Where your Junk can be someone elses Treasure? (ebay.co.uk)

Member Name: Pinkaims

Product:	ebay.co.uk
Date:	02/11/09 (143 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A way to make a little pocket money if not more!

Disadvantages: The new feedback rules and making selling more difficult.

I am both a Buyer and a Seller on Ebay so will review both sections.

***What is Ebay?***

Ebay.co.uk was launched in October 1999 following its success in a number of different countries.

It is ultimately an auction site where people sell items that they no longer have any use for. There are too many categories to list but I think it is fair to say that you can find most things, within reason, on Ebay, both Used and Brand New sometimes in box/with tags.

***Ebay.co.uk as a buyer***

There are three types of auctions, also known as listings, that you need to be aware of on Ebay.

The first is Bid only. This is where the seller puts a starting price for their item and then allows people to decide how much they wish to pay for it. This is a great way of grabbing a bargain, however it is very easy to get caught up in the excitement of bidding especially when bidding against other buyers. I always leave bidding until the last 50 seconds leaving other bidders less chance of bidding against me.

The other option is Buy It Now. This is exactly what it says, and for those that want something quickly and do not want to risk losing on bids this is great, although a little tip use the 'sort by' box to allow you to see the cheapest items first. You can still grab a bargain using the Buy It Now but often it is Business sellers who are obviously in it to make a profit!

The other option which tends to be connected with the Buy It Now listings is best offer. It is always worth making an offer on the item rather than paying the Buy It Now price, although don't expect the seller to take an offer well below the original asking price.

On the Ebay.co.uk buyers need to be aware that it is not only UK sellers in the listings but a lot from Hong Kong and China. If you don't mind perhaps having to wait longer for your item and feel that you are getting a better deal then it may be worth purchasing from them but always check their feedback to see if they are reliable.

One of the nice things on Ebay is the feedback ratings. This gives buyers the chance to see how previous customers have rated their experience you can then hopefully make an informed choice as to whether you wish to deal with that particular seller. Most people are honest on Ebay and you get a good variety of positives and negatives where necessary.

Before you bid check which methods of payment the seller accepts as they all differ, and although most take Paypal not all do. Also remember to take into account the postage costs and make you are happy to pay what they are stating.

Ebay relies on both seller and buyers leaving honest feedback so once you have received your item leave feedback on your experience. Should you have a bad experience it is always advisable to contact the buyer first to see if you can sort out your problem and most sellers are very helpful.
If you still feel that you need to leave a negative feedback you can do so knowing that the seller cannot retaliate and leave you a negative.

Ebay can be a great way to shop, however sometimes you do come across the bad but these are few and far between so if you do have a bad experience please do not give up completely.

If you get yourself a paypal account remember that you are covered in a lot of ways which is handy should any problems arise.

*** Ebay.co.uk as a Seller***

I earn my living thanks to Ebay, however, I will review it as a private seller.

Selling on Ebay can be great but it can also be a pain and make you wonder why you bother!

On the positives Ebay have made it easy enough to list your items and they have made the gallery photograph free, however, they have changed their fee system so you are not always saving any money due to this. Remember they charge you for your listing. If you decide to sell as Buy It Now it is a set price of 40p otherwise the price is based on what the start price of your item is. Remember that should your item not sell you still have to pay the listing fee.

Should your item sell you then have to pay Ebay a final value fee. With Bids this is worked out on a percentage of what the item sold for (not including your postage). Sometimes this can work out expensive but on a Used product that was just gathering dust somewhere surely anything is better than nothing?

The hassle it not necessarily with how Ebay works but more a consequence of Ebay changing its rules. Unfortunately as a seller we are no longer allowed to leave negative feedback for a buyer. This was due to a number of sellers leaving retaliation feedback. Ebay believe that the buyer should be allowed to leave negative feedback without the fear of it being left in return and I go agree. However, thanks to these abusers it means that the Buyers get away with a lot more and as Sellers there is nothing we can do about it. I have found that because it is so easy for them to leave negative they tend to do it more casually than before and it is really hard to get Ebay to retract a feedback.

I do enjoy selling on Ebay, it is a great way to get rid of any unwanted items and make a little pocket money.

Summary: Ebay is great for both used and brand new items! Although not always a bargain