With Christmas fast approaching, shopping increases and funds consequently decrease. As I am busy studying at the moment, I am not only on a money budget, but also a time budget, and so mastering the art of online shopping in the cheapest way possible is important.
Today, I have enlisted the help of Goofbid to share some of the best ways that you can use eBay to grab a bargain. I have used eBay for a good few years now, not only as a purchaser but also as a seller, and is a great way to sell off unwanted gifts (or prizes) and put that money into getting the gifts people will really want (or treating yourself to that bag you've been eyeing up for ages). Keep
When selling items, there are a few common mistakes that are made. One of these is the pictures. be sure to get the item in a good light (natural light is best, so try taking the photo near a window) and with a clear background (I use my desk a lot as it is a neutral colour). Make sure your first picture is eye-catching and shows the whole item off, as this is the first impression the buyer will get.
Another issue is spelling. Always, always, always double check the spelling of an item, even if you are sure. I was once wondering why a Cath Kidston bag just wouldn't budge until I realised that I was advertising a lovely floral Cath Kidson bag, and so wasn't coming up in any of the searches. This one is good to note though if you are looking to buy something much cheaper. Items that are spelt wrong are much less likely to be seen, and so bids may not reach as high a price. This is where Goofbid comes in, as they have an eBay Misspelling Tool that finds auctions that you would never be able to find due to little wording mistakes. You don’t even have to manually search, just use Goofbid’s typo finder.
How do I use the eBay Misspelling tool?
It’s really easy to use and you can find a great bargain a lot quicker than you would without using the tool. All you have to do is visit the tool and type in the correct spelling of the item you want to find, the less specific the eBay search is the more bargains you will find.
You can refine your search too and find even more eBay deals and using the keyword search tool you can filter eBay items, so you can find misspelled items that slip off the map. Once you find a fantastic bargain all that is left to do is place a snipe using Goofbid’s FREE eBay sniper.
The FREE Goofbid Sniper is another tool that helps you bid on items without being outbid. By entering the eBay item number and your maximum bid the sniper automates the process and will snipe the auction just a few seconds before it ends, you can guarantee that you will have the best chance of winning. Bidding close to the end is always a good way to make sure you will be the winner, but doesn't always happen at a convenient time for you, which is why Goofbid is so handy.
The fully automated Goofbid sniping tool is simple, effective, reliable and best of all completely FREE!
How do I use the Goofbid Sniper Tool?
All you need to do is create an account on Goofbid, and once registered go to the sniper page and enter the item number of the eBay item which you’d like to win. Enter your maximum bid on the item, remember to check the listings page as you need to confirm you are sniping the correct item. Set the snipe and then you can relax whilst others bid amongst themselves in the run up to the end of the auction.
Be sure to check out some of the the other great tools that Goofbid has to offer - located along the top of the website.
Top eBay tips:
- Get the cheapest results by selecting “Zero Bid Only” and selecting a price range between £0.01 and £0.99.
- There are not only misspelled items, items can also be categorised incorrectly. Keep an eye out for products in related categories such as computer consoles appearing in Games and Accessories categories.
- If you see a Best Offer option, don’t pay full price. Remember that in listing an item with an Offer available, a seller will have an acceptable offer in mind.
- You can check the eBay going rate for similar items by typing in the search box and ticking ‘completed items’ on the left. A list of prices similar auctions will come up, if you select ‘lowest price’ and the price is black, that means no one bought it so you won’t need to pay more than the average.
- Try to haggle on buy-it-now listings or auctions with high start price and no bids, there’s no harm in asking for a discount.
- If you’re not familiar with eBay, you can buy cheap items to start learning the ropes. Try bidding on small items to learn how the bidding system works.
- Don’t be fooled by fakes, eBay does use a ‘flag and remove’ policy to help identify fakes but they do still come up. Keep a look-out for overseas sellers or branded items that seem really cheap.
- Be sure to pay for items quickly, the better your scoring the more likely people may buy from you in future!
- If you don't mind waiting, items from China can be bought at a real snip. I got an iPhone cover for 20p the other day - worth the 30 day wait. Just type in 'iPhone 5 Cover' and then order by price low to high + shipping (and that plus shipping bit is important).
So there you go, some top tips for getting your Christmas shopping on the cheap! Just be careful to order it on time for the big day!
Thanks to Goofbid for contributing your knowledge and insight into the world of eBay!
Luck and Love,
Laurie
