seller has a good rating from buying and a bad rating from selling, you probably don't want to buy from them. Look at both praises and complaints to see if they apply to what you are bidding on.

2. Read the Description Throughly

It is very simple to read what you want to see in an Ebay auction rather than what is actually written there. Read both what is in the Ebay description and what is NOT in the description. Often your mind will want to fill in details with your dream interpretation. You need to re-read the description until you find out whether what you are searching for and what the seller is selling match.

* Used or New

Is the item you are buying used or new? If it doesn't say new, you are most likely buying something that is used.

* Real or Fake

Is the item you are interested in "real" gold, sterling silver or pearls? For example, a description saying: "gold necklace for sale" does NOT say 14 kt gold or 18kt gold. That most likely means a gold COLORED necklace which may or may not have actual gold metal. This also applies to pearls as many call plastic fake pearls simply "pearls".

If the seller is selling beads, those beads could be plastic, glass, stone, scrap metal, crystal, chips, wood, clay, gemstone or some other material.

* Quality, Quantity and Size

Does the EBay description really say how much you are getting, how long the item is, and quality of the item? Selling by the pound can be a fantastic deal - or a terrible deal.

* Hidden Costs Add Up

Look at shipping and handling costs. I've seen many penny auctions that have $13 or more shipping. Some EBay auctions even have handling fees.

* How Quick Will it Ship?

I've been seeing a fair amount of online auctions that note that the product will ship in 2 months or that shipping time is 2 months. If you are buying for a particular holiday, be sure that you will get the item in time.

3. Is it a Deal For You?

Many times an EBay auction will say that the items are "worth $XXX". In many cases, that price is inflated. Often you can find similar items much cheaper than "$XXX" at normal stores. (However, the auction price may still be cheaper than you can by elsewhere - it really helps to know how much you usually pay for items!) If you are only interested in some of the items in an auction, adjust your bid to reflect how much you are willing to pay for just those items unless you plan to sell the rest as that is how much you would pay for it elsewhere.

4. Auction Excitement

When in a bidding war, it is easy to get caught up in the possibility of getting a deal. Compare prices on the net to avoid overpaying. Know that usually you can get the item later elsewhere. Wise buyers know to walk away when the price is higher than the item is worth to them.

About the author:

This article is courtesy of Jewelrymall.com: Lorraine Venner helps you find deals and make great gifts. Get your Free report: "10 Ways to Make Your Gift Extra Special" and great Jewelry Deals at Jewelry Mall