EBAY buying coupons - Some tips

[sewnmom]

I have been buying coupons on ebay for a long time.

I wanted to post a few things to watch out for when buying on there.

First of all coupons are time sensitive so if they are close to their expiration date always check with the seller before to make sure they are going to mail as soon as the auction ends. I had a recent experience where the seller delayed mailing the coupons and I got them when they expired. It was their fault because they waited too long to mail.

When selling coupons on ebay, they are very aware of the fact they are time sensitive. I got my money back by filing a paypal dispute but I dont even have time to do that. I have sold some on there and I always mail the day the auction ends (I always have stamps on hand to mail them when I post them online). Unfortunately not all are as diligent as I might be.

If the auction doesnt state that the seller combines auctions, it is highly possible that they WONT combine. Always ask first. I asked one buyer and they said no so I didnt bid. I went back through their history and saw that for one buyer that had bought ten different auctions from them on the same day, they charged TEN dollars for shipping. That buyer was upset but again, they should have asked ahead of time. The packet the buyer cost under $1.00 to ship yet they were charged $10. Always pays to do your homework.

I like to look for free shipping but that is usually worked into the price somehow. I have a few seller I buy from a lot that say you pay for the first one then nothing to subsequent auctions that can be combined. I get a good deal on coupons that way and have a lot of coupons for a small, reasonable shipping cost.

I buy inserts on line. I have one person I buy from that combines shipping and puts them in a flat rate box that they charge me pretty close to what the shipping actually is for the shipping. Cant beat that.

Always read the description of the coupon and check the picture of the coupon. If there is not a picture, AVOID! I bought some coupons that were for .75 off one in the description with no picture. got them - they were off 2 and they were not subject to doubling. So always beware.

Hope this helps someone. My one friend was asking me how to buy online and I thought it was good advice. I told her to join on here and become a trader so she could buy on here too. Great resource.

[BringontheWonder]

Very good advice to those who buy coupons on eBay. Repped ya! I've purchased coupons on eBay a few times, but I feel more comfortable using the clippers. I have a paranoid "don't trust people at all" issue when it comes to eBay. lol

[VJWilson27]

Also when you buy on ebay and go through BIG CRUMBS (http://www.bigcrumbs.com/crumbs/landing.do?r=vjwilson27&s=51689) you get a small amount of $$$ back. It's not much but every little bit helps when it comes to couponing.

[ILiketoSell]

One Benefit of Buying items with free shipping with shipping price already factored into price of coupons:

When filing a dispute, we file the for entire amount !!!! Can't deduct anything if there are no shipping fees !!!!

[thickbluebug]

Ditto on checking feedback before you buy.

I also use a click thru for my coupon purchases

I hunt the sellers that offer free shipping or a freebie when ordering from them. Some will offer a free packet of coupons wyb x amt, .10 shipping on additional auctions paid at same time, or free additional shipping when paid for at the same time

Research our forums and buy your q's early. Those hot coupons weren't that hot when they came out (most of the time). Only after publix, winn dixie, target, cvs and wags put the item on sale.

I love ebay and haven't been burnt on coupons yet.
One seller resent my coupons the next week - that's all the problems I have had with coupons.

[Nimbus254]

I wanted to add that if time is an issue, you should always check out the Buy It Now listings first, or look for auctions that are ending soon. Some of the auctions are scheduled to go for several days, and if you bid, you have to wait until the auction ends before the coupons can even be mailed out (and that's IF you win after all those days!).

[tbbucs03]

Here is a tip when buying coupons. When finding the coupons you want, there is a pulldown at the top above the listings on the right side that you can click and pick nearest to your zip code.This is a great way to find someone with the coupons you want where the mailing time may only be 2 days. I have a regular Ebayer I always go to first and if I know a really good coupon is coming out, she has let me preorder before she lists. I usually get her coupons the next day if I order before 4pm.

[sewnmom]

See what great tips we all came up with on this?!! Wow.

I bought coupons from one seller and got them almost two weeks later. They didnt ship for six days after the auction ended. They advertised same day shipping with payment by 2 pm (I paid in the wee hours of previous morning). The coupons were expiring in less than two weeks but they were great coupons on deals that were ongoing. If they had shipped same day I would have been fine. Had they shipped a few days later I still could get the special on the items at another store on the first two days of the sale. Well they came the day after they expired. None of our stores will take expired coupons. I could not use them. The seller didnt answer me so I filed a paypal dispute and got my money back from the seller in a few hours. They are now demanding I leave them feedback! I would leave something to the effect that they took care of the problem it was ok. BUT I dont think that is accurate since I had to file a dispute to get it done. Since the auction advertised same day shipping it was NOT deserving of good feedback. I also bought two other items from same seller - they did not combine shipping - and those items were shipped WITH the same expired coupons. They made almost $4.00 on the shipping and they put a stamp on the envie! It was my fault for not making sure first on the shipping combo.
I will NOT buy from that person again.

[needmoredeals]

I would definitely leave feedback saying that they didn't ship for six days!

