An eBay Holiday Primer
by Kelley
eBay Staff Member

Where does the time go? The holidays are coming up fast, and you're probably making a gift list now, as well as planning on the "perfect" gift for each of your loved ones. What better place to shop than eBay?

If you and your family and friends or co-workers like to have gift exchanges, consider participating in this year's new Secret Santa promotion on eBay. Start or join a private Secret Santa group, and set up your Wish List. Then at a time appointed by the group's moderator, the Secret Santa program will automatically assign participants their gift recipients complete with their personal Wish Lists! What better way to combine your love of eBay with your love of holiday gift giving?

And this year, we have more services than ever to help you with that list. In addition to Buy It Now, gift icons to help guide your searches, and one-day auctions, perhaps the best new option of all is eBay Gift Certificates! You'll find that some sellers will cater to the holiday spirit, offering services to go with your purchased items, such as gift wrapping, or shipping directly to the intended recipient of your gift. Check your item's listing description for these services, or use the "Ask seller a question" link from the item page to find out more.

In your rush to check off everything on your list, don't forget to be a careful shopper. Read the listing carefully, and check the seller's feedback. Look at the comments as well as the number. Remember, chances are that you aren't going to get a $5,000.00 item for $10.00--even at eBay. Use good common sense! If the deal is unbelievably good, don't believe it.

Make sure that you understand the total cost, including shipping and handling. If you have any doubt whatsoever about any aspect of the item, email the seller using the "Ask seller a question" feature and ask before you bid. This is a very good time of year to seek listings by sellers from whom you have bought and been pleased with in the past. Should something go wrong that you can't work out with your seller directly, keep in mind that both eBay and PayPal have protection plans to help you out.

Look to see where the seller is. Mail and shipping services will be busy this time of year, so you'll want to allow enough time for your package to make it to its destination. If this isn't possible, it might be a good time to go with a Gift Certificate.

Finally, do not wait until the last minute! Start looking now for those special items, the ones that you know the people on your list will treasure. Use some care, and you can find the most amazing gifts on eBay! Happy holidays to everyone!