eBay

What is eBay

eBay is the world's online marketplace; a place for buyers and sellers to come together and trade almost anything!

Simply put, eBay is:

• a place to buy
• a place to sell
• a place to shop
• and a place to find your favourite collectables.

How it works

• A seller lists an item on eBay, this could be anything from antiques to cars, books to sporting goods, the list is endless.
• The seller chooses whether:
  - to only accept bids for the item (an auction-type listing) or
  - to offer the item as a 'Buy It Now' option ('Buy it now' buyers purchase the item right away at a fixed price).
• In an online auction, the bidding opens at a price the seller specifies and buyers place bids - the item stays on eBay for a set number of days when the buyer with the highest bid wins.
• With a Buy It Now item, the first buyer willing to pay the seller's price gets the item.

Trading on eBay is easy and it's fun! Best of all, you'll never know what you will find!

Register

In order to bid or buy items on eBay* you will need to create an account, which is free.

Click on register and follow the instructions

To complete the registration you will need to make sure you have a valid email address.

You will also be asked to think of a username which will become your identity on eBay.

* Hampshire County Council is not responsible for the content of external websites.

Find what you're looking for

There are two ways to find what your looking for on eBay:

• browsing
• and searching.

Browsing

To see what eBay offers use the categories option, this will give you a list of categories you can browse through. You can then click on the category that interests you.

Searching

If you are looking for something specific then the simplest way is to use the search option. Type your key words that best describe what you are looking for and hit search

Tip: You can refine your search using the options in the left hand column

Once you have found an item you are interested in click on it to view all the details. Check out the full description as this will not only tell you about the item but also it should tell you the sellers terms and conditions, required payment method, shipping and other information.

Buying

Buying on eBay is simple whether it is a DVD or that designer bag you have had your eye on. By following a few steps you can be on your way to discovering some great deals.

Bidding

Once you have found an item you wish to buy you need to decide on the maximum amount your willing to pay. You might find the item has a starting bid or people have already bided. If this is the case then your bid needs to be more than the starting bid of more than the highest bid.

You then enter your bid in the box

eBay will bid on your behalf, but only enough to keep you as the highest bidder and only up to your maximum amount.

If the bidding goes above your highest amount then you will be out-bid. If that happens you can either increase your maximum amount you would be willing to pay, or look for a similar item.

Buy it now

There are many items on eBay that are Buy it now . This means you can buy the item instantly! You do not need to bid. The seller will have decided on a price they want to sell at, and that is the price you pay. Remember, postage and packaging charges are not included in the Buy it now price.

Selling

If you have bits and pieces that you no longer want, you can sell them on eBay.

How it works

When selling on eBay you will be able

• show photographs of your item
• choose a descriptive title for your item
• choose a category which you think best describes your item
• write a full description so that the potential customers know exactly what they are buying
• set a price and post and packaging details
• choose how you want to be paid.

Need help

For help with selling see the Help section in eBay. This will give you instructions on what you need to have in place and how you go about listing your item.

My eBay

Once you have registered with eBay you will be able to access My eBay. This is your area where only you will be able to access.

Login to My eBay

In My eBay you can:

• keep track on any transactions, whether you are buying, selling or watching an item
• add favourite sellers so you can go back to them
• send and receive messages from other eBay members about items
• leave feedback after a transaction
• update your personal details
• and much more.