Is buying from Ebay worth it or not?

Answer 1

It can be. It just takes a special effort by the buyer. Kind of like shopping in "real" stores does. Here are some tips i recommend:
Make sure to check the sellers feedback. If they have more then 3 negatives left by 3 different users then don't buy anything from them. That sounds like a small amount but that means that 3 separate times someone felt cheated because they bought from that seller.
Make sure shipping is reasonable. You know how much whatever your buying weighs so figure approximately $1.50 per pound. That is a very round figure but it will help you to see if the seller is gouging on shipping. Also account for the fact that most sellers charge for packing materails - which is reasonable. So figure $2-3 for that. See how much different your guesstimate on shipping is from the sellers. If it is way off... then don't buy from them... someone else is likely to have the same product with reasonable shipping. Example: a 3 lb box should not be more than $7-$8. If it is much higher than that then it's not worth buying.
Make sure that the way you want to pay is an accepted form of payment from the seller. It will just save you lots of problems later.
Make sure the product they are selling is what you want. If you want new ... make sure it says it is new and not "like new". Really read the description of the item.
Be creative in your search. Don't look for towels .. look for towel - you will get more that way to choose from. If you want a red one look in the item title AND description - not everyone puts main selling points in the title. Don't limit yourself to one category - not everyone puts the same things in the same categories, ... you may miss out on that "perfect" item if you limit yourself to only looking in certain places.
When in doubt ASK. There is a link at the top of the page that says ask the seller a question. Use it!!!! If you have any question at all about the product then ask the seller. How they answer and how fast they answer will also give you an inkling of what they will be like if you end up winning the auction.
And most important! Have fun. Ebay has tons of amazing auctions on there with some great sellers. Just be aware of who you are buying from and with a little extra time ebay can be very much worht the extra effort. And there is almost nothing you can't find on ebay.
i have one more tip but as i was writing i forgot it. If i remember what it was i will edit this and add it.
Good luck and have fun!

Answer 2

It depends on what you are buying.

If you are buying a collectible item, such as postcards from the Philippines circa 1900s, then ebay is a great place to buy. Ebay would have the widest selection and there are a lot of sellers offering the same item.

If you are buying office supplies in bulk, for example a box of Jiffy padded mailers size 2, eBay is NOT the best place to buy. You have to pay the seller for the item which may be around $34 PLUS the shipping which is about $18. Overstock's bulk marketplace also sells the same item for about the same price -- but without the high shipping cost. So with ebay, you can get the same item for $52, while in Overstock you can get the same item for only $36

You need to consider the seller, especially if you are buying a pricey item such as computers or jewelry. Email the seller beforehand and see how well the seller responds. Check the feedback to see if there are any red flags.

If the seller has never sold the item before (e.g. seller sells only brewery items but all of a sudden sells an Omega watch), you need to consider that stealing ebay user ID is rampant and the seller's ID may have been stolen. Check with the seller and see if anything's fishy.

Answer 3

eBay is the largest online marketplace and one of the most popular ways to earn an income from home with a PC and internet connection. Selling on eBay is inexpensive and easy to start. Ebay has a number of tools for sellers to maximise sales. These are eBay Pulse, Hot items report, merchandising calendar. By sourcing products at a low price, you can increase your profit. Check out http://tinyurl.com/rygsh for more details.

Answer 4

Yeah ebay is good most of the time. I wouldnt recommend buying season tickets on there - i just got ripped off for $4,000. luckily u can get your $$ back - but its still a pain in the @$$.

Ebays good for collectables and stuff like that...def be sure to check sellers feedback - if it seems shady...stay away!

Answer 5

YES! But you have to be careful. I have saved hundreds of $$$ buying things on eBay. You should always look at the seller's feedback though. If they have a bad history, don't buy from them.

Answer 6

Watch out for the postage. There are a lot of sellers now who add fees to the postage [handling, etc] and really jack it up. But, in many cases, you can get really good deals on stuff there.

Answer 7

yea ive bought tons of stuff off of ebay! no problems at all but i guess there must be idiots out there cuz they are everywhere but from all the stuff i got it was good!

Answer 8

I think it is, as long as your not paying too much, but also make sure to check the seller's feedback and see if it is good before you bid on anything!