Most people are aware that eBay is the equivalent of an online garage sale where people can buy and sell used items. Actually eBay is much more than that. There are many great buys in new items as well as used.
An example would be a computer club member who complained that her cell phone battery life was very short and a local store wanted $50 for a new battery. A quick search on eBay turned up a replacement battery for $2.75 with free shipping. Now, it was from a seller in Hong Kong, but thatâs probably where the local store purchased it anyway. It took about a week and a half, but the price difference and convenience were well worth the wait. Often the item is also available from a U.S. seller at a slightly higher price, but the shipping time could be much shorter.
The search was done by going to ebay.com and simply entering the cell phone model number in the eBay search. If you need to refine the results, enter the word âbatteryâ along with the model number.
Many other items are available as well. Magazine subscriptions, jewelry, clothing, electronics, tools, toys, gift cards and just about anything you can think of. If youâre a ânewcomerâ to eBay, you will find a friendly welcome and easy-to-follow directions for using their site. Here are a few more âbitsââŚ
Cautions â Just as with any purchase, check that your seller has a good history. Past buyers have left comments, called âFeedback,â on their experiences with the seller. Also, be sure to read the item description thoroughly. Know what youâre buying.
Also check out the return policy of the seller. Some items may not be returnable, often listed as âReturns: Not acceptedâ (sometimes shown âas is.â) Some may require that the buyer pay return shipping charges, and some may even carry a ârestocking fee.â Always check this out.
Protections â eBay provides a free Buyer Protection Program. If you encounter a problem, you should try to resolve it directly with the seller, but if that doesnât work, you can contact eBay and they will contact the seller. If there is still no resolution, eBay will refund your purchase price plus shipping costs on items covered by the protection plan. Complete details are available on the website.
Payment â The best way to purchase at eBay is with PayPal. You setup a PayPal account and give your credit card information. PayPal charges your credit card and pays that money to the PayPal account of the seller. The individual seller never sees your credit card information. A link to PayPal with more information and setup instructions is provided on the eBay homepage.
If you choose not to use PayPal, it would be a good idea to get a credit card with a low limit to use just for your online purchases. That would be a recommendation for ALL online purchases, eBay or elsewhere.
At eBay.com you can also browse items to see everything thatâs available. Click on âCategoriesâ to see the vast array of items out there. Enjoy easy shopping and some real savings.
Head: Buy New on eBay
Most people are aware that eBay is the equivalent of an online garage sale where people can buy and sell used items. Actually eBay is much more than that. There are many great buys in new items as well as used.
An example would be a computer club member who complained that her cell phone battery life was very short and a local store wanted $50 for a new battery. A quick search on eBay turned up a replacement battery for $2.75 with free shipping. Now, it was from a seller in Hong Kong, but thatâs probably where the local store purchased it anyway. It took about a week and a half, but the price difference and convenience were well worth the wait. Often the item is also available from a U.S. seller at a slightly higher price, but the shipping time could be much shorter.
The search was done by going to ebay.com and simply entering the cell phone model number in the eBay search. If you need to refine the results, enter the word âbatteryâ along with the model number.
Many other items are available as well. Magazine subscriptions, jewelry, clothing, electronics, tools, toys, gift cards and just about anything you can think of. If youâre a ânewcomerâ to eBay, you will find a friendly welcome and easy-to-follow directions for using their site. Here are a few more âbitsââŚ
Cautions â Just as with any purchase, check that your seller has a good history. Past buyers have left comments, called âFeedback,â on their experiences with the seller. Also, be sure to read the item description thoroughly. Know what youâre buying.
Also check out the return policy of the seller. Some items may not be returnable, often listed as âReturns: Not acceptedâ (sometimes shown âas is.â) Some may require that the buyer pay return shipping charges, and some may even carry a ârestocking fee.â Always check this out.
Protections â eBay provides a free Buyer Protection Program. If you encounter a problem, you should try to resolve it directly with the seller, but if that doesnât work, you can contact eBay and they will contact the seller. If there is still no resolution, eBay will refund your purchase price plus shipping costs on items covered by the protection plan. Complete details are available on the website.
Payment â The best way to purchase at eBay is with PayPal. You setup a PayPal account and give your credit card information. PayPal charges your credit card and pays that money to the PayPal account of the seller. The individual seller never sees your credit card information. A link to PayPal with more information and setup instructions is provided on the eBay homepage.
If you choose not to use PayPal, it would be a good idea to get a credit card with a low limit to use just for your online purchases. That would be a recommendation for ALL online purchases, eBay or elsewhere.
At eBay.com you can also browse items to see everything thatâs available. Click on âCategoriesâ to see the vast array of items out there. Enjoy easy shopping and some real savings.
