The Ten Commandments of eBay

No seller likes it when buyers are ridiculously cheap. If an item is listed for ‘$40 or best offer,’ don’t go below $28. If you can’t afford used items at used prices, get off of eBay.

Seller’s don’t want to wait more than two days for you to pay up. If you don’t pay within the 48 hours the seller can only relist it to other buyers, and eBay will still take a fee from the seller at the end of the month.

Odds are, the seller will use some of the money from the listed price to pay to ship your purchase to you.

Sellers don’t like to be bartered with unless they have allowed the option to ask for a better deal. If an item isn’t getting any watchers, the seller will adjust the listing accordingly.

If you do this, a seller has to recalculate and examine your preferred shipping method. Most sellers use the fastest and cheapest shipping they have access to. If it isn’t fit for you, don’t buy it.

Don’t bid for an item if you don’t plan on paying in case you win. This is the same concept as the buyer who doesn’t pay for an accepted best offer.

Sellers like it best when you communicate with them. If you let them know you can’t pay until the next day, tell them so they aren’t left waiting.

Be sure to include as many details as possible and mention any imperfections. Photograph it if possible. It is also important to smell the item. No one likes receiving a purchase that reeks of cigarettes when the listing did not mention the odor.

Buyers like it best when they know where their purchase is located and when they can expect it to arrive.

Buyers don’t like when their purchase shows up in a padded envelope, unless the item is appropriate for an envelope. Boxes and bubble wrap are surprisingly cheap at stores like Walmart. Use them and make sure to include the cost of shipping materials in the listed price.