I'm not an Ebay kind of guy, but I'd like to know how it works... When a business puts an item for auction are there any minimum bids that protect it?  If I bid a ridiculously low-ball amount and no one out bids me does the item have to be sold to me?  I don't understand why a legitimate business would sell items at prices I know are below normal wholesale cost?  What am I not understanding?

 

 

oe

They can put a reserve price on an item in an auction, which means that the bids have to reach a certain amount or they do not have to sell the item. If there is no reserve price, then the most recent bid wins. 

 

If you bid low and no one out bids you then the item has to be sold to you, no matter how low the cost is.

Typically all the bidding is done in the last 5 seconds via snipes..youmay find a sweet megabass reel at $9 now, but the prices of items typicall do level off..but there are deals to be had if your diligent and patient.

Not all sales are auctions.  An item can be listed as "Buy it now" with a set price.  That price is the price you pay.

 via snipes.

 

What are snipes?

 

 

oe

I do a lot of online research before I buy anything off eBay.  I never bid on an item, because, as said above, the serious bidding doesn't begin until the last moment.  I use only the "Buy it Now" option, but I closely watch the price for shipping.  What may originally seem like a good deal can easily be soured by a ridiculously high shipping price.  Do your research before shopping eBay.  Better deals can often be found elsewhere.

What are snipes?

oe

an app for your phone called a sniper that you can set to bid for you at your set $ amount..I have had good luck using mine.

I've purchased a lot of stuff from e-bay either by BUY NOW or by auction ( landed a 2005 NIB Airy Red PIxy for 240 ), always look for 99% good reputation and you'll be fine. If you are planning to purchase reels and things like that look at e-bay stores.

I have never had a bad experience with EBAY.  In the past I've done auctions but I don't have the patience anymore, but I do use the buy it now option.  I mostly use EBAY to buy off beat or discontinued items that I can't find any where else.  I have bought reels in the past that I thought were very good deals.