Online Buying Guide 
 

Many people get nervous placing their bids on ebay.  What if they don’t receive their items?  What if the people steal their money?  There are many common fears when it comes to ebay.  I’m going to provide you with some buying tips to make buying on ebay a bit more comfortable and fun for you. 

1.  Read the entire description.  Make sure you read what items are for sale as many sellers take pictures of multiple items but only sell one.  Also read the description of the items condition so that you are not disappointed when it arrives.   

2.  Read the terms of service.  Each seller on ebay is allowed to have their own terms of service.  Make sure you read when payment is expected, if they accept your desired method of payment, when and how often they ship items and if they accept returns. 
 

3.   Read the sellers feedback.  This is the best tool ebay has for finding out how reliable both buyers and sellers really are.  Each transaction performed on ebay qualifies for feedback and once it’s entered, it cannot be changed.  So this is the best way to find out if your seller is on the up and up. 

4.  Ask the seller a question.  If the auction is anyway unclear or shipping is not clearly stated, ask first, because once you place a bid, it is a binding contract.  Find out all of your information first, before placing your bid.  

5.  Open a Paypal account.  This is the safest way to send and receive money on the web.  When paying with paypal, you are also protected if a seller fails to perform their end of the deal. 

6.  Be careful if sellers accept only cash or instant money transfers.  There is no way to trace your money and it could be a potential for a big problem or not receiving your item.   

7.  Also be careful if a seller contacts you outside of ebay to complete a sale.  Again, you will not be covered in the event something happens.  Tell them that if they wish to set up a private auction on ebay  for you, that would work better as you will be protected through ebay. 
 

Most of all have fun!  As they state on their commercials, you can buy anything on ebay, so search for that childhood heirloom or a favorite item of clothing from your past.  You’ll be surprised at what you can find.