Usually payment options include either a personal check and/or money order, but on select occasions the seller may be unusually stringent and not allow them. This is a real danger sign and may signal that the seller wishes to remain anonymous for a host of reasons. Most EBay sellers are extremely professional and treat a transaction with respect, but like any other online venture, there are a few scam artists out there simply trying to hook the next sucker. Remember that when using online credit card services like Paypal, the seller doesn't need to give you a shipping address or any other form of identification. One area to really steer well away from is if the seller requires you to send the payment via wire or bank transfer. Agreeing to this type of payment restriction is one of the easiest ways to get into trouble on EBay and sellers offering only anonymous payment options should be avoided at all costs.

As the EBay buyer, you have the option of having extra shipping options added to your winning bid. Of course, you will have to pay for these additional charges, but in some cases it is just common sense. If the item in question is very expensive, or possibly fragile, then adding in basic postal insurance would make sense. For the buck or so it will cost you, it will give you some peace of mind in case a postal worker decides to play soccer with your package. Items such as a hard drive, CD-ROM or any other hardware with moveable parts would be well served by having insurance or registration for the USPS trip. By the same token, with inexpensive and hardy products such as PC games, you can save some cash and just send it standard parcel rate. The speed at which the product arrives is also inherent on the method of shipment, so if you require this product quickly, remember to ask for some sort of express postal service when contacting the seller.

Have you ever witnessed a close-out sale at a computer shop? Normally rational people can be seen crowding the bargain bins trying desperately to nab that $1.99 bus mouse, or the $5.00 AT computer case. Only later, when using the case as a boat anchor or the mouse as a paperweight, does the question of value and usefulness ever crop up. EBay can be the same way, and in our never-ending pursuit of “the deal,” reason and logic can be lost in the shuffle. Sure, that external RAID array for $10 sounds like a great deal, but will you ever really use it? Try and only bid on items that will be truly useful to your current computer needs and leave the rest in the bargain bin.