The Best Ways To Not Overpay For Items on eBay

• Don't jump right in and bid a huge amount as soon as the item is listed.
  This lets others know that the item is worth something and makes them want it more.
  
  
• Keep your excitement in check and don't even bid on the item until the very end.
  
  
• If you are terrible at remembering auctions, you can bid in the beginning - but make the minimum bid only. (This way you'll be reminded with ebay's daily auction notices, or you can always do a search of what you bid on recently - even if you've been outbid.)
  This makes other bidders think you only would have bought it if you got a great price.
  Then leave the bidding alone until the very end! Nothing raises bids faster than competition.
  
  
• Snipe - see our sniping section to find out how. Basically, bid at the very last minute and bid the very most you could stand.
  
  
• Research the kind of items you collect or regularly buy.
  Can you find it just as cheap at the corner store?
  If there are usually six of these on any given day, wait for the one with the lowest price.
  
  
• Look around before you bid. You may find the exact same thing for half the price.