You Won that eBay Auction! Now What Do You Do?
It's a heady feeling when you win your first eBay auction: a
mixture of happiness and perhaps just a little fear. After all,
there seems to be so much to do before you can actually get
your item. What do you do next?
The simple answer is: you send payment to the seller, as
quickly as possible. The quicker you pay, the more your seller
will like you, and the sooner your item will arrive. But how
you go about it? That all depends on how you plan to pay.
PayPal
PayPal is one of the most popular options for paying on
eBay, to the point where eBay decided to buy the company. It
allows instant electronic payment across the Internet. Money
goes instantly from your credit or debit card to the seller's
PayPal account, where they can either use it for Internet
purchases or transfer it out to their bank.
eBay offer incentives for using PayPal, and almost all
sellers now accept it. Its instant nature makes sellers very
happy, and means that they can have your item packed and sent
and leave you some positive feedback within a few hours of the
auction ending. When paying by PayPal, you will be covered by
PayPal's own insurances and guarantees, as well as any that
your card might have.
Cheques and Money Orders
This is payment the old-fashioned way, and will lead to a
long wait to your item. You need to post the cheque or money
order, then the seller has to take it to the bank and get it
cleared, and only then do they send the item. The only reason
to use this method is if either you or the seller distrusts
electronic payment methods. If you're willing to go to the
trouble with these sellers, though, you might get an item very
cheaply, as most buyers just can't be bothered.
When you pay by cheque or money order, make sure to print
the eBay order confirmation page (it will be emailed to you)
and put it in the envelope with your payment. Underline or
circle key information like your mailing address and the item
number. Finally, remember to be patient: keep in contact with
the seller, as it really can take a month or two before
everything falls into place and your item turns up.
Money Transfers and Bank Deposits
Some sellers may ask you to pay them using a wire service
like Western Union, or simply give you a bank account number
and ask you to pay money into it. Unless you really trust the
seller, this is generally a bad idea - these methods are hard
to trace and you're unlikely to get any money back if anything
goes wrong. Paying in cash, it hardly needs to be said, is an
even worse idea.
It's all a lot to take in, isn't it? I'm sure by now you've
got a few questions, which is why the next email will be a
little eBay buyer's FAQ. Let's hope we can solve any problems
you might have.
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