Posted on 08/14/2003 4:20:51 PM PDT by MeekOneGOP
How to navigate the wide world of eBay02:52 PM CDT on Thursday, August 14, 2003
You searched some of online auction eBay's millions of listings - from trendy Burberry to the obscure Sigmund Freud action figure - and found something you want. Now what?
Before you bid
First, carefully read the description and examine the photos. Genuine items usually have detailed shots of the label, box, tag or store bag. Look for phrases including "guaranteed authentic," "new in box" and "new with tags." Avoid "as-is" sales, wares labeled "almost perfect" and sellers denying refunds.
"You'd look, just as you do in any other buying environment, for places where you can return if you're not satisfied or you get some level of guarantee," said Mike Owen, a 36-year-old human resource director in New Jersey and an eBay user since 1997.
Another tip is to check stores, Web sites and catalogs to ensure the product's authenticity. Thousands of Coach leather goods are listed, but some are copies of items the company doesn't produce.
"If you are familiar enough with the kind of product you're looking for, you know with certain things what is authentic and what is not," Mr. Owen said.
If you cannot find something, check spelling variations. For a Gateway computer, try "Gaitway" or "Gaetway." Corinth Milikin, an eBayer for 18 months, often misspells "Pfaltzgraff" to search for her favorite pattern.
"There's a little bit less competition for bidding," she said. "Some people will not find them in their searches."
The description
Each listing contains an item description, but no one monitors them for accuracy. Some sellers are brief or deceptive and others are detailed and reveal flaws upfront. Read the listings carefully. This is where the seller defines the purchase's rules.
Also look for what's not there, advised Robert Ringenberg, an eBay member known as "batotahell" from New Orleans. He recently won a Meatloaf DVD, but only assumed it was new and authentic. What arrived was a cheap imitation that didn't work.
Ask questions, he learned the hard way, lots of them. Also check on size and condition. Just because a picture makes something appear big doesn't mean that it is.
"People are tricky," said Mr. Ringenberg, 38. "They'll word it so that it sounds too good to be true and it usually is."
He also recommends comparing the title and description. Some sellers put a brand name in the title to drive searchers to the listing, but the description does not match.
The bidding process
You're ready to enter the fight. How do you win without going broke? Veteran eBayers say it's all in how - and when - you bid.
First, decide how much you want to spend and stick to that amount. Next, search for similar items. Often, bidders will drive up the price of one product, but an identical item will end a few hours later at a cheaper price, Mr. Ringenberg said.
If you can, wait until the last seconds to bid, a process called sniping. If you don't, you could be outbid and have to bid again - increasing the price.
"You hate it when it's done to you, and when you're successful, you're happy," Mr. Ringenberg said. "I don't get into the bidding wars, because that just drives the price up."
Ms. Milikin developed her own sniping system. She opens two Web browsers. In the first, she types her maximum bid, but doesn't confirm it. In the second, she watches the bidding wind down by refreshing the screen a few times every minute. As time runs out, she enters the bid on the first screen.
"Then people don't have time to outbid you," she explained. "Or if outbid, I'm not tempted to bid higher than I really want to."
To avoid countdowns, software can snipe for you. There's hammersnipe.com, auctionsniper.com and bidslammer.com.
Postage
Winning is good. But receiving the item is better. Here's how to ensure the shipping process goes smoothly.: First, make sure the shipping price is stated. If it isn't, the seller can hold your item hostage until you pay what he or she demands. Also, ask yourself if the postage rates seem reasonable. Several buyers complain that sellers profit from charging too much.
Mr. Ringenberg learned his lesson when he purchased two one-foot sword replicas for $1 each. Postage was $9 each, and the shipper wouldn't discount shipping charges. When the swords arrived, he noticed it cost $3.85 to mail both.
"I wouldn't have minded paying more for them," he said. "It was the idea he wasn't upfront abut the shipping costs. You didn't know until after you got in."
Ms. Milikin agreed. "I've gotten stung by some outrageous shipping charges," she said.
Some sellers will reduce shipping fees if you point out the high cost. Also, if you win multiple items from one seller, ask him or her to mail them together. Avoid foreign sellers. Their postage is usually high.
Tracking is also smart. The U.S. Postal Service lets you follow your package's route for under a dollar.
