• Look in your local market and determine how much the item is in your area.
• Be sure to include deliver charges in your bid amount. Does the seller include insurance? If the item is expensive – this would be a wise investment.
• Read the auction details carefully to determine exactly what you are bidding on.
• If you’re not sure what is being offered – contact the seller by clicking on the “ask seller a question” link to get the specific answers you need before you bid.
• Never pay for your winning auctions through instant cash wire services like Western Union or Money Gram. These payments are not covered under eBay buyer protection. PayPal is the safest choice for payments and offers great buyer protection.
• Always purchase through eBay using a bid, buy it now, or best offer button. Purchases made by arrangement outside of eBay are not covered by buyer protection programs either.

Know who the seller is before you bid…

• Is this someone you want to do business with? What is the feedback rating? Is it positive? How many transactions have they completed as a seller?
• What are some of the negative comments? Was it the seller’s fault or the buyers? Sometimes buyer’s can be unreasonable in their expectations.
• What are the positive comments? Do you see a consistent pattern of good seller practices? Does this sound like someone you want to deal with?
• What are the policies of the auction? Are there any special terms and conditions you need to be aware? Do they offer a full money return?

Problems can happen but eBay and PayPal have built-in protection to help you…

• eBay wants you to have a safe and secure transaction. They have developed lots of tips and information for you.
• Visit the eBay Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your rights and use the eBay claim tools.
• PayPal offers buyer protection on purchases up to $2,000, sellers do not see your financial information, and you’ll receive 100% protection against unauthorized payments from your account.

First, logon to your eBay account. Not a member of eBay? Scroll down to the bottom for more information.

Next, click on the “My eBay” button on the top of the page.

Then click on the “Notification Preferences” link on the left hand side navigation bar, under the “My Account” heading.

The preference you want to set is the very last one titled “Promotions and Surveys.” Click on the “Show” link and you will be shown five subscription options. You want to make sure that the second subscription, “General Email Promotions” and the fourth subscription “Postage Mail Catalogs and Promotions” are checked to receive discount codes.

When you subscribe to “General Email Promotions” you will receive email about what’s new and hot on eBay, along with great deals, special events, discount coupons, and additional special offers. The “Postage Mail Catalogs and Promotions” subscription will put you on the list to mailed (yes, go ole’ U.S. snail mail) catalogs, coupons, seller hotlists, holiday sales planners and newsletters.

If you are an active seller on eBay, I recommend you also subscribe to the “Seller Email Promotions.” This subscription will send you email about seller specials like fee and listing discounts, selling tips and other ways to get started selling or how to get more fro selling on eBay.

Once you’ve checked your subscription boxes be sure to click the “Save” button on the bottom. Be aware, eBay will not give you coupons right away but you WILL receive coupons eventually. You can thank me later.

Registration for eBay is fast, easy and best of all free! CLICK HERE to get started saving money now.