Whether you want to buy jewelry, watches, or other items, it is often tempting to buy from an auction site such as EBay or Bidz.com
. You can find great auction deals. Yet, if you don’t know what you are doing, you can really over pay. How do you get that wonderful deal you are looking for? You follow these simple online auction buying tips.
Tips for Getting a Great Auction Deal
Before you bid, decide how much the item is worth to you. Even if you are buying something to resale later, you will need to know how much comparable products sell at non-auction sites such as Amazon.
Determine How Much An Item Is Worth
- Quality
- New or Used?
- Quantity
- Metals
- Other Materials
- Certificates
- Seller Ratings
- Location
- Shipping Costs
- Compare Prices
If it doesn’t state the quality, it probably isn’t great. You can be surprised, but don’t count on it. Most likely gemstones will be treated unless it says untreated. Do NOT expect top quality unless it is specifically listed.
If an EBay auction doesn’t say new, assume used. This way if it is new you are pleasantly surprised.
Though a picture is worth a 1000 words, if there is no reference to an object you know, it doesn’t say as much as you think. Those beads may be extremely small or large; the diamonds may be very tiny. Read the description carefully and hope it fills in the details.
Just because the description says gold or silver doesn’t mean it is made of that metal. Gold could mean gold plated or gold colored. Unless it says solid 14 KT gold (or 14 karat gold), it isn’t. The same goes for silver and silver tone. Pay attention to details.
If other materials are not mentioned, they can be plastic or glass. I have seen descriptions that make emerald glass read like they were emeralds until you read it twice. Amethyst colored glass is very easy to mistake as the price range is closer. Again, buyer beware – read everything.
If there are certificates shown with the descriptions, read the image to make sure that the certificate matches the jewelry being sold. Sometimes the wrong certificate is shown. (I saw this on Bidz yesterday.)
On EBay, always read the seller feedback – not just the ratings. Sometimes that will show promptness or if the seller is usually a buyer. Ratings are combined so knowing status can help.
Especially when you are buying a gift, find out where the item is being shipped from. Buying an item from china may have long shipping times.
Sometimes shipping costs much more than the item you are buying. Find out costs first so you know the whole price. On EBay, I have seen $50 shipping fees for items selling for a penny. Sometimes it is worth it; others not. For Bidz, the least amount of shipping charge is a $10.95 Freight & Insurance + handling charge per item ($3.00 handling charge for each additional item).
To make certain you are not paying too much, compare the price on Amazon, Target or a local store. This will help you know what the market price for an item is. (Yes, we mentioned this above too. It is that important!)
What is Bidz?
Bidz sells jewelry, watches, fine art, and accessories. Bidz.com offers around the clock jewelry auctions. They are like an auction house. You know you will get what you buy as they have the inventory for sale. If you like jewelry auctions it is an interesting place to visit.
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