And, advised Zoe Duplantis, Mr. Ringenberg's 40-year-old wife, always opt for insurance, currently $1.30 for up to $50 at the USPS. If you insure, inquire beforehand who is responsible for filing insurance claims. Will the seller mail you documentation or a refund?
"I've quit buying if someone doesn't offer insurance," Ms. Duplantis said.
To eBay newcomers Mr. Ringenberg offered this final advice: "It's just like regular shopping. Be patient. Make sure you're getting exactly what you want."
He paused and added: "And then snipe at the last minute. I hate to say it, but it's true."
E-mail dwotapka@dallasnews.com
New to eBay? If you're ready to try an online auction, visit www.ebay.com
To register, provide a name, street address, valid e-mail address and phone number.
Next, pick a user name. This is no easy task - more than 75 million names are already taken.
Then, read a lengthy user agreement detailing the rules. They include not being allowed to sell or transfer your user ID and understanding it costs money to list items for sale.
Ebay instantly e-mails you. Open the message and click "Confirm eBay registration."
You're ready to bid.
To sell, you also have to provide credit card and bank account numbers.
Ebay only asks for you for your ID, password or account numbers during registration. When it needs updated information, users are directed to the Web site. Some scammers copy eBay's logos and e-mail users requesting personal information. Do not reply to these messages, said Kevin Pursglove, an eBay spokesman.
Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/081303dnptechwotapka.14fa16f.html
I am fairly new to eBay, but I've used them a few times lately. If you shop around and follow these tips, you can save some $$. Just be smart about what you're doing. And the 'sniping' part of the bidding process? Yeah, it works. It's great when you do it and win, but, like the guy said, not too fun when it happens to you. Losing by being sniped, I learned how !! (Actually, while looking for my HP 318 digital camera, I got outbid in the last seconds on one that didn't have the software or USB Cable or the manual. The next day or two, I got one that had EVERYTHING, and paid $25 LESS than the other one sold for).
Ebay also offers a terrific source for some stuff that I can't even find locally (machine tooling, powder coatings, all sorts of assorted materials for my hobby uses, etc.). Overall, I've found Ebay to be a great resource and a lot of fun, but it is a buyer beware situation, just like a giant flea market or estate auction.
I've bid on many hundreds of items over the last few years on eBay. One thing I've learned - not to bid the amount I'm willing to spend. Far better to bid a low amount early on, then wait until the time is almost up. That way you can gauge interest in the auction and if others bet the same as you, you avoid a bidding war that drives the price up too fast.
Sometimes if you bid what you're willing to spend, someone else (possibly working for the seller) will repeatedly bid up the price and you may end up paying a lot. I know some of the others bidding on the items I bid on, and we play the same game. For instance something that might be worth 100 but starts at 5, we'll bid low, upping the bids by a dime or quarter and then let it sit under 10 bucks until late in the auction, then we bid it up until we give up. Sometimes that's in the last 2 minutes, and then some crybaby complains about sniping and how someone "stole" the item from them. (Like you can have something stolen that you don't own and never knew existed prior to the auction.)
I've only had one problem during the last few years, most of the buyers and sellers are honest. When I sell something, I always ship it with delivery confirmation requiring a signature. One guy complained several months after the sale that he never got the item and wanted a refund - until I produced the proof that someone signed for it at his address.
If there is a counter, you can tell how heavily the item is being watched, and thus how many people may make last minute bids - thus allowing you to adjust YOUR last SECOND bid accordingly.
I just figured out the reason why Americans are becoming obese at an alarming rate.
No, not at all. Just bid what you can afford to lose on a newbie auction. I would never bid a lot on a newbie auction, at least not until they have good feedback. I will bid if they're between 0 and 10 but only on low-priced items. You can never tell, but some scoundrels with a bad track record will abandon their id and start a new one under a different name, pretending to be new. Buyer beware. If you're selling, start selling lower-priced items until you build up a good feedback rating.
Ha-ha! I've seen that some times. Got suckered a couple times - happy with the item I buy but could have got it cheaper by checking the sellers feedback and looking at his previous auctions for a pattern of deception. Sometimes it's like you say, the same exact item that was supposedly sold, other times he has a quantity yet sells them as one of a kind.
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