Tips to Get the Most out of eBay!

You can find anything you need on eBay, and be entertained by perusing thousands of crazy items you don't need. Since 1995, eBay has been one of the most dominant forces for online shopping. You can use eBay to both make and save money, but you have to know how to work eBay for your advantage.

Boasting of over 16,000,000 items, eBay is guaranteed to have something for everyone, and you would be hard pressed to find an Internet user that has never visited eBay's site. eBay works by using an auction format allowing users to bid on items against other users. An item will be on the virtual auction block for a specified amount of time, and when the clock hits 0:00 then the user with the highest bid wins. Many of you have likely experienced how intense bidding can become during the final seconds of an eBay auction. It's quite a rush and it feels like you've accomplished something when you "win" a bid.

eBay categorizes itself as an international consumer-to-consumer commerce network, but that doesn't mean you can't take advantage of eBay's great deals for your business. Before dropping a lot of cash buying equipment for your company, you may want to first shop eBay to see if anyone online is selling it used for a fraction of the cost. You may be able find a deal on eBay that will save your company loads of money and make you the office hero, but if you fall for a scam, then you may ridiculed as the office dummy. Therefore, it's important to know what you're doing on eBay. Here are some eBay tips to help you get the most out of your online auction experience!

• Timing is Everything: It may take you a few auctions to get used to the format, but you will find that there's a bit of strategy involved with bidding on items. To get the best deal possible, you will want to watch the clock and pay close attention to the last few minutes so you can win the bid.
• One at a Time: One bad bidding strategy is to have multiple bids going for the same item at the same time. If you win both bids then you will be stuck having to pay for both items.
• Be a Firm Decision Maker: Because auctions have a competitive element to it, it's easy to get caught up trying to win and spend more money than what you originally intended. Before you start bidding, it's good to set a spending limit on an item and stick to it.
• Fine Print is Your Friend: Before bidding, it's good to do product research and read the fine print. Sometimes a scammer will try selling something different than what the picture shows and explain the discrepancy in the fine print.
• Seriously Consider the Feedback: One way that eBay helps protect buyers and sellers is to allow users to leave feedback on their shopping experience. You should review this feedback before buying from a seller to make sure they will come through on their promises. Obviously, the most reliable sellers will be rated 99-to-100% in positive feedback.
• Consider Shipping and Handling: When it seems like the price of an item is too good to be true, then you might want to check out the shipping and handling charges because the seller may have inflated these fees to make up for the item's low price. Be sure to keep in mind the total price before bidding.

You can find some great deals on eBay, make extra cash selling what you have laying around the house, and even have some fun engaging in a bidding war. Many businesses have also taken advantage of eBay and use it to reach new markets. If you would like help getting your company set up on eBay, or if you want to know more great eBay tips, then give Computerware a call at (703) 821-8200!