They Really Do Have Everything on eBay!

The other day I made what had to be one of my oddest purchases on eBay, home of millions of deals on Antiques, Art, Cars, Cell ,Collectibles, Electronics, Toys & Hobbies, Video Games, and Everything Else (yes, it’s really a category). One category that I have mostly overlooked has been clothing. I bought a new Coldwater Creek skirt for about a third of retail a few years ago, but that was about it. Lately, however, I found myself in the market for another item of clothing: a bra. I hate buying bras. Hate it. It's so hard to find one that fits. They are darn expensive. In desperation, I finally broke down and went to Victoria's Secret the last time I needed one, endured all the up-selling by the salesgirl (no, I do NOT want one in chartreuse--or black--or nude) and paid what I thought was an outrageous amount--$45. But I do have to admit it fits. I decided I wanted another one, but was unwilling to go back to VS and unwilling to pay $45. So, I looked at the tag, found out the exact name and size I needed, went to eBay, typed it in the Search, and badda-bing! There it was. New, without tags. Starting bid was $18.99 with $4.50 shipping. I decided on a maximum bid of $20.50, but was able to get it at the last minute for the opening bid amount. After shipping, it was essentially half-price (no sales tax). And, it is exactly what I wanted. No pushy VS salesgirl, no trip to the mall.

I wouldn't have bought just any bra from eBay. As all us gals know, no two bra styles (even in the same band size and cup size) fit the same. But, for a bra that I knew was going to fit properly, it was a great deal.

I Love eBay. Part 2: Buying

In my last post, I talked about selling on eBay. It's addicting!

Buying on eBay is the perfect way to get what you need at a decent price, if you play the game right. Depending on the item, I will either place my bid in a regular auction or choose Buy It Now.

My most recent eBay purchase was a very gently used TI-83Plus graphing calculator for my 8th grade son. I checked a few local stores (Fred Meyer, Office Depot) and it was running $99.99 ($109.49 after 9.5% sales tax). This is something that my son needs for his math class this year, and will use probably all of his high school career (and beyond). His brother who is taking calculus as a junior in high school still uses this same model of calculator. Still, why pay retail? I popped onto eBay and found one at a Buy It Now price of $65.00 with free shipping. The seller also tossed in 4 brand-new AAA batteries. Even without the batteries, that is a savings of 41%.

eBay is great for finding things that you can't find anywhere else, like my old Corelle Butterfly Gold dish pattern (which was being discontinued when I got married 22 years ago), discontinued Tupperware, etc. My boys use eBay to shop for old computer games, discontinued Magic The Gathering cards, etc.

Of course, the trick with buying on eBay (especially in a live auction) is to decide what your limit is and don't be tempted in the heat of the bidding war to go above that limit. And, of course, it goes without saying that it is best to only purchase from sellers with stellar feedback ratings.

Anyone have some great stories of eBay bargains? I'd love to hear about them.

I Love eBay. Part 1: Selling

eBay, the quintessential online auction site, has long been a favorite of mine. Not only is it a great way to make a few extra bucks, it can be a great venue for finding the perfect deal.

Selling
The last time we decided to hold a yard sale (which was several years ago), before we put anything into the "Yard Sale" pile, we researched it on eBay to see if there was a market. Some of the items were no-brainers:

• A huge cache of fishing reels and lures from the 1950s and 1960, many of them in their original packaging, that once belonged to my husband's grandfather. I had 45 different lots of the stuff, and made $817.36 after all eBay fees and shipping.
• 6 lots of GI Joes from the 1960s and 1970s. Profit: $418.92.

Other items were less obvious:

• A group of approximately 100 old, beat-up Hot Wheels from the late 60s and early 70s, many of which were rusty, repainted, or otherwise beaten up (by my husband) in an equally dog-eared Hot Wheels case. Profit: $199.76.
• A Wizzer, in a container shaped like a miniature can of Bardahl motor oil, well-used, but well-cared for by my hubby. Profit: $101.75.
  

I guess I should thank my hubby for saving so many of his toys. Other items I have had success in selling has been old sheet music, old MAD Magazine paperback books, Tupperware, etc.

I won't go into the how's of eBay selling in this post, but once you cull through your possessions for things you no longer need, check out how similar items are selling on eBay. It may be worth your while to find out more.