IF IT MOVES EBAY IT. (ebay.co.uk)

Member Name: thingywhatsit

Product:	ebay.co.uk
Date:	20/10/05 (391 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gets rid of junk.

Disadvantages: Gets more junk when you buy.

Recently I was moving house, and when you move, you suddenly find that all the rubbish you hoarded over the years comes to the surface and you wonder what on earth you did before a site called Ebay existed. If it went in the scanner or was light enough to post, it got sold on this wonderful site that enables people like me to de-clutter.

There are many reviews on Ebay, which go into all the details of how to register and go through the whole procedure of selling things, so I am not going to go there. Does it work ? Yes, but with very slight reservations.

Setting up an account, and telling them who I was via details of my Bankers card, I began to list items and quickly realised that specific categories rather than "Anything else" ones work the best, as people that search Ebay tend to do so for very specific items. Listing your auctions is easy, and uploading photographs a darned sight easier than when I originally joined Ebay, with all the options and extras listed (showing the price for them clearly on the screen), although when I sell things, I really don't want all the glitz. I just want to sell.

Hurrah !!! the first bids came in. This is where the experience becomes exciting. The name of the person bidding on your auction, (the duration of which you chose in a drop down menu), is shown on the item in question. You can tap on their name and see what other members said about them, and whether they come across as a genuine buyer or not. I like that bit very much, although it never worries me much if I find I have bids from new users, as usually these are people that are just starting their online experience, and as long as you have listed your method of payment clearly and keep in touch with people that are buying from you, you limit the amount of misunderstandings that can occur about payment methods and the price of postage etc.

Gripes ?

Well I have a few though not aimed at Ebay itself, rather its users. I buy a lot of DVD's on the site and am irritated by badly listed items that do not tell you their region. What irritates me more is that the actual cost of sending a DVD from the UK (where I base my Ebay activities), is One Pound Seventy Five. I have suddenly found in the last year that members listing DVDs are charging extortionate prices for postage, so seek out those that are reasonable. I believe that if you are a picky buyer, there are loads of bargains out there to be had, and looking at the postal charges is important, as many ebayers try to recuperate their Ebay charges within their postal charges.

Another gripe is one against Internet mis-use, and this one again is not Ebay's fault. I have received an email asking me to update my credit card, and guess that many members receive the same one. Fortunately, I knew that my present card had not expired and emailed Ebay straight away, but what was contained in the email was alarming. It was a link to an identical site to Ebay where information was requested about my credit card. Ebay were swift to answer my mail, and people selling on Ebay should always check to see if the letter sent from Ebay is genuine, by going into their own page, and checking to see if the email is indeed shown there in your messages. If not, report it.

Overall conclusion of my experience.

I like Ebay. It compares well with other online auction sites that I have visited and certainly has a wide range of items for sale, as well as a huge membership. I find the site easy to navigate, the bills that I receive from them reasonable, and the experience a rewarding one. Would I recommend it ? Yes I would although here I would also recommend that potential sellers and buyers alike familiarise themselves with Ebay before committing. Mistakes are easily made, and a mistake can cost you your reputation, so getting to know how the site operates is essential, as well as listing items in an honest way, showing as much information as you possibly can, and being clear about the ways in which you accept payment.

I use an online payment system and pay for the privilege but its worth it to me, as it means that money changes hands quickly and easily, and customers are not frustrated by long waits for the items they have bid on. If you are new to the experience, be patient and wait, as often bids do not appear until the final days of the auction. After a little experience, you get to understand the auction mentality. If you bid too early, someone will outbid you and you will be disappointed.

Slowly but surely, I learnt the ebay experience, and if I can, you can.

It's fun and addictive.

Summary: Good fun experience.