Tips

If you buy or sell on auction sites like Ebay, here are some simple rules that can improve your results dramatically.

1. Check the preferred shipping method when buying online. Items for sale with "collect only" status almost always get lower bids. So if you bid for such items you could save yourself a lot of money.

2. When paying for a purchase, avoid using PayPal if possible because charges can be added to your payment transaction of several percent. Bank transfers or Cheque payments can save you money. These can be a little risky if you are unsure about the identity or the credentials of the person at the other end so where possible collect in person and pay by cash – which also saves you the cost of postage (see number 1).

3. Giving and receiving feedback increases your credibility as a buyer and a seller. Be honest and truthful about how a transaction went on. Ebay has introduced a great feature allowing you to award points for specific parts of the process.

4. Know how to use Ebay's search engine. Whether you want to buy or sell items, Ebay Search is a vital tool. You can unearth well hidden treasures by making use of the advance search features. Likewise, using the "completed items" functionality you can search for recently sold items similar to your own and learn how to devise great looking auction pages that attract buyers.

5. Participation enhances your profile. As well as providing a feedback function, Ebay also allows you to contribute to its system through the reviews service and its members' forum. Use them to learn about others mistakes and pick up tips for more effective selling and shrewd buying.

Learn more about Online transactions through our related guides:

Buying online  

Selling online