How to Get Started on eBay
Register with eBay., Search the site., Sort your results., Find out more., Make a bid., Monitor the auction., Pay for your item.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Register with eBay.
You will be required to provide your name, email address, and other information that will help to identify you as a user of the site and allow you to bid on items.
You will also need to create a username and password. , Now you're ready to get started with bidding.
In the search box at the top of the page, type the name of an item or type of item that you are looking for (e.g.
Beatles records, or simply The Beatles).
You can do a general search, or search within several categories such as Music, Sporting Goods, or Books. , Many searches, particularly for popular items, will show several pages of results.
In order to find what you want more quickly, you can sort the items by price, time left in the auction, date of listing, or payment options available. , By clicking on an item in the list, you can find out further details about the item, such as where it ships from, the seller's feedback rating from previous customers, and a picture of what you would receive. , If you decide that you'd like to try to buy the item, you can bid on it by clicking "Place Bid".
Most auctions will require bids in increments of at least 50 cents (for example, if the most recent bid is $7.00, your bid will have to be at least $7.50.).
You can also type in a maximum bid amount, and eBay will continue to bid for you up to that amount.
This is helpful so that you don't have to sit online and continually watch the item.
If your bid doesn't work you need to enter your credit card details because you have bid on too many items at once. , Every once in a while, you will want to check on the progression of the auction and see who else has bid.
If you are not the high bidder, you can raise your bid up to the end of the auction in order to win the item. , If you win what you were bidding on, you will receive an email notifying you of the sale.
From there, you should either contact the seller to discuss details of payment and shipping, or wait for him or her to contact you.
It is considered polite to complete this part of the process as soon as possible.
PayPal is the most common payment processor used by eBay buyers and sellers to send and receive payments, so you should consider signing up with PayPal as well at https://www.paypal.com/. -
Step 2: Search the site.
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Step 3: Sort your results.
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Step 4: Find out more.
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Step 5: Make a bid.
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Step 6: Monitor the auction.
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Step 7: Pay for your item.
Detailed Guide
You will be required to provide your name, email address, and other information that will help to identify you as a user of the site and allow you to bid on items.
You will also need to create a username and password. , Now you're ready to get started with bidding.
In the search box at the top of the page, type the name of an item or type of item that you are looking for (e.g.
Beatles records, or simply The Beatles).
You can do a general search, or search within several categories such as Music, Sporting Goods, or Books. , Many searches, particularly for popular items, will show several pages of results.
In order to find what you want more quickly, you can sort the items by price, time left in the auction, date of listing, or payment options available. , By clicking on an item in the list, you can find out further details about the item, such as where it ships from, the seller's feedback rating from previous customers, and a picture of what you would receive. , If you decide that you'd like to try to buy the item, you can bid on it by clicking "Place Bid".
Most auctions will require bids in increments of at least 50 cents (for example, if the most recent bid is $7.00, your bid will have to be at least $7.50.).
You can also type in a maximum bid amount, and eBay will continue to bid for you up to that amount.
This is helpful so that you don't have to sit online and continually watch the item.
If your bid doesn't work you need to enter your credit card details because you have bid on too many items at once. , Every once in a while, you will want to check on the progression of the auction and see who else has bid.
If you are not the high bidder, you can raise your bid up to the end of the auction in order to win the item. , If you win what you were bidding on, you will receive an email notifying you of the sale.
From there, you should either contact the seller to discuss details of payment and shipping, or wait for him or her to contact you.
It is considered polite to complete this part of the process as soon as possible.
PayPal is the most common payment processor used by eBay buyers and sellers to send and receive payments, so you should consider signing up with PayPal as well at https://www.paypal.com/.
About the Author
Thomas Mendoza
Enthusiastic about teaching cooking techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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