eBay is one of the largest online marketplaces in the world, with millions of users placing millions of bids. As a buyer, eBay can be an excellent place to find great deals on everything from rare coins to designer clothing. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that many people choose to sell their used goods through the site, too! While eBay can be a good option for finding great deals and making valuable purchases, there are some tips and tricks that savvy buyers can employ to get even better deals and save even more money on their next purchase from the popular marketplace. Here are some eBay hacks to save you money…
1. Save Money On Purchases
Finding items on eBay is a great way to score a great deal, but if you’re not careful it could cost you. By saving small amounts of money here and there, over time these savings can add up! If one isn’t careful with their purchases, they may be spending more than they would have if they shopped elsewhere. Luckily for all of us, there are many ways to avoid overspending when shopping for items on eBay. By practicing frugality and being cautious about what we buy, we can all continue purchasing those must-have items without ever breaking our budgets. Here are some tips that will help make your shopping experience more affordable.
- Use eBay discount codes
You may not know this, but eBay regularly releases secret discount codes for its users. These discount codes are alphanumerical strings of text that must be entered in the cart at checkout and allow you to receive a price reduction. For example, this £10 eBay discount code allows you to save £10 on a selection of smartphones. These voucher codes are always changing, so keep an eye on the webpages that collect them.
3. Use Filters To Save Time
You can enter a word in the search bar and have eBay show results only for that word. For example, if you’re looking for a new pair of sneakers and want ones under £100, type running shoes £100 into eBay’s search box. Your search will turn up any pair of sneakers with a listed price that includes 100 pounds. Now all you have to do is check out those sellers’ feedback profiles and see if they’re reputable. This way, instead of sifting through every shoe under £100 on eBay, you’ll see only shoes that fit your criteria. (Tip: You should use filter search. If there are too many results, it won’t show up.)
4. Don’t Skip the Shipping Fee
Next on our list of eBay hacks to save you money is to not skip the shipping! You know those chat now buttons that retailers have at checkout? Well, if you see something you like and want to ask a question or get a better price, try sending them a message. They can’t pressure you into paying more and oftentimes will offer better deals to make a sale. This is usually applicable with smaller mom-and-pop shops; bigger companies tend not to be responsive via Facebook Messenger but it doesn’t hurt to give it a shot. You might be surprised! (I’m using Facebook Messenger as an example because everyone seems to be using it.)
5. Check the Listing
Always read through a listing before buying an item. Ensure that any damaged or defective parts are listed so that you can plan for repairs or replacement. You can usually find these details in the Condition section of a listing. A seller can choose from several conditions ranging from new down to damaged and not working, with varying degrees of disclosure about damage. Also, take time to ensure that what you’re buying is legal and allowed in your area.
6. Don’t Forget About Returns
Sometimes things just don’t work out. Sometimes an item is defective or isn’t what it was described as. If there’s a problem with an item that you received, be sure to initiate a return so that you can get a refund. Keep in mind that once you’ve returned something and got your refund, eBay won’t provide any other protections for buying items at their site. That said, eBay makes it relatively easy—and free—to initiate returns because they want buyers to have peace of mind when purchasing from them. Keep that in mind if an issue arises with something you bought from them.
These eBay hacks to save you money should help you the next time you make a pre-loved purchase. Do you shop second-hand? Or will you be likely to going forward? Let us know!
