<p>I saw another thread about buying old cameras on ebay and am wondering what else people might be buying. (I have bought books from half.com, which is in some way connected to ebay, but have never bid on anything.)</p>
<p>Edited to add: The camera thread also reminded me that I need a pair of binoculars for an Alaska trip this summer . . . perhaps that would be a good first ebay purchase . . . Any advice about buying used binoculars?</p>
<p>I am an ebay addict. I buy every possible motorcycle related device/gadget/article. Every once in a while I divide my purchases into piles. The “almost fits me” pile and the “almost fits my bike” pile always seem to be the largest. The wife is not amused.</p>
<p>The question is really what don’t I buy on ebay! I’ve also sold a number of things on ebay–most recently a gift I bought for someone, decided was unsuitable, and forgot about until it was too late to return it. </p>
<p>My very first ebay purchase, years and years ago, was a bag of dice, of all things–somehow my kids had managed to lose one or both of the dice to all our board games. I couldn’t begin to guess where I could find dice, and in desperation I went on eBay and sure enough, someone was selling a big bag of dice, mixed sizes and colors, for some trivial sum. We are set for life in the dice department. Ebay is great for that sort of oddball thing. Most recently I bought a “new in box” Panasonic cordless phone with multiple handsets for a much better price than I could find anywhere else. I’ve bought several brand new nightgowns in a brand I particularly like, again for a nicely discounted price. I’ve only been burned once, for a small amount, and that was my own fault–I got a counterfeit product when I bought a cosmetic item from a seller with very few ratings. In addition to buying from a seller with a high number of top ratings, it’s important not to caught up in the gamesmanship of bidding, when it’s easy to overpay for the thrill of “winning”. (One way to avoid this is to only buy “Buy it Now” items.) Do your research and know what a good price is. Have fun!</p>
<p>I buy a lot of clothes. Nike, adidas, and Under Armour items are EXPENSIVE! But I am normally able to get the things I want for less than 50% of the retail price if I look hard enough. I wear a lot of name brand stuff so for me to get it cheap is important…</p>
<p>A word of warning: unless you are an expert, be very careful about bidding on purses, belts, etc. eBay is crawling with counterfeit stuff!</p>
<p>I am a china (as in dishes) addict. I have added to my various sets, two of which are rare. I also like to buy crystal. (and you are totally right about counterfeit purses/belts with high end designer labels. If the price is too good, it isn’t real.)</p>
<p>My DH bought an actual motorcycle on ebay once, by accident, he was just fooling around, trying to learn how things worked…or so he said! Luckily for him it all worked out well.</p>
<p>My clothes. The kids’ clothes. Used cell phones. Chargers. Make-up (good way to try something without buying a full size–many many sample sizes for sale). (DH had a similar story to somemom–got it in his head he wanted to buy a moose head. Thank heavens he got outbid last minute.)</p>
<p>Re: counterfeit merchandise, read something like this about a pair of sunglasses: “Obvious knock-off but still worth the price!”</p>
<p>Pay attention to the seller’s feedback. But I can’t recommend it highly enough. I don’t know why anybody would pay retail for these things.</p>
<p>I have stopped using ebay , but in the early days , I bought everything from Birkenstocks , linens, clothing and antiques. I still like to browse , but like BB said , too much counterfeit merchadise and or stolen for me to put much trust into it anymore. I got scammed once and never received my money back , though seller was caught and arrested ( I was one of several )
I must say though , that we sold a lot of items from a supplier we use, before they tightened regulations and it kept us afloat before we had retail stores. It was mutually beneficial.</p>
<p>We’ve bought odds and ends. Advertising related to our Karmann Ghia. I bought a NIB 4x4 Rubik’s cube and a 5x5 cube for my son. Mark Trail paraphernalia (part of a family joke). My most recent purchase was a 1960s mink hat complete with the original Marshall Field’s hatbox!</p>
<p>I don’t buy much on ebay but in the past 10 years I have bought various stuff. If I remember right I bought my SLR camera on there during college - it was a refurbished one. Worked nicely. Binoculars would be a good item to search on there. Just make sure you go into their feedback to make sure other people liked what they bought after they received it that way you know you are doing business with a stand up person. My dad once decided to sell a truck on e-bay. It was going okay, but then he got a private offer that was even more then what he was looking to sell it for (and twice what the e-bay auction was up to) so he wound up selling it that way instead.</p>
