Contents
What’s eBay?
eBay Feedback
How to Use My eBay
How to Find Items on eBay
How to Look at eBay Listings
How to Bid and Win on eBay
After the Auction Ends
How to Sell on eBay
How to Decide What to Sell on eBay
How to List Items to Sell on eBay
What to Do After Your Item Sells
How to Ship What You Sell on eBay
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How to Look at eBay Listings
If while browsing or searching (see How to Find Items on eBay) you find an item catches your interest, click on its title and you’ll be taken to its listing page. The listing page includes the information you need to decide if you’d like to bid on the item.
- A written description and specs about the item
- Photos (almost all listings for goods include photos)
- Shipping costs and related information, such as how and to where the item can be shipped
- Day and time at which bidding on the item closes
- Number of bids already placed on the item
- Amount of the current high bid
- Whether the Buy It Now option is available
- Payment methods that the seller accepts
- Seller’s user ID
- Seller’s feedback score and positive feedback percentage (see eBay Feedback)
eBay Acronyms
eBay sellers use a variety of common acronyms to compress the language in their listing titles, including some of the following.
Acronym |
Meaning |
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BIN |
Buy It Now |
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GU |
Gently used |
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LE |
Limited edition |
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MIB |
Mint in box |
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MNB |
Mint no box |
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MO |
Money order |
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NBW |
Never been worn |
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NC |
No cover |
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NIB |
New in box |
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NM |
Near mint (condition) |
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NR |
No reserve |
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NWT |
New with tags |
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VHTF |
Very hard to find |
Considering Whether You Want to Buy
When deciding whether to bid on an item, remember to:
- Learn about the item: Is information about shipping, insurance, and payment options clearly stated?
- Check the seller's feedback: Click the number in parentheses after the seller’s user ID to find out what other buyers have said about this seller.
- Know the item's value: Compare your item to similar items already sold on eBay by doing a completed listings search. Check prices at online stores that sell similar merchandise.
- Contact the seller with questions: Always contact the seller before you bid. Click on Ask Seller a Question on the item listing page. The seller will receive an email with your question and your email address.
Based on the shipping options, the seller’s feedback, the current status of the auction, and any emails you exchange with the seller, you may at this point decide to do one of three things:
- Bid on the item: For details how to bid on an eBay item, see How to Bid and Win on eBay.
- Not bid on the item: You can continue to search for an item that’s more to your liking.
- Watch the item: If you’re interested but not ready to bid, you can track the item’s status throughout the duration of the auction. To do so, click on the Watch This Item link. Items you’re watching will be displayed on your My eBay page (see My eBay). You’ll receive an email alert when any of the auctions you’re watching nears its close.
| Acknowledgments & Disclaimer |
