Never used Ebay before.. Help I'm a newbie?

pinkerbelle

Drift in heels
Jan 26, 2008
69
0
Hi ladies..

I saw this forum and I guess now that you ladies are here to authenticate stuff, I feel safer with purchasing from ebay and actually would like to start learning how to use it. :yahoo: But I need maybe some tips, and guidance through the whole ebay process.. I saw this Dior Girly Boston on Ebay that I would like to purchase, the authenticate this dior thread said it was okay, I just need to get more pictures.. Etc.

At the end of the day, it seems like you girls get a better deal through ebay and am kinda tired of paying full retail :tdown:and I hardly use the purses anyway, they are just an hobby... just to have..

So I just signed up for an ebay account, now how would I pay for the goods? Let start from there..

Thanks in advance!!! *hugs* :love:
 
Yep register with Paypal using credit card funding only. NEVER make payment from your bank account as you have no protection other than that provided by Paypal, at least with paying by cc you have some more back up if things go wrong
 
You will need to create a PayPal account, which it will require you to link it with your bank checking account. PayPal will send a small amount of money, usually is less than a quarter to your bank account. Once you check your bank entry and found the amount, enter that amount to your PayPal account, then your account is established. After your new account is established and you wish to pay with credit card, PayPal will charge your credit card of $1.95 and attach a number with that charge. Once you receive your statement with that $1.95 charge, you enter that 4-digit number to your PayPal account then your PayPal account with credit card link is established.

This whole process will take a week or so. You need to plan ahead before start bidding.

Good luck!
 
I established a Paypal account a number of years ago with just my credit card. I did not need to give them any bank account information. I don't know if that has changed in subsequent years.
 
Oh, and some advice. Handbags are particularly susceptible to fraud on ebay. Be careful who you buy from. Look at the feedback. Ask questions. Make sure you are comfortable that you are dealing with someone reputable.
 
Another tip:

If your very first transaction is going to be a big ticket item, please please please open up some serious communication with the seller before you bid/buy. If you look at other threads pertaining to "0 FB" buyers (newbies), you will see it is a sore subject for a lot of eBay sellers.

A good thing to say BEFORE BIDDING would be "Hello, I want to buy your bag and wanted to let you know that I am an honest and sincere NEW eBayer. I intend to pay you immediately with PayPal should I win your item and look forward to completing my first transaction on eBay with you."

I would do flips if every eBay member with 0 FB contacted me like that!

BEST OF LUCK TO YOU ON EBAY!!! May you always find reputable, honest, decent, human sellers. :drinks:
 
Phew! :Push: Thanks for the tips, girls..

That's a process!! So would normal ebay sellers be a little more reluctant to sell their stuff to ebay newbies?

And too, how much over do you usually bid each time?
 
If it's a really expensive item, I would be nervous about selling to someone with..maybe less than 5 feedback. You might want to start off buying little things first.

You can always enter your 'max bid', say an item is at $15, and you're willing to pay $50. When you put $50 as your max bid, it'll only show you bidding the next up from $15, until someone outbids you, say $25. Then it automatically bids for you the next one up. If at $40 no one bids higher than you, you'll pay that, not 50. I feel like I'm rambling...and dont make sense!
 
Phew! :Push: Thanks for the tips, girls..

That's a process!! So would normal ebay sellers be a little more reluctant to sell their stuff to ebay newbies?

And too, how much over do you usually bid each time?

A lot of newbies make the mistake of driving up the bids way early. Seasoned bidders wait until the LAST minute or use an auction sniper. Do a couple of searches here on tPF for "auction sniper" and for "new eBayer". You'll get a lot of valuable info.
 
For an auction with no reserve, what ebay recommends and what is never bad advice is to bid the max you are prepared to pay and wait and see what happens. Seasoned ebayers wait until the last few minutes/seconds of the auction to place their bids. Really seasoned ebayers use sniping software (I have never used it but I'm tempted). If it is a Buy It Now auction and you like the item and the price, do your research and if all looks good, go for it. Good deals on Buy it Now items can go quickly but it is more important, especially for a newbie to do your research.
 
I guess researching.. well it's like shopping for sales.. I guess I can deal with that..

How often does fraud really occur though on Ebay, I tend to think very little but always heard the negatives about ebay.. then again people like to blow up the negatives. How often too do you find better deals on ebay?
 
I guess researching.. well it's like shopping for sales.. I guess I can deal with that..

How often does fraud really occur though on Ebay, I tend to think very little but always heard the negatives about ebay.. then again people like to blow up the negatives. How often too do you find better deals on ebay?

There is definitely more legitimate business than fraud, but when it does occur, it stings.

It has never happened to me or to anyone in my personal "circle" (family, close friends, etc.). The best thing you can do is research, and BE CAREFUL. Arm yourself with the knowledge to spot warning signs, ask the right questions. Even following every recommended step imaginable, you can still get scammed.

I don't know an exact percentage, but trust that it's not as common as you might imagine. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen.