Using Ebay

How to buy and sell safely and securely

• An online auction site– Items are bought/sold by/to the highest bidder

• Pro:– Wide selection of items to buy– Large number of customers to sell to– Typically safer to use than Craigslist

• Con: – Reliability of sellers (especially foreign sellers)– Ebay fees

• “Insertion Fee” – What you pay to start an auction• “Final Value” – A small percentage of the final sale price that Ebay charges

you

Ebay: Buying

DO• Use different names when

searching for an item– Might give you more results

• Ask to see pictures of the item if they aren’t posted

• Check reviews of the seller to ensure reliability

• Make your initial bid the highest you’d be willing to pay for the tiem

• Use Ebay’s communication service to protect your privacy

DON’T• Be fooled by attractive

listings• Pay with an unsecured

payment form

Ebay: Selling

DO• Provide a detailed

description– Be honest– Highlight the “positives”

• Add pictures• Use a low starting bid• Pack the item with care

DON’T• Underestimate the cost of

shipping• Sell to someone who’s

reviews aren’t good• Accept an unsecure

payment form• Ship the item until you have

received a confirmed payment