cE9s4PsNGPBQpS0+CKVg~~60_1.JPG?set_id=8800005007)
Last week we provided an overview of hints and tips to get the most money for your eBay listings. In case you missed it, you can view it here. Now, we’re going to spin things around and look at some handy hints and tips which could bring you bargain hunting success. Obviously, with Goofbay being based around bargain hunting, we’re making no apologies for plugging our tools here. Let’s begin:
Is the Best Bargain on eBay?
This may seem a little odd, as you’d typically expect eBay to host most of the online bargains, but sometimes you need to look further afield. eBay sellers lose profit margins through listing fees, seller fees and PayPal fees. However, if they have a website, they are will negate these fees and may pass some of the saving onto the consumer. Also, have a look at the likes of Amazon which is a particularly price driven marketplace.
Search for Misspellings
Misspellings, as we all know by now mean that an item is hidden away from searches and this will result in few bids and a bargain waiting to be had. Use our eBay Misspellings Tool to discover the items nobody else can find.
Save Searches
Whether through eBay, or Goofbay, if there’s a particular item you are on the lookout for, get it saved as a search. This will prompt eBay to notify you of any new listings which may be of interest to you. This will save a lot of time, especially if your search is fairly specific.
Do your Research
Before bidding, or making an offer on an item look at similar auctions and see what the product has sold for previously. Again check this against other retailers on the web. Also, remember that buying used items is not always cheaper than buying new ones.
Pay Attention to Detail
eBay Sellers are looking to make money; some, in a more honest way than others. Remember to look at feedback before doing business with any seller and take the time to pick up on key points which may be swaying you towards a purchase. For example, if you’ve only found one seller who stocks a particular item, as its widely out of stock, check the feedback for anyone describing whether the product is in fact available. The same applies for promises of fast shipping and so on.
The not so Polished Listings
A good eBay seller will provide fantastic imagery, detailed descriptions and will essentially pitch the product to you through the listing. Always remember, however, that there are sellers out there offering the same product that have hurriedly taken a picture on their phone and uploaded a blurred mess to the listings page. There’s a good chance that it’s the same thing, but like the scruffy dog at the pound, it gets overlooked in favour of the perfect specimen. Again, it could be a bargain waiting to be had.
Night Time Listings
A lot of sellers will list their items after midnight. This means that their auction will end when most people are asleep. Try to identify these listings early, but don’t wait up; set a snipe and get a good night’s sleep.
Make a Best Offer
Again, we’ve touched on Best Offers previously. If there is an option to make a Best Offer on an item, take it. If you’re out and about and don’t have time to communicate at a desktop, download the eBay app to your phone and take it with you. Use our eBay Best Offers tool to calculate exactly how much you could save on an item.
Finally…don’t Bid, Snipe
Always avoid showing your hand by bidding early and attracting unwanted attention to an item. Decide what you would offer on an item and use our Free eBay Sniper. This gives you the last say in any auction.
Hopefully, this provides you with an overview of things to look at to get a bargain through eBay. However, there are lots more opportunities to identify a bargain and there are lots more tools within Goofbay to provide insight into them. Spend time experimenting with the tools and eventually you’ll develop methods to identify bargains quickly. If you have any other additional pointers feel free to list them in the comments section below. In the meantime; happy bidding!
