How To Buy Online Crash Course: eBay.ph Registration and Bidding

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Global site eBay.COM and Local site eBay.PH

Everybody knows about eBay.com, the biggest online garage sale on the internet. But for Pinoys, eBay.com is somewhat intimidating for many different reasons, like:

• The goods are sold in US dollars (read: US$1 = PHP45).
• You are in competition with the world when it comes to bidding.
• Your package will be coming from the other side of the globe, which translates to shipping disaster!
• Import taxes when claiming a package from the post office.
• Et cetera.

Enter eBay.ph, the local version of the multinational giant. Here, you are given the convenience of dealing with people in the Philippines and in Philippine Pesos! Shipping fees are also much lower, you can even do a meet-up transaction if the seller allows it.

As an eBay user myself, I’ve had the experience of buying useful and imported stuff for a fraction of what it would have cost had I bought it elsewhere. Buyers from abroad may also turn to eBay.ph instead of sending a balikbayan box.

eBay.ph first timers may get confused about how the whole process of buying is done on the website. So here is a quick crash course on how to buy from eBay.ph:

First you have to log-in

1. Sign up for an eBay.ph account. Your eBay.com account may work on eBay.ph to make purchases, but you may not use it to sell items on eBay.ph, in case you decide to try it in the future.
2. Get your account verified. For eBay.ph, a mobile number, credit card or a Paypal account is needed to verify one’s account.
3. Log in to your account.

Search the listings

1. Choose from the categories or enter keywords into the search box to find an item.
2. Click on the listing to read the description.
3. Make sure you read the sellers terms and shipping charges carefully and thoroughly.
4. If there are more than one seller, you may need to click on more than one listing to arrive at a final decision.
5. If the item is not available locally, eBay.ph automatically pulls out the search from international listings – (you will notice the price and shipping fee difference here).

Enter your bid

1. For fixed price listings, simply click the blue “Buy It Now” button.
2. For auction style listings, you must enter your bid

BIDDING TIPS:

• Check the current bid amount. If you are the first bidder, the current bid is the starting bid.

• Enter your maximum bid – the highest amount you are willing to pay for an item. This gives you a higher chance of winning the auction.

• Confirm your bid on the next page.

• If you get outbid, you can enter a new maximum bid or just let it go.

After entering your bid, sit back and wait for the auction to end. If the seller has other terms indicated on the listing (i.e. Send your contact info after bidding, etc.), then get right on it. Your seller will contact you via eBay messaging system or through the contact number your listed on your account.

Now, to pay for your item check out How To Buy Online Crash Course: Payment and Shipping