Need some bidding tips for ebay? I'm gonna give it a shot!

[apples45]

Hey folks, I saw somthing on ebay that I really want but I'm not really good at the bidding thing so I could really use some good tips. could any of you give me some solid wining tips for ebay? please thanks.

[thetotalfool]

Look through completed listings for the same item, to see what a realistic price is.

Always bid a few dollars more than you want to pay, so that nobody outbids you by only 50 cents.

Good luck!

[cloudsoup]

i agree with the previous post about bidding the amount
you're willing to pay. for example, if the bid starts at $1 and
you'd pay atleast $5 for it, put in $5. it won't jump the item up
to $5, it will just hold your spot on the item until someone bids
more than $5...

i tend to "watch" a lot of items before i bid. i like to hold out on
placing a bid until the last day, and sometimes up until the last
few minutes, if there are other bidders. if i place a bid too soon
(putting the highest amount i'm willing to pay) and then i'm outbid,
i tend to bid again out of frustration   and i've spent more
than what i think the item is really worth that way. the "winning"
can be a little addicting, i think.

if you're looking for something specific, never bid on the first one
you see. save it or watch it, and chances are you'll find a few more
after a few pages of listings. when i was starting out on ebay, i made
this mistake because i'd get excited that i had found what i was looking
for. i've ended up paying twice as much because i didn't keep trucking
through the pages!

i always check a person's feedback if they have less than 100 transactions,
or if their feedback rating is less than 100% because i'm curious about their
selling/buying experience. everyone has to start somewhere, but just be
cautious when it comes to newbies or sellers with low ratings. this rule
goes for sellers with 10,000+ too! if you have suspicions, read what
others are saying.

communication is important too. if the description seems weak and not
very informative, ask questions! this has definitely saved me from buying
something and not being happy with it -- there has been a time or two
where i went on the pictures alone and received a miniature trinket.
dimensions and sizes are definitely something that should be posted in the
description, but if they aren't, ask!

that's about all i've got   good luck.