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Here are some tips for the buyers:

1. It is important to know the item first.

The eBay management strongly suggests that a buyer should first read and understand carefully the item listing before proceeding to bidding. He or she must grasp the seller’s shipping requirements and the fees that are attached to it.

2. Buyer should be aware of the return and refund policy of eBay.

Buyers should know this first before bidding so that there wouldn’t be any problems when wishing to do a refund.

3. The buyer should check first the seller’s feedbacks before bidding.

Checking on the seller’s feedbacks will give the buyer an impression if the transaction is trustworthy or not.

4. The buyer should choose a secured payment method.

The only secured way to get through a transaction on eBay is to make sure that the mode of payment required by the seller is protected. This should be clear on the buyer so as to avoid imminent danger of fraud or scam.

5. The buyer should use the “ask a seller questions” section.

It doesn’t hurt to ask. It is best for a buyer to use this section first before bidding on an item. After all, it really pays a buyer to ask and clarify things first before proceeding to the bidding activity.

6. The buyer should know, by all means, the seller’s contact details before sending the payment. This is one way of protecting one’s money.

7. The buyer should take extra precautions on most of the international item listings because this is where most fraudulent activities happen.

8. The buyer should avoid any transaction that involves wire transfers as mode of payment. The eBay management does not approve it and will offer no protection in the event it is a fraud.

9. The buyer should make a documentation of all the transactions and the items purchased on eBay. This will be very handy in case there is a discrepancy in the future.

10. The buyer should be aware and get rid of spontaneous offers and counterfeit escrow services. The eBay management only allows protection for transactions made with eBay-approved escrow services.

But there are three other formats that are less well known.

1. Live Auctions

Before eBay, the traditional auction included live bodies in
chairs and an auctioneer up front (talking so fast he was
frequently unintelligible). Any buyer can still participate
in these live auctions via eBay. Live auctions are a hybrid
- a buyer is ’sort of’ present in a live setting yet is at
home using an Internet connection.

The products for sale are usually expensive and unusual.
There are such items as expensive and unique coins, Asian
art, native American artifacts, incredible jewelry, costly
furniture, memorabilia from major sports stars and even
history. Today, for instance, there are documents signed by
John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, James Madison and Ulysses
Grant (he confides that he was strenuously opposed to the
“wicked” war with Mexico).

If you choose to participate in a live auction, be certain
that you register first because you can’t just drop in on a
whim.

You can find all the details here:
http://www.ebayliveauctions.com

2. Private Auctions

Private auctions are similar to the typical auction that
we’re all familiar with except for one detail – the
identities of the bidders are kept secret. Only the seller
has access to the names.

Why would anyone create a private auction? It’s usually for
one of three reasons:

* The item is quite expensive and buyers might be
uncomfortable having others know they can afford such
merchandise. Their concern about their financial status is
most likely misplaced because it is quite possible to
distance yourself from eBay contact information, but much of
selling is about perception.

* The buyers might be embarrassed by the nature of the
merchandise.

* Some sellers habitually use private auctions to make it
harder for their competition to snoop on them.

3. Restricted Access Auctions

This is usually for sales of “adult” items. The main purpose
is to prevent children from seeing this kind of merchandise,
and is similar to having covers on racy magazines at store
checkouts.

To bid on these items, the buyer must:

* Be 18 years old

* Must have supplied credit card information to eBay.The
theory is that no one under 18 can get a credit card and
therefore cannot get into these sections.

* Agree that he is voluntarily accessing restricted access
auctions

In addition, restricted auctions are excluded from the
Featured pages. So if you are a seller using this format,
your listing will be harder to find.

Even though they are less well known, these three formats
for auctions on eBay still account for tens of millions of
dollars in sales each year. If they suit your business
model, you might consider them.

First off, make sure that your display picture is of the highest quality. You might have the best written description in the world, but if your picture doesnt mirror your description that will turn bidders off. Use a digital camera if possible. Create a clean, unobtrusive picture. Take care in the background and lighting of the picture and you should be all set.

Adding an About Me page is a great way to increase your response as well. If your bidders have some personal information about you and your business this goes along way to establishing that trusting relationship between you and your customers. You can also post a few special offers on this page for people who take the time to look at it. Also, ask visitors to sign up for your mailing list as well.

Sign up at Square Trade, and display their logo on your auctions. This shows potential bidders that you are committed to resolving any disputes that might arise. Power Sellers always carry this logo on their auctions, and you should too. It makes you look much more professional.

Clearly spell out your terms and conditions making it very visible. Give details of things like shipping times and prices, the refund policy and anything else you want to make your buyers aware of. This also helps create trust between you and your customers. Plus having it all spelled out clearly, helps if any dispute issues arise as well.

Display your good feedback on your auction so that visitors dont have to go looking for it. You can simply cut and paste the text, or create a screenshot image of your feedback. If you have a 100% feedback rating, be sure to make a mention of that as well.

If you have room on your auction title, use NR (No Reserve) at the end of your title. Bidders like auctions that have no reserve, so having this on your title allows bidders to see that your auction has no reserve without actually having to click on your auction link.

Make sure you auction highlights the benefits of your product and not just the features. You want to tell your visitors why your product is good for THEM. You can have all the features in the world, but without describing the benefits of those features many bidders will pass on by.

In order to reach those last few buyers that you might miss otherwise, accept various unusual payment methods like checks or money orders. Many other sellers dont take these forms of payment, but the fact that you do may bring you that extra sale.

Upgrade your auction. Buying upgrades helps get you listed higher in the list of items. This can help a lot if your product is in a crowded category. You might just find out that its worth the money.