While you may think of eBay as just an auction website or an online marketplace, the buying and selling on eBay is actually kind of like a game. As with any other game you play, you score big wins if you think strategically. When buying merchandise on eBay, use your head to outsmart other buyers and get the best price. Here are a few tips you can try.
Shop eBay in the Summer
This is a very simple but effective way to grab bargains. Summer is eBay’s quiet season, during which time almost everything sells for less. While everybody else is enjoying a vacation or spending time in the sun, hop online to find some cheap deals.
Outbid by a Few Cents
Outbid other bidders by a few cents rather than a few dollars. If they don’t bid again before the auction ends, then you’ll be the winner. To avoid letting people use this tactic on you, however, always bid in odd, hard-to-guess amounts instead of even or round numbers.
Snipe and Play Dirty
If you know exactly what time the auction ends and you can get in there before the very last second, you can outbid your rivals. Chances are that they may not have time to sit and wait for the auction to end. As a rule, the bidder who stays wins. Waiting until the last seconds to place your initial bid is called sniping. If someone else tries to snipe back, though – or if an original bidder jumps in and retaliates before the end of the auction – don’t get carried away in a bidding war. You’ll end up paying way too much!
Take Calculated Risks
This is a strategy for the more courageous eBayer. All the advice you’ll find for eBay buyers tells you to bid on only those items that have great pictures, clear descriptions, reliable sellers and all that other stuff. If you’re feeling brave, why not take a risk and do just the opposite? Many buyers won’t buy an item from a seller whose feedback rating is less than perfect, no picture and a brief description. If you take a risk and decide to bid anyway, you could place the minimum bid and win the item by default. In fact, some people on eBay actually make their living from winning auctions this way. After buying the item, they take good pictures, write a great description and then resell it for a nice profit. Remember that this is risky, though. Keep doing this for a long enough time and you will eventually get ripped off at some point. Don’t try this method with big ticket items like laptops computers or iPods.
Stay Out of Bidding Wars
There are very few items on eBay that are one of a kind. Not many items are so rare that you’ll see them only once and then never again. Typically, there are quite a few eBay sellers who have the same item. What’s more, they’ll often have more than one available to sell, even if they have chosen not to list those items all at once. Always check a seller’s history to find out whether they have sold that item before or sell that item all the time. If they do, then wait for the next listing instead of bidding up to the skies. Don’t get into a bidding war, unless you’re absolutely sure you’ll never see that item again.
Withdraw Mistaken Bids
You can’t use this option often, but there may be a time when you regret your bid and wish you could retract it. The good news is, you can! The bad news is, you need to have a good reason. Although eBay tends to favor buyers in almost every aspect, withdrawing bids is something that is frowned upon. Use this option wisely and reserve it for those times when you’ve really screwed up.