All about buying

Categories

Motors

eBay glossary

eBay acronyms

A-Z index

All about buying

In this article
	Register Find something to buy Understand the buying format Choose a payment method Track your purchase

Welcome to eBay! Buying here is safe and easy. We'll take you through it step-by-step.

1.	Register It all starts with registration. Fortunately, it's free and fast. Register now, or learn more about it. You can even take a guided tour of registration.
2.	Find something to buy You can find almost everything on eBay, whether you have something specific in mind or you're just looking around. Still can't find what you're looking for? Tens of thousands of new items are added every day. Browse when you’re not exactly sure what you’re looking for, or when you just want to poke around in a particular category, like Clothing or Home & Garden. To browse, click on a category on the left side of the eBay home page. Search when you’re looking for something in particular. Just enter a few words to describe the item in the Search box, which is at the top right corner of most eBay pages. Learn more about finding items.
3.	Understand the buying format There are lots of ways to buy on eBay. You'll find auctions where you bid against other members, Buy It Now listings for buying something right away at a set price, and more. Learn more about ways to buy.
4.	Choose a payment method Once you've found something you're interested in, read the description carefully to find out which payment methods the seller accepts. Most accept PayPal because it's fast and convenient. And it's especially good for you, because PayPal protects your eBay purchases against fraud and other problems. Learn more about payment methods.
5.	Track your purchases You can keep track of your purchases on My eBay. After you register, you'll get your own My eBay page where you can see what's happening with items you've bought (and sold). You'll be able to keep track of your feedback from other members, and you'll even be able to keep an eye on other items you're interested in buying.

Contact Customer Support

If you're looking for more help or have a question to ask, please contact us.

Have a question? We can help.

Ask eBay members

Get help from other eBay members. Visit the Answer Center to post a question.

Related help topics

Copyright © 1995-2009 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the eBay User Agreement and Privacy Policy.

eBay official time