AnyVan’s top 10 tips for eBay buyers

Buying from eBay can be daunting for first time and seasoned users. The horror stories of people getting ripped off or losing money can be enough to scare people away from the site. So we thought we could help.

Here’s our top 10 tips for eBay buyers, that make it so simple, you could teach a monkey to do it!

Check the spelling

Not all eBay sellers have a graduate degree, and many are often rushed when posting an item of sale. The best bargains are those that have spelling errors in their title, as they are most likely to be missed, or receive significantly less bids. This will allow you to be in a strong position, improving your likelihood of winning the auction. Why not visit Fat Fingers and see what bargains you can land?

There is no such thing as a stupid question

Find out all the info first. Use the ‘ask a question’ tool, to find out about refunds, returns and any other queries you may have. Some sellers may provide a list of Q and A’s under ‘find a question’, however if your question or a relevant answer isn’t listed, you can contact the seller directly. It is important to add not all sellers accept questions before you buy an item, however all do once you have completed a purchase.

Find out whether it really is a bargain

Listings which seem to good to be true usually are. In order to ensure you really are getting value for your money, research the value of what you want to buy. By simply checking sites such as Google or brand websites, you can gain a general idea about the average price of a product. Alternatively, by using the ‘search completed listings’ feature on eBay, you can find out what price similar products have been sold for on the site.

Remember to bid seriously

Every bid you make is a binding contract which stipulates you must buy the item if you win the auction. This can also be true of ‘buy now’ items. Therefore, it is important to be careful of making multiple bids on the same item, as if you win all auctions, you are obliged to pay. Its important not to waste the sellers time, whilst also making sure you stick to the rules set out buy eBay. In short, when it comes to bidding on eBay just remember: “Don’t bid, if you don’t intend to buy”.

Look into the seller history

In order to avoid potentially being ripped off, be sure to make full use of the sellers eBay history and feedback scores. Sellers on eBay achieve feedback scores based on ratings given by other users (+1 point for each positive rating, 0 points for each neutral rating, -1 point for each negative rating). A quick glance into this section can help you ascertain if the seller is legitimate and trustworthy. Additionally, have a look at information such as items sold as well as reading detailed user feedback. Most user complaints are centred around issues such as delivery lateness, however an in depth scan into the feedback section will allow you to unearth any potentially more serious issues with the seller.

Try sniping

eBay sniping is when a buyer either bids manually or uses software to enter bids during the dying seconds of an auction. This allows buyers to undercut the competition and enter the last bid possible, potentially increasing the likelihood of winning the auction. There are many tricks to sniping, so do some research before you try it out. Visit for an introductory guide to sniping. It is also important to understand the risks of using sniping software, as you often have to hand over sensitive information such as passwords and payment history. Be sure to look into the software and read previous user reviews before diving straight in.

Try different keywords in your search

Searching too broadly for an item can often mean you are overwhelmed with the results – be specific, but be careful that you do not can eliminate the results you'd like to see. For example: ‘chest of drawers’ is too broad, whilst ‘white vintage chest of drawers 2013’ is too specific. Better search terms would be; ‘white chest of drawers’, ‘vintage chest of drawers’ or ‘chest of drawers 2013’

Save your favourite sellers

Add a seller to your favourite sellers list through your ‘My eBay’ page or immediately after you leave positive feedback. This way you can keep tabs on them and see whether they are selling any new items that may be of interest to you. Additionally, this allows you to develop good, trusting relationships with sellers, limiting the possibility of getting ripped off. eBay also allows you to save your favourite searches, as well as setting up email alerts so you can be informed when your saved favourite sellers have new items up for sale. This is of particular importance if you know you will be buying an item regularly.

Buy items out of season

Try and purchase items earlier than needed, as soon as winter comes in the price of warmer clothes and items for that season will go up in price. Think about winter items in summer, and vice versa. Make use of the previously mentioned ‘saved searches’ feature, to create a list of seasonal items you need to buy. There’s no shame in stockpiling your items for next winter by buying them at the start of the summer. Buying items out of season also allows you to limit the possibility of missing out on items because they are sold out. Remember, it is better to get a bargain as opposed to paying double the price later on.

If you happen to run out of space for all your next season purchases, be sure to visit https://www.anystorage.com to obtain a free storage quote.

Be careful when bidding on pick up only items and paying on PayPal

Most of PayPal’s user protection is designed to protect sellers, however the buyer is still equally at risk. Often when using PayPal for buy now items, if the value is under £350 you, as the buyer, may be asked to pay immediately. This puts you at risk as you have already parted with your money before receiving the item. In order to avoid the risks involved, it is important to try and get a feel for the seller before completing the transaction. Give them a call and have a chat, as this can allow you to gain an understanding into the person they are. Also, if you feel uncomfortable, try and meet in a neutral, public place.

Using AnyVan to deliver items purchased from eBay allows you to drastically reduce any additional delivery costs you may incur. AnyVan provides an online platform which allows you to choose from a range of delivery quotes from over 35,000 trusted transport providers. Ultimately, this will enable you to receive your goods in a timely, convenient, cost-effective manner.

For a free quote please visit https://www.anyvan.com