So I’ve used eBay a little in the past, but didn’t get serious until I found out about AutionSniper. (Full disclosure–I work there now.)
Anyway, how long have people been using eBay? What tips do you have (to win auctions, avoid scams, etc.)? Any horror stories?
I’ve always heard you should buy low and sell high.
More importantly, any good seller tips?
On the buyer side, never bid an even number. If your maximum bid is, say, $50, do yourself a favor and bid $50.11. That way you outbid everybody else whose maximum was $50, and the handful of people that “know the system” that bid a couple of cents over.
I would search this forum for ‘ebay’ we are lucky that its more than 3 letters, cause you can’t search for anything three letters or less 
Ebay has its own forum.
Most ebays pros post in the newsgroup, alt.marketing.online.ebay
I actually tried a search and didn’t turn up much. The reason I posted here instead of eBay forums is that eBay is less than thrilled with auction sniping. It really does help the buyer get it for less, and that likely reduces eBay’s commission. AFAICT it’s kosher but villified on the forums there.
Really? When I browsed the forums, I always got the impression that the vast majority of eBayers were pro-sniping. Occasionally one person will come along with a complaint like “SOMEONE STOLE MY ITEM IN THE LAST FEW SECONDS!!!” and the board regulars will sort them out.
I’ve been watching lots of auctions lately preparing to bid on some laserdiscs and it is quite obvious that very few people use the system as it is supposedly supposed to be used, that is bid the highest they’re willing and then wait it out. Their bids often refelect only slightly how high they are willing to go and more heavily on what is the previous highest bid.
I say to bid on something, establish how much your willing to bid, sit on that number, do NOT lay your cards down since that will only encourage people to out bid you. And then wait until 15 to 10 seconds to go and place your bid then. Make sure you have your password entered correctly though, I’ve failed to place the winning bid once because of that. And take KK’s advice, those extra few cents don’t mean much to you, heck you might have that much inside your couch, but it can mean the difference between winning the auction and coming out even (I hesitate to call it losing since nothing happened. Spending way to much on an auction, now that’s losing).
And for most auctions don’t worry about losing it and keep your head because another one will usually come along eventually. I’ve seen about 30 laserdiscs of “Song of the South” go by in the last few months. Some people got shafted others got good deals.
Be sure to read the auction carefully. There’s no need to do something stupid like win an auction for somebody that wont ship to where you are or won’t take personal checks and says so in their auction.
with the advent of the dvd burners, expect to see the lasers start to drop - when to technology get where I want it…
as for “song of the South” - it was recentely pulled from GB - VHS/PAL format - conversion costs about $50, and you get rid of the japanese subtitles on the songs, and the 20-secord “blue screen of death”
I expect nearly all will drop but a few unedited editions of various releases might not. I’d reveal the rest of my “Laserdisc Master Plan” but certain issues prevent me from doing so.
Well, my tip is always to check the seller’s feedback before buying. I tend to avoid the ebay powersellers that have more than 1% negative feedback.
As for horror stories, I’m pretty happy I’ve bought and sold pretty much unscathed. I did sell my Taylor Acoustic bass guitar on eBay and stuck the shipping charge at $85. Unfortunately, when I took it to Mailboxes Etc to ship it, they had to make a special oversized box for it and it cost me twice as much. So if you’re selling something, I’d advise taking the time out to find what the shipping’s actually gonna cost you.
Whee! Just sniped a laptop. I’ve been wringing my hands about the decision for a while and finally dove in. Got just what I wanted for about $400-500 under retail. Funny thing is, someone also tried to snipe it about 4 seconds before me. My bid was higher…
I guess I’m officially an addict now…
I guess I’ll need to check eBay’s forums for advice on the Very Best Times to launch an auction, but needless to say don’t have it close at 3 in the morning.
If you’re a night owl, and/or that’s the only time you really have time to yourself, use eBay’s “Mister Lister” program to prepare all your auctions ahead of time, then upload 'em to eBay and activate them at a better closing time.
You can’t automate the activation process (AFAIK) like you can with some other auction services but, hey, it’s free. 
I think sniping is the safest way to bid. It’s too easy to get caught up in a personal battle otherwise. I try to determine what the most is that I’d be willing to pay if I found the item in a store and bid in the last few seconds. If someone beats that bid, fine, they paid too much as far as I’m concerned. Why anyone would bid with 2 or 3 days left in an auction is beyond me.
I know this is a bit crazy, but on items I really want, I check the other bidders feedback and try and judge how high they are likely to go based on the amount they paid for previous items. Yeah, I need help.
If you are awake when the auction is ending, bid in the last few minutes. That way you avoid getting into a bidding war with some other crazy who’s willing to bid overly high to get the item. You also avoid attracting other people’s attention to an item that would otherwise show high bidding activity.
If you’re a seller, be honest about the condition of your item. Don’t claim something is “genuine” if it’s a knockoff. Don’t claim something is brand new, unused, if in fact it has been used.
Tip: Set your reserve price high enough that the item may not sell in the auction. Then you can deal with the high bidder separately after the auction closes. . . and you don’t get socked for the eBay percentage. Be clear about your shipping and payment instructions. Ship quickly. . Always leave feedback.
If you’re a buyer, the “few cents over” tip is a good one. Sniping is fine; this is eBay, after all, and may the best buyer win! Check the seller’s feedback. Pay quickly. And, my best advice, don’t make winning the auction a “live or die” thing. It’s just an auction! If you don’t win this one. . . something else will come along. Leave feedback regarding your seller.And Don’t Get Addicted! It’s very easy to go broke on eBay!