Buying from eBay

I've been buying things off of eBay for years now. I've also dabbled in selling from time to time, but mostly I've found eBay great for buying hard to find items at reduced prices. You really do have to be careful, because the ease of finding so many random things can make it really simple to buy a ton of "collectible" junk that is quite unnecessary. (I have bought random junk for super cheap off eBay before....)

Last week I paid $6 for these Crocs for my daughter. They are in perfect condition (even though the seller said they had some wear on the bottom, I can't see any), and the $6 included shipping!

These retail for $15 on the Crocs website, plus shipping, so I was thrilled.

I thought I would share a few of my tips for getting a great deal on eBay (and hopefully avoiding adding junk to your home!).

Look for something specific. This is one of the best ways to avoid those impulse purchases no matter where you are shopping. If you have a specific item you need/want, that will help keep you on track. I searched for Mary Jane Crocs size 5 and knew I was not going to pay more than $8, so that really helped to narrow my search.

Have a firm "top price" before you bid. I mentioned above that I was not going to pay more than $8, and that included shipping costs. The great thing about eBay is that you can put your maximum bid in and it will automatically bid for you up to that price. This is how I was able to win the Crocs, because someone bid in the last 20 seconds, but eBay automatically bid for me since it was still under my maximum bid.

Be ready to let "IT" go. Once you start bidding on an item, it can be easy to keep bidding, even if the price goes over your maximum. But one of the best things about eBay is that someone else will almost always list that thing that got away from you another time. Patience takes some work, but you may find yourself getting a better deal the second time around.

Do you use eBay? If you have any other tips or questions about eBay, feel free to share!