Eventually you have to take the plunge
..and take part in an eBay auction.
But before you do you might take a trip through our list of pointers.
Some of you will need just a few pointers and won't want have the page cluttered with too much detail so we whip quickly through the basic material
But if you want the detail just click on the link icon on the left to go through to the 'additional information’
My eBay allows you to track your ongoing business. Click on this icon where you see it in the text for more information.
If you haven't already done so look through our
- Ten good reasons to trade on the Internet
- Getting Started with eBay,
- eBay Auctions and
- Winning at the Action Game
eBay is a dynamic concept,
...and has been under constant development for a long time. As a result it has far too many features to show on a few pages like this which are designed simply to get you started.
So when you're up and running take a look at our "Suggested Reading" list.
The 
of Buying on eBay
- Find your Auction
- Login to your new eBay account and the top left of the page that comes up come up looking as shown.
- Note the 'Categories' button shown next to our star marker and click on it.
- A list of all the eBay categories come up. Click on the one most likely to contain your choice.
- A screen as shown on the right comes up. (click on the image to see the full sized version)
- Scroll down the list at the bottom right until you come to an auction that interests you.
- Click on the title of the auction and a new screen comes up.
- Making a Bid
- Once you have clicked through to the auction itself you will be confronted with the screen shown on the right.
- Our pictures show a real auction with the picture changed and the Item Number covered up.
- A block near the centre of the screen allows you to submit your maximum bid which will be handled as shown on our eBay Auctions screen.
- Type in the maximum you are willing to bid and click the
button.
You have now placed a bid, or if your maximum price raised the bid by more than the bidding interval, a series of bids
A bid summary screen appears and you are asked to check the details before you click on 'Confirm the Bid'
Then, provided you've made an acceptable bid, it will be confirmed that you are now the highest bidder.
- Now you've made your first bid
- There's a vast difference between making a bid and winning the auction. Now you have to watch what's going on.
- Some things will happen automatically.
- Your bid will be shown as the highest bid on the auction page
- eBay will send you an email confirming that you are the highest bidder.
- Your bid will be added to the 'Items I'm bidding on' in your My eBay page.
- You may see that your bid as shown on the auction site is less than the 'maximum bid' you posted. This is the 'Proxy Bidder' trying to save you money. If you are outbid by less than your maximum bid the 'proxy bidder' will bid again for you - if necessary and possible within your maximum bid - several times.
- And if I'm out-bid
- Then the auction page will show the new bid as the high bid and you will be sent a notice by email that you are no longer the highest bidder. The email contains a link allowing you to raise your bid if you want.
Remember that your internet browser - Internet Express or Firefox or whatever - does not constantly update so you have to update manually if you want to monitor the auctions in real time.
- And if I win?
- If you're watching the auction at the time a flash will come up on the screen to tell you you've won and offer you the chance to pay immediately.
- If you're not watching then eBay will email the news to you with, again, a link to let you pay immediately.
