Years ago, this was true. I actually canceled my first eBay account because of the amount of spam I received. However, I gave eBay a second chance a couple of years ago when I opened a new account in order to get rid of some items that were cluttering up my home. To my surprise, no spam! You can communicate with buyers and sellers from within your eBay account. You still have to register an e-mail account with eBay, but precautions are now taken to protect your information.

 

However, I have two e-mail accounts, and I recommend that others do the same. I have one account through my internet service provider for communication with friends and family. I have a second account through one of the free services (for example, yahoo and gmail) for online transactions. It keeps things simple :-)

 

 

 

Yes, there are plenty of sellers on eBay pilfering items that have been laying around their garages, attics and basements. As a matter of fact, I'm one of them! However, there are several retailers that purchase items at wholesale prices directly from the manufacturer and then sell them online.

 

Many times these sellers are able to sell their items for significantly less than the manufacturer's suggested retail price. This is because they have less overhead than retailers with traditional storefronts. When I am shopping on eBay, I like to first find out the suggested retail price, for example, by visiting the manufacturer's website. With this knowledge, I then know when I find a good deal, ensuring that I do not overbid on an item.

 

 

 

Some people are just not the auction type. They just want to get in, get their item, and get out! If this sounds like you, I recommend that you keep an eye out for the "Buy It Now" auctions. In these type of auctions, buyers have the option of ending the auction immediately by bidding the "Buy It Now" price. You can also search eBay stores instead of auction listings to avoid the bidding process.

 

 

 

When purchasing anything online, whether from eBay or another online vendor, it is always a good idea to be cautious. There are a couple of things that you can do to protect yourself...

 

One, consider signing up for a Paypal account. You can fund a Paypal account several ways, for example, by transferring funds from your checking or savings. You can also register a credit card with Paypal and when you make a purchase, Paypal will charge your credit card. Your bank account information and credit card numbers are never shared with the seller.

 

Before bidding or buying an item on eBay, you should also check out the feedback left by others regarding the seller. The seller's feedback score, along with comments left by others, can alert you to potential problems that you may have with the seller.

 

 

 

Shopping on eBay is a lot of fun! So is selling :-)

 

It you have avoided getting an eBay account, there's no time like the present to open one. It doesn't take a lot of time to register, and you will be "good to go" if you ever come across an auction for that one item that you can't live without.

 

Of course, if you have any questions, I will be happy to share what I know. Feel free to contact me.