Chapter 8. Bidding in Online Auctions

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Understanding the Bidding Process

• How to Read an Item Listing

• Before You Bid

• Just Do ItPlacing a Bid

• Bidding in Other Types of Auctions

• What to Do After You've Bid

• Five Common Bidding Mistakes

• You Won! Now What?

There are two ways to buy items on eBayvia the traditional online auction format, or at a fixed price. Not all items offered by eBay sellers have a fixed-price option; the auction format is still the most popular way to sell and buy items on eBay.

To many new users, however, the concept of bidding in an online auction is exotic and perhaps a little intimidating. It needn't be. Every day, millions of people just like you place bids in eBay auctions; anyone can do it, and it's really quite easy.

So how does bidding work? In a nutshell, it's as simple as telling eBay how much you'd be willing to pay for an itemand then finding out whether anyone else is willing to pay more than you. If you've made the highest bid, you win the auction and you buy the item.

It's important to remember that it doesn't cost you anything to bid. You only have to pay if you winand even then, you don't have to pay any fees to eBay. (All eBay fees are charged to the seller.) You'll have to pay the seller the amount of your winning bid, plus any necessary shipping and handling costs to get the item to you.

Sounds easy enough, doesn't it?