[mycouponhunter]

I am mainly an ebay seller, but I started buying recently and was surprised what was out there. Read the terms in the listing and if they are terms you don't like or are negative I wouldn't buy. Some say I am not responsible if they are lost in the mail. Absolutely no refunds. To me it's the seller's responsibility to make sure they arrive. They can say they are lost in the mail, but how do you know they really sent them.

I also would suggest if you need something for a sale fast try to find someone close to where you live. It really cuts back on the mailing time. Also ask before you bid/buy when they ship. I bought something last night and I need it for a sale and she said she wouldn't be shipping it until Monday. So it wasn't worth me buying them even if they are close.

You just have to be careful on ebay and it can be hit and miss. If you find a great seller then stick with them. Communicate with them if there is a problem and it works out great.

[qlover]

I have bought from four different "clippers" on ebay and each fullfilled the orders find. I felt lucky. Btw, our mail only goes out once on Saturday and it goes out earlier too so maybe that's why she or he couldn't get it in the mail right away. Just thinking.....

[434Teresa]

1) never buy printables
2) never buy Free item coupons, they have a lot that are scams
3) alway look for expire dates
4) always reed between the lines on feedback some people really may of been uphappy and will reply with 'got them' as a feedback...
5)check and ask if they will be shipped the next day
6) if you ask a question and dont get a reply move on and buy from someone else
7) when buying lots of 100 ask questions and dont bid just because the bidding on past coupons got up to $3/$4 I have been there and done that and did not get any coupons that made them worth a lot that I got for 99 cents.
8) dont buy the first lot that you think is a good buy keep looking and you might find a better deal
9) 100 coupons should ship for about 50 or 60 cents so dont pay $2
10) Leave the correct feedback,dont say got them while thinking I will never buy from this person again..say got them but not what thought or got them but took 9 days and so on........

[kittensqueak]

Sometimes I buy coupons on ebay, and I see a "buy it now" price that I think is ok - but not great (or so I think) and I don't get them right away and then all the "BIN" sets are gone. So I have learned that it may be worth a little more to just get the coupons rather than wait on an auction...

[bandit3]

Great thread OP thanks for all of the tips.

[tacatcon]

Great tips! I have bought coupons a few times on Ebay when I couldn't trade for them and I have not had any issues. But I also asked a trader friend on here who she likes to use there so I had some references first.

Definitely ask questions first and look at the feedback. I never buy from anyone on there with less than 99.8% feedback rating or less than 100 transactions.

And I do the big crumbs thing too! hey every penny helps!

[doulas3babes]

I agree, some REALLY great tips!!!

As an ebay seller I just wanted to point something out, b/c I read that some ppl prefer to buy from someone w/free shipping. Yes, you're right the free shipping is worked into their prices and most of the time, you are going to pay MORE from that seller. For example:

You purchase (20) $1/1 Tide for $1.99 (includes shipping) each lot and you buy 2 lots. So your total is $3.98 for those 40 cpns.

Now, you buy those same 2 lots from let's say me, and my bin price is $1.00 for each lot and $0.99 s/h for the first set and $0.15 each additional. So you would pay $3.14 for the same 40 cpns.

You would actually be paying $0.84 MORE to the other seller for that "free shipping". :wink7:

Just be careful when it comes to things like this. I noticed ALOT of sellers that offer free shipping get more business, but ultimately in the end, they are getting MORE of your money for the same thing that other sellers have.

One other tip, make sure to read ALL of the description of the item as well as the seller's terms and conditions for the auction. Again, using myself as an example, I do not ship any items over the weekend, unless I find time for it. Any payments made after 10am est on Friday do not ship till the following Monday, b/c I reserve the weekends for my family time, as we are always busy, busy, busy with our 3 kids. You won't believe how many ppl yell at me b/c I didn't ship later in the day on Fri. or on Sat. All b/c they failed to read the terms/conditions that are right there in big, bold RED letters. LOL You also wouldn't believe how many ppl ask for for the exp. date of the cpns and it's RIGHT THERE in the auction description.

Good luck on ebay!!!

[lakemom]

When you find a "hot" coupon (usually recently out and with a chain store having a great sale) search the buy -it -now feature. I usually find the same coupon cheaper and quicker than waiting for a hot auction to end.

Find big sellers that combine shipping and if you find a coupon you want from that seller always check their other listings to see if they have anything else you could use.

[moneysaver3]

And advantage to the "free shipping" sellers, though, is that if you do have to file a dispute, you get your FULL amount back. If they charge for shipping, then you're out that amount whether the coupons come or not unless you have a really good seller.

[doulas3babes]

And advantage to the "free shipping" sellers, though, is that if you do have to file a dispute, you get your FULL amount back. If they charge for shipping, then you're out that amount whether the coupons come or not unless you have a really good seller.


Well, I guess I'm a "really good seller" cause I always give the full amount back. Thought that's what you are supposed to do. :wink7:

[joshmamabear]

It pays to research the sale ads for the next few weeks. If you find something going on sale/free after RR, check ebay immediately and BIN. For example, I got 40 of the $1.50 True North coupons from the Publix booklet for 3.75, shipped; then a few days later, the same seller sold them in lots of 15 BIN for 6.99 plus .99 shipping. Once they know something is going to be a moneymaker, they immediately jack up prices so its best to know sales ahead of time before info spreads on the net :biggrin: