EBAY buying coupons - Some tips

[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".

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.

[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