Got Good List

One thing I find particularly addictive when shopping on eBay is the fact you always have the impression you could find better and cheaper items. Here are a few tools and links to make your searches more efficient, and often simply more fun ! :)

• Search for misspelled items
  Articles with typos get no bid because nobody finds them. Here are two good links to check, where you enter a correctly spelled item, and let them search for common typos : Fat Fingers and Misspelled Auctions
• Fine tune your searches
  Here is a very neat interface to tweak, tune and narrow your product search : the Winning bid
• Compare prices
  I’m getting used more and more with searching on Amazon, which has a pretty impressive catalog too. So I find this site rather useful : Ay to Zon displays prices comparison from eBay and Amazon, side to side.
• Search for related items
  I often do this when I’m lacking inspiration for a gift idea : search for related items with Vivisimo “related clusters” feature. Try this example search for Harry Potter and look on your left hand for the suggested items and categories.
• If not in a rush, take your time
  When I don’t really need something but just wait for the unmissable offer before I take the plunge, I track auctions with my favorite feed reader thanks to RSS Auction.
• Consider distance before shipping
  When a deal is done, don’t forget the last step : shipping. Sometimes sparing a few bucks is not worth it if you could find a similar offer within a few miles from your house that would spare the shipping fees, right ? Time to check eBay maps and find something near you.