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How
To win at eBay
(At
least some of the time!)
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By Timothy Arends
eBay is a major part of the strategy of many Internet marketers.
Although
there are a number of strategies in which you can use eBay to sell
things -- including information -- which I will cover in future
articles on the site, In this article I would like to discuss the
process of actually buying things on eBay.
The cover blurb of a
magazine I spotted on the newsstand awhile back claimed to teach you
how to "win at eBay every time" at rock-bottom prices. The article
inside discussed the practice of "sniping," the act of placing a bid
seconds before the auction ends, and keeping others from being able to
make counter bids.
The article, while admitting that nobody
likes snipers, suggested that the reader become one too, as this is the
"only way to really win at eBay." The practice of sniping entails
sitting around at your computer (or iPhone) exactly at the time the
auction ends and placing your bid. But some auctions end in the middle
of the day when people have to do such mundane things as work for a
living, making sniping impractical at best.
I was a little
disgusted at all this and at eBay, as I had just recently plunged into
the eBay waters and placed a couple of bids myself—and lost. After
reading that article, I was convinced that nobody but snipers could win
at eBay. My surprise was great after returning home that very night and
finding announcements in my e-mail inbox that I had won two items.
Here
is what eBay itself has to say about the practice of sniping: "There is
a common misconception that snipers always win. The truth is that they
don't. To win, they must outbid you. By placing a proxy bid at your
maximum limit, someone else can outbid you only if they are willing to
spend more for the item than you are. If someone places a last-second
bid that isn't high enough, they almost never have enough time to get
back in and place a winning bid before the auction ends. "
What
eBay says makes more sense than the magazine. It is possible to win at
eBay. The secret is to set the maximum amount you want to pay and stick
to it.
Another secret is to have patience. Watch a few
auctions for the item you want so you have an idea of what it is worth.
Most importantly, pay attention to the seller's ratings. Getting burned
once could wipe out any savings you may have achieved through eBay in
the past, and possibly put a bad taste in your mouth towards the entire
process.
Although there are iPhone apps that help you to place
bids on eBay at any time of the day or night -- even when you are away
from your computer -- and while I love the iPhone, I do not think they
are necessary to win at eBay. Of course, if using such methods
increases the fun and excitement you feel in using eBay, then by all
means go for it! Just don't think it's necessary.
Happy bidding!
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