Written on April 4th, 2010 by l2cadminno shouts
How to buy smart on eBay
If you’ve never used eBay before visit the eBay how-to-buy page. Otherwise, jump right into our step-by-step article.
Step 1 Decide on the specific product that you want to purchase (brand, model, etc.)
Step 2 Use Internet Resources like google and Amazon.com to determine the going retail and used prices on the specific product that you decided on in step 1 (above). While researching, be sure to check on return policies and warranties being offered on new, used and refurbished products. These considerations should be taken into account before you buy.
Step 3 Armed with the information that that you collected in steps one and two above, you need to consider how much the product is worth to you. Write down the maximum dollar amount that you are willing to spend on this product.
Step 4 Consider the shipping costs. If the shipping costs include insurance and/or rapid delivery, slightly higher than normal shipping costs may be worth it. However, keep an eye out for sellers trying to boost their profits by adding costly shipping and handling charges.
Step 5 Know the risks and how to deal with them.
| Risk |
How to reduce the risk |
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| Buying from an unscrupulous character |
Review the feedback from prior customers of the seller.
After you select a product on eBay, look for “Positive feedback” percentage information located in the upper right hand side of this screen.
Next, Click on the buyers eBay name (located directly above the “Positive feedback” information) to review more information about the customer feedback.
Next, Click on the “See all” link located on the first line of the “Latest Feedback” section. This link will allow you to review specific actual customer comments about the seller. |
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| Ending up with a product that does not match the condition and/or functionality of what was described on the eBay listing |
Checkout the stated “Return Policy” on the eBay listing. This should be located directly below the “Current bid:”
Review the eBay buyer protection page
Buyer protection
http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/protection-programs.html#bpp
Limit your purchases to only sellers located within the country that you reside in to enjoy the consumer protection laws that your country offers.
Carefully inspect the product as soon as you receive it. Make sure that the product that you received matches the seller’s description. If you are buying an expensive product, it may be worth spending a few dollars to have it inspected by an expert. |
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| Never receiving the product that you order and paid for. |
After purchasing, ask the seller for a delivery tracking number (e.g. UPS or U.S. Post Office tracking number) that you can use to track your shipment online. |
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Step 6 Bid or Bail. Now that you’ve completed your homework assignments, it’s time to decide if biding on eBay is right for you.
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Written on September 19th, 2009 by l2cadminno shouts
Secrets to finding great deals on new car prices
Most people don’t look forward to buying their next new car. As you might have guessed, the back and forth price negotiations can frustrate even the most patient person. Well, we couldn’t agree more. That’s why we’re sharing our buying secrets to help you find great prices on new vehicles.
So here goes:
- Figure out what you really need in a vehicle and write it down. Here are some example considerations
- Determine how much money are you prepared to spend.
- Write down the criteria that the vehicle must meet (e.g. good gas mileage, ability to tow, ability to carry lots of equipment and/or people, etc.).
- Research various types and models of vehicles.
- Test Drive Your Vehicle choices
- Visit several dealers to test drive vehicles. Make sure that you let the salesman know that you will not be buying today and stick with that decision . Dealing with a manager will probably be less painful since they are typically not paid on commission.
- Once you narrow down your vehicle choices, you should consider renting the same type of vehicle for a day or two to ensure that the vehicle will really fit you well.
- Locate the dealers in your area.
- Search the news papers and the internet for dealers within an hour of your house (or farther away if you prefer). Write down the contact information for each dealer, then call them to find out who the dealer manager(s) are. Try to obtain a phone number, email address and fax number for these folks.
- Research vehicle financing options.
- Check the rates and conditions at your bank or credit union before you consider a dealer financing offer. Remember, dealers really want you to finance with them because it can increase their profit margin.
- If you can pay cash, they will save you the most in the long run. But if you need to finance, make sure you calculate the complete cost of the vehicle. You may be shocked at the sum of:
the vehicle price, the taxes and add-on fees and the total interest that you will over the years.
- Fax and/email respectable offers before showing up.
- Write a form letter stating that you are ready to purchase a vehicle within the next X number of weeks and that you will be going with the lowest price. Be sure to enumerate all of the options that you do or don’t want (including paint color). Also, be sure that you have your funding in order before contacting the dealer. And lastly, let them know how much time they have to respond to you.
- Read the paperwork carefully at least twice before you sign anything (make sure that you clearly understand everything in the contract.
- Inspect the vehicle carefully.
- Bring someone else with you and literally take your time to inspect every inch of the vehicle before signing the contract. It’s not unusual to find paint defects, body dings, stains on seats upholstery, etc on new vehicles. If you expect the dealer to do right by you, you must point out what you find before driving off the lot.
- Make sure to perform all scheduled maintenance to keep the vehicle in warranty compliance.
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