Sep 02, 2001 09:09 PM
2102 Views
Though eBay has a bit of a reputation, I would like to start by saying I have found it totally reliable. I use eBay.co.uk, and have bought and received 20 items. Each one arrived safely, even on the occasion when I was daft enough to send cash!! I must admit, I have mostly bought small items like CDs and videos. I'm not sure that I would want to buy something like a laptop from there. Ebay sells items in hundreds of categories, from computers to clothes, from antiques to DVDs. So, if you are yearning for a vintage Apple Mac, or an old album that you once owned, give eBay a look!
EBay does have a feedback system, so, if you are unlucky enough to be landed with a load of rubbish, you can leave bad feedback, and so prevent others from being caught out.
So, how does eBay work?
You must register with eBay to buy or sell.
Firstly, a person puts something up for sale, for instance a CD. There is an inital listing fee, depending on the start price of the item, and a final value fee once it is sold. Up to £4.99, the listing fee is 15p. You can pay extra for all sorts of options, like reserve auctions, or highlighted entries. I have not sold anything on eBay yet, so I can't tell you much about it.
Next, someone else comes along, finds your item, and likes it. So, they leave a bid. You can either bid the minimum needed, or leave your maximum price, and eBay will keep bidding for you up to your limit. This is useful if you will be at work when an auction ends. You can save items and have eBay email you to remind you when they close (though currently my emails are arriving the day after the auctions end). You can also save a search, and have eBay email any new items that appear in it. If you want to know more about an item, you can email the seller through eBay.
When you have bought something, eBay will email both parties, and give out the email addresses. Until you buy something, no one knows your email address. Then, you send a cheque (or use Paypal or something similar), they wait until it arrives, and then send your item. It can be a little slow, but there are some good items cheap on eBay, so it is worth it. Once you have the item in your hand, and you've checked for problems, you can leave feedback for the seller, saying how reliable they are (or not!!).
Just as a footnote, I recently had a problem with a CD I bought on eBay, as it arrived without its front cover. The seller did not realise, and when I emailed him, he was very apologetic, and a CD single arrived on my doorstep very soon by way of compensation. That is extremely good service in my opinion! I also ordered a tshirt, and when the seller washed it, she found a few tiny holes in it. She sent me it, and a cheque returning my money. There are some very very honest people on eBay.
