New To eBay?
If you've never shopped on eBay before you might be surprised at how easy it is. Below is a beginner's crash course on how to shop and buy on eBay.
This page contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link, this website might receive a small commission at no cost to you.
What Is eBay?
eBay is a marketplace for buyers and sellers to get together. eBay itself does not sell anything, it is simply a place where individuals or businesses come together to buy or sell.
How Do I Buy Something On eBay?
- Register at eBay. It's fast, easy, and free.
- Find an item to buy. You can see our Cowboy eBay page for hundreds of items for cowboys and cowgirls.
- Check the seller's feedback information (see #s 1 and 2, below).
- Read the item's description thoroughly. If you have any questions, ask the seller before you bid or buy.
- Place your bid, or use Buy It Now (Buy It Now stops the auction and you buy the item immediately at the Buy It Now price). If you are outbid, and there's time before the auction ends, you may bid again.
- If you use Buy It Now or get the winning bid, pay for your item. Different sellers accept different forms of payment (PayPal, money order, cashier's check, personal check, credit card, etc.). You should always read the item's description for payment methods the seller accepts before you bid or buy.
About eBay's Feedback System
eBay is famous for its highly successful feedback system. Each item for sale on eBay shows how many transactions (buying and selling) a particular seller has had on eBay, and the seller's feedback information. Below is a description of the "Seller info" area on eBay:
Please note that the actual information on eBay may look different than the representation shown below.
1 - This number shows how many transactions the seller has had on eBay.
- Since a seller on eBay can also be a buyer on eBay, this number includes transactions for both buying and selling.
- Click this number to see the seller's feedback information.
- Tip: When buying something on eBay it's a good idea to read the seller's feedback information. Make sure any seller you do business with has a lot of positive comments left for them as a seller, not just as a buyer.
2 - This is the seller's feedback rating. Feedback is left by other people on eBay who have purchased something from, or sold something to, this seller. The higher the number, the more positive the feedback rating is. The highest possible feedback rating is 100%.
How Do I Register With eBay?
If you have never bought anything on eBay before, you will need to register with them. Registering is FREE..
What Is PayPal?
PayPal was developed as a way to keep a buyer's payment information (credit card, bank account, etc.) from being seen by sellers. If you buy something on eBay, the majority of sellers will accept PayPal as a way to pay for your purchase.
PayPal is free for buyers. If you use PayPal to pay for an item, PayPal has your payment information but they do not show it to anyone you are paying.
To pay with PayPal, you sign up with PayPal (it's free for buyers) and give them payment information (like a credit card or bank account info) you want to use in the future when you buy something. When you make a purchase from an eBay seller or anyone else that accepts PayPal payments, you send the money from your email address to their email address, and the seller never sees your personal payment information.