Before You Bid...
 Unless you’re bidding on a unique item, it’s good to check what’s available from a number of sellers. Check the full price including shipping & insurance.
 Learn how to search: mouse (ibm, pc) -japan* means, for example, you are seeking a mouse for an IBM or PC and you don’t want one with japan in the title or description. (The * indicates anything that begins with the letters japan, the minus means you don’t want the following word included in your search)
Seller’s feedback - The percentage is good to check, but do read the seller’s feedback from and to buyers. This gives you a glimpse in how you may be treated if you are the high bidder on that seller’s item(s).
Read the description and seller’s Terms of Service. Do NOT place a bid unless and until you know exactly what you’re getting into. You do not want to be surprised by exhorbitant fees or a “no returns” policy.
If shipping cost is not provided or seems too high for what will be shipped, either accept that and bid or pass on the item. Some sellers may offer an item at a low price and “make it up” in shipping charges (known as fee avoidance). Some sellers haven’t determined the price ahead of time. See next point:
 Contact the seller if you have ANY questions about the item, shipping or other info. Not only should you get a response to your reasonable questions, but the response will give you an indication of how you may be treated when you become a buyer.
When dealing with a seller new to you or one  who is questionable, always pay with a credit card, either directly with the seller or through Paypal. You have greater recourse this way should the transaction be problematic.
Additional Resources
"How to Work With a Trading Assistant" - an eBay guide written to assist people who will be using a TA to sell their item(s) on eBay. eBay guide
How to Use Turbo Lister - A Tutorial - an eBay guide written to assist new users of Turbo Lister. Same info with larger screenshots here.
Merge Images Using Photoshop - an eBay guide for those who want to use Photoshop to merge 2 or more photos into one jpg. Also, same info with larger images here.
Blackthorne Pro Ad Template workshop - How to work with Ad Templates in BTPro
Blackthorne Pro Consignment workshop - How to manage consignments in BTPro
Blackthorne Pro Basics workshop - Getting started with btpro
Trading Assistant Information - Info for those who wish to sell other people's items on eBay on a consignment basis
Blackthorne Pro Quick Start Guide - Info on beginning to use BTPro to manage your eBay listings. |
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You're High Bidder...
If you’ve not heard from your seller within 3 days of the end of auction, you may request contact info from eBay: Click the “Advanced Search” link, located under the Search button in the top right corner of most eBay pages. Under the Members section on the left side of the page, click the “Find Contact Information” link and follow the instructions.
If you have sent payment to the seller and have not received your item in a reasonable time or the item received was not as described, be sure to file a report with eBay. (Go to the Security Center link at the bottom of the eBay pages, select "Item Not Received" and follow process described.
When you’ve received your item(s) from the seller, email him to confirm all is fine with the transaction or to notify him with any problems.
You may choose to leave positive feedback at this time if the transaction  was satisfactory. If there are problems, please do not leave feedback until all efforts have been made toward a resolution.
If your package arrives damaged, save all packaging materials - they may be necessary for filing a claim with the carrier.
Feedback on eBay is voluntary - most sellers will leave feedback after received from the buyer or when notified all is satisfactory. Requesting feedback is considered poor form on eBay and may result in a less-than-glowing comment (”Here’s the feedback you asked for”). If you do have to leave a neutral or negative feedback, make it factual - you’ll look more reasonable to those who read that.
& More...
The eBay Community Discussion Boards are a great resource of our fellow eBayers who help each other - browse the boards for much info!
NEVER give anyone your eBay or PayPal password, credit card number, etc. eBay & PayPal wil NOT email you stating that there's a problem with your account and you must enter your eBay ID and password through email or a website. Only enter such information when you go to the official eBay.com site and you initiate contact. Please forward all such emails to spoof@ebay.com.
 You've sold an item on eBay and received an immediate paypal payment with a request to ship to "my daughter for a gift". Unless you can verify the legitimacy of such, do NOT agree to this - you will likely lose both your item and payment.
If you have a problem with an eBay seller or buyer, please notify eBay immediately. Go to eBay's Help pages for contact information or click on the Live Help link near the top/right of eBay's home page to chat with an eBay customer service rep.
Want to discuss issues with your fellow eBayers? Visit the discussion boards. Please do a search on the boards before asking a question - it's likely been discussed over and over. (For example, if you want to learn how to obtain your seller's or buyer's phone number, do a search on the boards for "contact".)
Still want to know something about eBay, but not sure where to find the info? Please email me, Sally, and I will help as best I can! |
