I love ebay

And me.

This evening I have bought Whittard mugs for the GCS. I would have loved them to be non gender-specific, but they would only get cross, so there is a fairy, a fireman, a cowboy and a butterfly. They cost an arm and a leg new, and the whole lot cost me £16, which is all that I would want to pay for mugs anyway!

And a woollen Phase Eight dress for £12. If we don't go out on a Saturday night, I spend the money on Ebay instead. I think that's fair. I have to find something to do until Spirale starts, after all.

I've bid on that cardi too Jingle

Yes. My daughter used to tell me off about it. I won't do it now though. Only did it for the little feller.

(to Pittcity)

Oh is that a sniper? I used to use those when I was desperate to get a collection of playmobile Knights for DGS. Used to work too. I can't remember how to do it now though. It's amazing what you can do when you have something (someone? ) spurring you on.

! That's cheating...

I love buying and selling on eBay. I have just sold a bathroom sink and radiator which would have ended up in a skip otherwise. It's a great way of de cluttering. Even if you only make a few ££s it is better than taking up space in my house. I've never had any problems.

I use auctionstealer.co.uk, which places your bid for you at a time you specify. It is free for a limited service or you can pay for unlimited bids to be placed the second before the auction finishes.

I bought a Boden Breton top a few weeks ago, it was such a good fit that I now have almost every colour of stripey top they have ever produced! I never wear anything else these days.
If I am not going to be around when the auction finishes I make my maximum bid, always with an odd 7p on the end, but if I am watching I leave my bid until 10 seconds to go.

! That's the power of eBay, jingl! I'm watching a pair of shoes for DH just now. I have to either put a maximum bid in before I go to sleep tonight, or remember to wake up early and bid for them before 7.30 am.....!

I just stick a maximum bid on and then try to forget about it. Never manage too. Once the bid's on I find I really ^really want it!

I didn't know I wanted an olive green cardigan until this morning.

I hang on till the last 10 seconds or so before making my bid. That way there's less chance that anyone can outbid me. Of course, there's always the chance that someone has put their maximum bid in a lot higher than that which I've bid, but that way, I'm not tempted to keep bidding more than I mean to! I haven't ever had any problems with eBay or Paypal, either.

Last week I looked on ebay for a book I got from the library in 1960. Couldn't remember the author, but I could remember the title. I found one copy for sale at £80! But it did tell me the author's name - I googled him and found that it had recently been republished under a different title and eventually tracked a copy down on Amazon. Without ebay I'd have been stuck because I'd never have remembered the author.

The other life saver is YouTube. If I ever want to know how to do something somebody somewhere will have made a video of it.

I have a choice here on german e-bay. Either paypal or normal private money transfer. I have never had any trouble either buying or selling.

I only buy on auction as I enjoy it, and you can get some bargains. It is a buyers market.

I've put in a bid for a cardi I really want. BNWT. I've got to wait six days to see if I get it. Now I've put the bid in I want it even more.

I've never had any problems with ebay or Paypal. The one time something I'd ordered didn't turn up, ebay customer service department dealt with it and I got a refund within days (had to give the seller time to respond).

I don't usually bother with auction-only items though - don't think my nerves could stand it!

I get lots of panto costumes from eBay....much cheaper than buying the fabric and making things

My refunds have always come through in a day! Not that I have had to have very many.

I do buy on Preloved, though. I also like the 'man with van' delivery service available, fascinating to watch as the bids come in, getting lower and lower.

Thanks everyone very helpful.

Sorry, but wouldn't touch eBay with a bargepole these days, so I sell mainly on www.uk.eBid.net + Preloved and bukshoppe.com - much pleasanter experiences without the greed and hassle of eBay.

Again, Paypal [owned by eBay] can be a minefield if things go wrong, so I use Skrill [ex-Moneybookers] for payments. You must be aware that anything paid for by Paypal can now be returned for a refund up to 6 months later.

A good many other companies now accept payment by PayPal which is useful, though it makes spur of the moment decisions much easier which in my case is risky, especially late at night when I am at my most susceptible to hasty purchases. A nice big Woolovers cardi is on its way even now.

I'm just about to put a leather jacket on e.bay. I was waiting for the winter clothing season to finish. I've taken photos today in the sunshine as daylight photos look best.
I sold some uncomfortable knee high leather boots last year and wondered who buys boots not knowing if they really fit. I think groups of girls or women or familes buy things and the one who they fit takes them.
I have bought an Apple Imac and a lap top. The lap top was 200 Euros and is till going five years later.

You have to link PayPal to a bank account. It is best not to use your current account. I linked it to an old savings account that had a few pounds in. This keeps all my Pay Pal money separate from anything else and is a safeguard against fraud.

I only spend the money in the Pay Pal account as it is money that I have made selling my unwanted things. You can use Pay Pal on other internet sites. x

I would join paypal first, it's a sort of barrier between Ebay and your bank account to keep things safe, a bit like a holding account. If you shop anywhere online, you often get given the option to pay using paypal. It is a very safe way to shop online.

You use the search section for what you want. It brings up all the items that fit your requirements. You can choose to see all of them or just those that are in the auction (they have a buy it now option when you sell). You can further refine your search by choosing the order you see the items e.g. distance from your postcode, lowest price etc.

The item will have a starting price. You can decide what you want to pay and put in a maximum bid or start low and keep rebidding. I go for the maximum bid option because then I don't get swept up in the excitement of bidding. If you win then you pay through paypal or if the seller wants it can be cash on collection. If it's too far to collect you pay through paypal then sit back and wait for the postman.