<p>Right now my boyfriend and I decided to list a few things on there. He even listed a toilet seat that he bought and didn’t fit his toilet… he lost the receipt and they wouldn’t take it back. LOL. Someone actually bought the thing for 10 bucks! He just sold two light fixtures from the 60’s that he recently replaced with new ones. They sold for about 20-30 dollars each. We just listed some old lamps that I found in my basement when I bought my house (they are very vintage, so we’ll see what they go for… if anything), some books that belong to my ex-bf (I was nice and called to see if he wanted me to meet me to get them back and he told me to throw them out. Might as well try to make a few bucks… heck, maybe he’ll inadvertently buy them back from me. That would be hilarious), a few mugs, just really random stuff that we would normally either throw out or try to yard sale. I wanted to list my old digital camera but when I went to try it out to make sure it still worked I realized that the battery connection won’t stay tight which means nobody would want it (including me.) I was assuming I’d be able to get a few bucks for it too as it’s a Nikon and 7 MP so it’s not terribly old, but oh well.</p>
<p>I’ve bought everything on Ebay from a dining room set to cosmetics. I’ve never had a bad experience, but I am careful about ratings. I find it very convenient. For example, I use a brand of running shoes, Ryka, that fits me well. When I need a new pair, it is easier to find a pair on Ebay in my size and have it arrive at the house in a few days than to go to the stores and try to find my size. I regularly buy a fairly expensive skin serum in sample sizes on Ebay. I’ve found that it goes bad if I get a regular size, so I get boxes of six samples from a particular seller on Ebay who always has fresh stock, and keep them in the refrigerator except for the one that I am using. I’ve bought Italian sheets and other bedding (always new in package). Once I wanted to buy a tutu for a little girl, and I found a seller on Ebay who made them to order - very reasonably priced, choice of color and trim, and she rushed it to me. I’ve gotten a few great bargains. I have a very beautiful set of high-end cast aluminum patio furniture, and a new Longchamps leather bag that I found for 1/10 of the retail price (not a fake).</p>
<p>One thing Ebay is great for - collectibles. At Christmas time I buy sterling ornaments for a close relative in a series that began the year she was born. How would I ever find these, for 12 years starting in 1971, without a huge marketplace?</p>
<p>I’ve bought some books, and some vintage postcards with photos of my home town.</p>
<p>I’ve also sold a few things, including a Tiffany candy box we received as a wedding gift. (We are just not Tiffany candy box people.) I told DH that whatever we got we would spend on Valentine’s Day dinner; we might be eating at the best place in town, or Subway. We ended up somewhere in between.</p>
<p>Ahhh, stuff we find on ebay!</p>
<p>[Fox</a> fur? Are they kidding?](<a href=“http://cgi.ebay.com/GUCCI-FOX-FUR-LARGE-TOTE-HANDBAG-LIMITED-NUMBER-MADE-/180573870066?pt=US_CSA_WH_Handbags&hash=item2a0b0a97f2]Fox”>http://cgi.ebay.com/GUCCI-FOX-FUR-LARGE-TOTE-HANDBAG-LIMITED-NUMBER-MADE-/180573870066?pt=US_CSA_WH_Handbags&hash=item2a0b0a97f2)</p>
<p>Scroll down and read the paragraph in blue. LOL!</p>
<p>"A used pink bathrobe,
A rare mint snow globe,
A Smurf TV tray,
I bought on eBay!</p>
<p>My house is filled with
This crap, shows up in
Bubble wrap, most every day
What I bought on eBay!"</p>
<ul>
<li>“Bought it on eBay”, Weird Al Yankovic, to the tune of Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way”</li>
</ul>
<p>Search for it on youtube, it’s awesome. 
</p>
<p>Lately, mostly batteries. I once got a very playable violin bow for $3.</p>
<p>Ebay destroyed the second-hand collectible market in terms of value, but you can find almost anything.</p>
<p>^Love the Weird Al song. When I first got into baseball, I spent way too much money on baseball cards. Sadly, most of the cards I got autographed by the players on my local Triple A team are worthless now, as the guys who were nice enough to sign are no longer playing ball. I really had hoped one day, one of them would be the next Mickey Mantle, and I’d have a priceless piece of sports memorabilia. But it was nice to get to meet them and talk to them, so can’t count it as a total loss.</p>
<p>I’m also an ebay addict.</p>
<p>I love to use ebay to price an item I’m looking to purchase. Recently, that was a specific model LG blu ray player. The ‘completed item’ threads are great cause they show what things are REALLY selling for instead of what folks are hoping to get for them.</p>
<p>I bought a used Miele cannister vacuum cleaner for 1/5th the price of new and it’s been going strong for 2years.</p>
<p>I love it for odd items like my need for Warren Kimble plates/mugs.
But we also purchase mundane stuff like replacement toner cartridges for HP printer.</p>
<p>We located my 2008 used Scion XD on ebay for sale 8 miles from our home. The listing price online let us know how low they would sell it for, which was thousands less than the listing price at the dealer. I find the ability to search within a small geographic area useful for items I’d never feel comfortable buying sight unseen.</p>
<p>Watch the feedback ratings, start small and have fun!</p>
<p>I have over 120 positive feedbacks as a buyer on ebay. Hasn’t yet to sell one item. </p>
<p>It started when I needed parts for my old car and now the Nikon stuffs. One thing I stop buying on ebay is the used Lenses. Will only buy those locally because I could check it first.</p>
<p>Be aware, eBay does not always have the lowest cost. Especially for those items you might have to return or exchange, it is much better to buy from Amazon or B & H.</p>