Features

14 - Use a sniper

To win without a bidding war, or if the auction ends in the middle of the night, use a free web-based sniper such as AuctionSniper (register free at www.auctionsniper.com) or Auction LotSnipe (www.auctionlotwatch.co.uk/lotsnipe.html). In AuctionSniper, type in the item number of an auction you want to win and enter your highest bid. The application automatically enters your bid a few seconds before the auction ends. After three free snipes, AuctionSniper charges a small commission for every auction you win.

15 - Buy It Now

Some auctions have a Buy It Now tag (BIN), which means you can buy the item immediately for a fixed price. These BIN prices undercut auction prices surprisingly often. This is partly because there's no bidding war, and also because BIN items are often sold by eBay Shops sellers who benefit from preferential listing fees and tend to pass on those savings to undercut their competition. To see BIN items only, run a search and click on the orange Buy It Now tab above the list of items.

16 - Hit the Shops

To find a directory of professional specialist sellers, click the eBay Shops link in the bottom-right box on the home page. Besides offering plenty of BIN bargains, eBay Shops sellers often charge lower postage and packing fees, especially if you buy more than one item from them. If you're particularly interested in a certain seller's items, click on the 'Add to favourite sellers' link in the 'Meet the seller' box on any of their item pages to receive email updates

ADVERTISEMENT

about their auctions.

17 - Board the eBay Express

You can also find eBay Shops by clicking on the eBay Express box at the top left of the home page. This area of eBay is limited to brand-new items from eBay Shops sellers. It is a rich source of new, boxed, fixed-price items that are usually cheaper to buy here than from other online retailers.

18 - Look abroad

With 233 million users in 37 countries and 100 million items for sale at any time, eBay truly is a global marketplace. The strong British pound means it's easy to find bargains from overseas, especially from the US. To browse international auctions, go to Advanced Search, type in your search term and select Worldwide in the Location drop-down box. Alternatively, click on the Location box to the left of a list of auctions and select Worldwide. You should only bid on items whose sellers say they'll ship to the UK. Check the shipping fees, and watch out for import duty and VAT. As the buyer, you are liable for these fees wherever they apply. Find details of duty rates at the HM Revenue & Customs website (http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk).

19 - Email a friend

If you're not sure whether an item really is a bargain, click the 'Email to a friend' link to the right of the auction's main photo and send the page to someone whose advice you trust. Also visit specialist forums to pick up tips and ask questions. The Money Saving Expert site has an eBay bargains board at http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.html?f=40.

20 - Use PayPal

This eBay-owned secure payment service allows you to pay for your item as soon as you win an auction, with no cheques to send or clear and no financial details to reveal to your seller. People like to be paid this way because it's quick and reliable, so it's common for sellers to insist that bidders have a PayPal account. Not having one could mean you lose out on a bargain. Register free at www.paypal.co.uk, securely enter your bank details and use that account as your instant, private payment source.