| eBay isnt just an auction and a marketplace: often it | | | | items that have good pictures, clear descriptions, |
| can feel quite a lot like a game. Like any game, you | | | | trustworthy sellers and all the rest. If youre brave, why |
| can get ahead if you think strategically, using your | | | | not take a risk and do the exact opposite? |
| head to outwit the other buyers and get the best price. | | | | Many buyers wont want that item from the seller with |
| Here are a few things you can try. | | | | a feedback rating of 5, no picture and a one-line |
| Shop in the Summer. | | | | description. If you take a calculated risk and bid |
| This is simple, but effective. Summer is the quiet | | | | anyway, you might be able to make a tiny bid and win |
| season on eBay almost everything sells for less. While | | | | by default. There are people on eBay who make their |
| everyone else is out enjoying the sun, invest a little | | | | living from winning auctions like these, taking good |
| time to find some real bargains. | | | | pictures of the item, writing a good description and then |
| Beat Them by a Few Cents. | | | | reselling it at a huge profit. Be careful, though: do this |
| Outbid people by a few cents instead of a few dollars | | | | for long enough, and you will inevitably lose your |
| if they dont check back before the auction ends, then | | | | money at some point. Its especially unwise to try it with |
| you will be the winner. To avoid people using this tactic | | | | very high-value items. |
| on you, though, always bid strange, hard-to-guess | | | | Avoid Bidding Wars. |
| amounts instead of round numbers. | | | | There are few things on eBay that are so rare that |
| Play Dirty. | | | | youll only see them once and never again. There are |
| If you know when the auction ends, you can get in | | | | usually quite a few sellers who have an item. Whats |
| there at the very last second and outbid your rivals. | | | | more, they will generally have more than one to sell, |
| The chances are that they wont have the time to sit in | | | | even if they havent listed them all at once. Always |
| front of the auction waiting for it to end as a rule, he | | | | check your sellers history to see whether they sell |
| who stays wins. If someone else does retaliate at the | | | | your item all the time and if they do, then wait for the |
| end of the auction, though, try not to get carried away | | | | next one instead of bidding to the skies. |
| in those last few seconds and end up paying too | | | | Now, there may come a time in your eBay life when |
| much! | | | | you realise that youve screwed up your bid, and you |
| Take Risks. | | | | wish there was an undo button. Heres the good news |
| This is a strategy for the braver eBay buyer. All of the | | | | for you: there is! The next email will be all about |
| advice you will see for eBay beginners tells you to buy | | | | withdrawing your eBay bids. |