Ebayers - open your auction-ears!

Few people today have yet to experience the wonder that is Ebay.

Even my mother has made a few bids, and she is the sort of technophobe that thinks when she faxes something the bit of paper gets sent down the phone line.

Ebay is far from easy, however; in fact its wildly competitive and to be honest, downright risky at times. So what can we do to optimise our buying and selling potential?

Buying

• Reputation - is everything, for Sellers AND Buyers. Beef up your profile so there's no air of mystery about you. That way, people will be more likely to trade with you.

• Research. Carefully check sellers profiles and feedback to confirm they're consistent.

• Shop around. Ebay may have great deals but some online stores like Amazon are often cheaper, especially with DVDs and CDs. Also, you may find even with postage charges from buying on foreign Ebay sites (French Ebay, Italian Ebay) things like clothes work out cheaper.

• Be savvy - read the item wording carefully and pay close attention to pictures. COMMUNICATE - don't be shy about asking questions about the item, delivery, packaging etc. Don't fall for the postage trick - if an item worth £5 is being sold for 99p but has a £4 postage charge...

No matter how much you sell or buy on eBay, odds are you're missing a few opportunities.

David Karp

• Manage your money. Don't be stingy with bids, put the highest you'll go. The Ebay bidding system will do the rest. Also, tie up Ebay with Paypal. It makes everything much faster and safer.

• Patience is a virtue - watch items carefully, and be aware of their End time. That way you can beat the snipers (last minute bidders).

Selling

• Most of the Buying points work both ways, particularly Reputation and Communication. Know your Buyers, and make yourself known too. It is the best way to build trust and appear professional.

• Presentation is key. Good photos will sell a product. Invest in a decent camera and some extra time if you mean business. Take time you word your description in an appealing way. Make sure no online stores are selling your item at a lower cost.

• If it seems to good to be true, it is! If someone messages you saying they're willing to pay double if you ship the item straight away DON'T DO IT! The Golden Rule is NEVER to send your item before the money is in your bank account, no matter what. I speak from experience.

• Know your rights - That way if anything does go wrong you can act quickly.