James Metcalfe
Ebay is still something of an online revelation for the average shopper. The intense nature of a bidding war, coupled with all the worries of not being able to see, test and feel a product in person can make eBay still slightly daunting to those who aren’t veterans on the site yet.
We spoke to several experts on the website for their insights on how anyone can win on eBay…
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#1 Pick Your Sellers
I prefer dealing with individuals with good feedback and when you find the right one who clearly looks after their belongings you are usually onto a winner. You can usually tell this from the listing in terms of the effort that has gone into the pictures and the description. A slap dash approach to selling is a red flag for me. Look through their previous sales and feedback to see what they have been selling and what past buyers say.
Contributor: Brandon Ackroyd from tiger mobiles
#2 Research
If you want to be sure you’re getting a good deal, you need to do your best research. Check out other sellers’ sites. You can’t assume eBay is giving you the best price. Sellers sometimes get greedy and jack up their prices. Don’t fall victim to their tricks.
Contributor: Nate Masterson from maple holistics
#3 Haggle!
Even if an item is on the Buy It Now page doesn’t mean you can’t ask for it at a lower price. As long as you’re friendly, polite, and reasonable with your offer, there’s no harm in asking. Just send the seller a message and hope your initiative pays off!
Contributor: Nate Masterson from maple holistics
#4 Install Alerts
Instead of looking for a product over and over again, you can easily set up an alert for it. To do this, you’ll have to search for the item you want and click the link “Save this search”. After that, you’ll automatically be emailed when eBay gets any new items that match your search- saving you a lot of time!
Contributor: Nate Masterson from maple holistics
#5 Selling Across Platforms
It takes work, but if you can find the right item that is being sold for more (at a worthwhile profit) on eBay than it is on Amazon, you can list then item on eBay. Once it is sold, go over the Amazon and buy the item to send to your buyer. This has been around for many years, but it still works great in 2018.
Contributor: Dustyn from dime will tell
#6 Undervaluing Products
Keep an eye out for buy it now that are below market value. If a seller has undervalued their item and listed it as a buy it now, grab it before someone else does!
Contributor: Chad Henley from natural care cleaning service
#7 Last-Ditch Bidding
NEVER start bidding on an item right away as you will drive the price up. Either wait until the last 20 seconds of the auction to end and bid or use a service that will bid for you. Hint using a service will keep you from emotionally bidding beyond what you were wanting to pay!
Contributor: Chad Henley from natural care cleaning service
#8 Ask Questions
Don't be afraid to ask the seller questions. Ask about the IMEI, scratches, hardware damage and anything else you can think of. If their responses are vague, ask for more details. For example, if you ask about physical condition and they say it has “a small scratch on the front of the screen”, make sure to ask for more pictures if they haven't already put them on the listing. Which they really should have.
Contributor: Brandon Ackroyd from tiger mobiles
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