Online Auctions

Shopping online auctions, most notably at eBay.com, has become very popular. I have used eBay several times and many of my friends have also. How do these sites work and what should you know before you purchase items via an online auction?

I can tell you that I have had only positive experiences with eBay. Many similarities exist between ebay and other online auction sites, but there are differences, too, so this is just meant as a general guide. If you can think of something you need or want, you can probably find it at an online auction; clothes, kitchen gadgets, accessories, games, toys, collectibles, jewelry, elctronics, you name it! There are thousands of choices at these sites, so prepare to take some time to browse through them looking for the one you want. Once you locate the item of your choice, do some research. If the site does not include a picture of the item, request one from the seller. I would suggest you never purchase an item from an online auction without first seeing a photo of it. Be aware of how much you are willing to pay for the item. Remember that shipping and insurance costs could be added to the final sale price of the item. I have watched the cost of items I was interested in bidding on soar far above what the actual value of the item is. Don't get caught up in the excitement of "winning" only to regret it later. Once you decide to bid on an item, it's time to do a little more research. Who is the seller? Check out other's opinions and comments about the seller. A link to this type of feedback should be on your bidding page. Although this information (which includes satisfaction with previously purchased items, speed of delivery, problems experienced and their resolutions) can be invaluable, remain a little skeptical since you can't really be sure about the person who is submitting this information. Some other things to look for are how much the shipping and insurance costs will be and who will be responsible for paying them, and what methods of payment the seller will accept. I have paid by check and credit card. I will go into more about payments later.

If you decide to go ahead and bid, beware of "sniping." This term refers to the practice of making a last-second bid just as the auction is about to close to edge out other bidders. I have experienced this and it is frustrating! I have used eBay's automatic bidding feature, which will automatically increase your bid as needed until it reaches the maximum limit which you have set. This worked great because I didn't feel the need to glue myself to my computer to keep a constant eye on the bidding.

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