eBay: The Missing Manual

Chapter 3. Finding—and Getting—Bargains

Spending money on eBay is a snap. What's tricky is learning how to do it wisely.

Two things stand between you and smart shopping: more listings than you can shake a mouse at, and scads of eager bargain hunters. To get an edge, you have to search better than the competition, and you have to bid smarter. This chapter shows you how.

Here's what it covers:

• How to find the hidden bargains that other shoppers miss.

• How to comparison-shop for the best deal.

• How to avoid impulse buying (and the buyer's remorse that goes with it).

• How to snipe (win an auction at the last minute).

• How to boost your odds of winning Dutch auctions.

• How to find deals off eBay's beaten path.

Tips and Tricks for Serious Searchers

Smart searching involves more than typing a couple of words into a text box and clicking the Search button. Sure, a simple search gives you a list of results—but that's what every other shopper on eBay is getting, too. You're out to find the bargains others miss. Chapter 1 illustrated the basics of searching. This section turbocharges your searches.

eBay has so many items—more than 10 million auctions are running on any given day—that searching can quickly become difficult and frustrating. For example, a search that seems straightforward, like NASCAR, can bring up thousands of items you probably never even thought of: not just the tickets you were looking for, but pet bandanas, bracelet charms, cell phone casings, calendars, pillows, and tons more. ...