| eBay isnt just an auction and a marketplace: | | | | beginners tells you to buy items that have |
| often it can feel quite a lot like a game. | | | | good pictures, clear descriptions, |
| Like any game, you can get ahead if you think | | | | trustworthy sellers and all the rest. If |
| strategically, using your head to outwit the | | | | youre brave, why not take a risk and do the |
| other buyers and get the best price. Here are | | | | exact opposite? |
| a few things you can try. | | | | |
| | | | Many buyers wont want that item from the |
| Shop in the Summer. | | | | seller with a feedback rating of 5, no |
| | | | picture and a one-line description. If you |
| This is simple, but effective. Summer is the | | | | take a calculated risk and bid anyway, you |
| quiet season on eBay almost everything sells | | | | might be able to make a tiny bid and win by |
| for less. While everyone else is out enjoying | | | | default. There are people on eBay who make |
| the sun, invest a little time to find some | | | | their living from winning auctions like |
| real bargains. | | | | these, taking good pictures of the item, |
| | | | writing a good description and then reselling |
| Beat Them by a Few Cents. | | | | it at a huge profit. Be careful, though: do |
| | | | this for long enough, and you will inevitably |
| Outbid people by a few cents instead of a few | | | | lose your money at some point. Its especially |
| dollars if they dont check back before the | | | | unwise to try it with very high-value items. |
| auction ends, then you will be the winner. To | | | | |
| avoid people using this tactic on you, | | | | Avoid Bidding Wars. |
| though, always bid strange, hard-to-guess | | | | |
| amounts instead of round numbers. | | | | There are few things on eBay that are so rare |
| | | | that youll only see them once and never |
| Play Dirty. | | | | again. There are usually quite a few sellers |
| | | | who have an item. Whats more, they will |
| If you know when the auction ends, you can | | | | generally have more than one to sell, even if |
| get in there at the very last second and | | | | they havent listed them all at once. Always |
| outbid your rivals. The chances are that they | | | | check your sellers history to see whether |
| wont have the time to sit in front of the | | | | they sell your item all the time and if they |
| auction waiting for it to end as a rule, he | | | | do, then wait for the next one instead of |
| who stays wins. If someone else does | | | | bidding to the skies. |
| retaliate at the end of the auction, though, | | | | |
| try not to get carried away in those last few | | | | Now, there may come a time in your eBay life |
| seconds and end up paying too much! | | | | when you realise that youve screwed up your |
| | | | bid, and you wish there was an undo button. |
| Take Risks. | | | | Heres the good news for you: there is! The |
| | | | next email will be all about withdrawing your |
| This is a strategy for the braver eBay buyer. | | | | eBay bids. |
| All of the advice you will see for eBay | | | | |