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Item Location: Worldwide
Ensure your search settings are always in this format, otherwise, items may not appear in your search.
eBay items are formatted as ‘Auctions’ or ‘Buy it Now’.
- Auctions typically last between 5 and 7 days, in which anyone can bid how much they would pay for that item. The highest bid put in when the time reaches 0 wins.
- Buy it Now lets you immediately purchase an item, regardless of time left.
- Additionally, some sellers may take Best Offers. You can send sellers an offer of what you want to pay, and they can either accept or decline. These are beneficial for both parties, as you get your item for a discounted price, and the seller gets paid right away.
1. The best strategy is to not reveal your highest bid until absolutely necessary.
For example, you are bidding on a rare shirt. The auction starts at $10, but you are comfortable with paying $150 for it. If you immediately put in that bid for $150, any bids lower than $150 will raise the overall price. You end up paying $110 for the shirt.
If you bid in small increments, you could have reached the other bidder’s breaking point early and pay only $25. This does not always work, but could help save you money.
2. The last 15 minutes of an auction are the most important.
You could be leading an auction for days – only to get outbidded in the last 30 seconds.
Make sure you are keeping watch during the last 15 minutes to prevent this from happening.
3. Be as vague as possible with searches.
Trying to find exactly what you’re looking for is like a needle in a haystack.
Most listings are vague, and do not include vital information that would help in searches.
4. If you want to collect, you’ll need to dig.
Examples:
Don’t search:
‘bowser’s inside story fawful stylus’
Search:
‘mario stylus’
Don’t search:
‘mario and luigi superstar saga nintendo power shirt’
Search:
‘mario and luigi shirt”, ‘mario shirt 2003’
You will have to dig through lots of unrelated listings, however, this is your best possible chance at finding rare items.
5. Be Patient
It may take weeks, months, or even years until the item you want comes up for sale – but eventually it will.
At my collecting peak, I checked eBay three times a day, every day, for over 5 years. I lost many auctions, distraught at the idea I would never see that item again, but eventually, another one will come up for sale.
Don’t give up hope!