Hey! So, I buy a lot of inexpensive and cheap items from eBay. Most of these items are shipped from China. The only cost about one or two dollars. The cool thing is that they don't even have paid shipping, so you can get them shipped to your for free. The only disadvantage with this is that the shipping usually takes over a month, but still, it's a crazy way to buy cheap things! What do you think about these items that are sold on eBay? Do you buy them as well?
Exactly what you said. I've mentioned earlier in another thread that my eBay rating is around 189. I bid, and buy a lot of stuff under $2 dollars and so. I've set a limit to not go above $2, and it very much works. Most of the accessories that I've got for my phone is from eBay. They're so cheap but the quality is there. I have always been impressed. What's funny is that a phone case that I bought for $1.20 from eBay sells at $8 - $9 in a local store in my area! I also check AliExpress. Often times sellers provide free shipping with tracking number there. Even for the smallest items. But like you said, shipping takes a lot of time for these times from China.
I never buy anything from China. For me it's not about quantity but quality. I don't have much trust in products that come from China. Chinese manufacturers often use ingredients and materials that are prohibited in many countries of the world. I don't like to think about the possibility of being exposed to toxic dyes, paints, fumes, etc. So, I tend to buy local and natural wherever I can.
I set a firm limit on Ebay sales because it can be a bit addicting and honestly you end up paying market rate most of the time anyway. I used t buy a lot of cheap crap from China and then I realized that's really all it was, cheap crap that I did not really need and that often ended up being un-useable. These days I use a custom search with an upper limit so I never even see the more expensive stuff. I go looking for something specific that I need, and if it is not there then so be it. The only exception are for my birthday or if I get a bonus I might give myself some "mad money" to buy same crazy antique carving or vintage doll just for fun. Because I think you need to do everything in moderation, including moderation itself. Sometimes you do need to let yourself have a little fun.
I don't shop ebay so much as Amazon, now that I have Amazon prime. I realize many of my better deals have been crazy things shipped all the way from China. The patriotism in me sort of hates it, but the miser in me can't stop. Ebay is one of those places I only go to for very specific things. Cars. Watches. Beer rebate forms. And I'm unwilling to pay over a certain amount for many of those things.
I also buy a lot of cheap items from eBay. I got some video adapters, four small coolers for my pc case, and other inexpensive things. Must say that fashion is also a decent category to check out, but keep in mind that Asian sizes run ridiculously small, and some items are made from synthetics. About shipping: In my case, I usually must wait more than two weeks for my package to arrive.
I don't tend to buy really cheap stuff on eBay. That's money I could save up for better clothes LOL You're very patient; there's no way I'd be happy to wait of an order to arrive for a month! I also don't tend to go with the Far East retailers. I'm not brave enough LOL
I do it all the time! I often find cheap things such as gaming consoles for dirt cheap. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. I once got a GameCube for 1 euro and sold it on for 40 euro!
There are a few things I will purchase in that way. The main thing I purchase that way are arts and crafts supplies. I make handcrafted jewelry and have found that I can get the "fixings" I need, charms and beads very inexpensively this way and it's never something I need really quickly so it works out that it takes a bit to get it shipped to me.
Arts and crafts are so gosh darn expensive! It's crazy how much of a rip off things cost in a crafts store
I've used eBay before to buy several of my friends birthday gifts cheaply (as I'm not the type to say "happy birthday" or "merry Christmas" without having a gift on hand). The problem for me is that I have to order these items months in advance, depending on where the gift originates. However, if I can remember at least a month in advance, then I definitely take advantage of the website.
I buy many things inexpensively on eBay, particularly craft supplies, electronics and electronics accessories, sometimes tools, books, videos, soap, clothing and jewelry. I've also bought a few small kitchen hand tools, but never a small or major appliance. I actually bought a nice roman shade for my bedroom on eBay, and the price was much better than I could have gotten anywhere else, because I certainly shopped around before buying.
One of the things that I always buy cheaply are phone covers, because I know that I like to change them very regularly, so getting cheap ones means that I don't waste very much money by doing this. I have also been known to buy very cheap things and sell them on for a profit, which is great as a bit of a supplementary income, but might not raise as much money as other ideas that people have. You would be surprised at the number of things on eBay that you could make money on if you look carefully enough - it really is a great opportunity!
I too refuse buy anything from China anymore because it would take months for me to get my item and that was if I was lucky, I'm still waiting years later for quite a few Ebay items from China. I also found that a lot of the time the quality wasn't as good. Don't get me wrong, I like a bargain, but I don't see the point if the items fall apart when they are only a Buck or two cheaper than better quality ones.
I do buy cheap stuff on Ebay, so I know a bit which items to avoid. With Ebay, it's really 50-50 regarding the quality of the item. The phone cases that I got were nicely stitched, I bought 3 different kinds. Some items are not well stitched though, so don't expect much. As for electronic items, I bought a phone that only lasted for 8 months and an mp3 player that malfunctioned after the first few hours that I was using it, so beware. Their universal battery charger seems to be durable, so it's ok to buy that.
The same beads you buy at the craft store are able to be found on there ridiculously cheap. That's a great buy. However, some things you should just be smart about and not even try it. If it's a big purchase you are better to order from a trusted company or buy straight from a brick and mortar store.
Over the last couple of months, when I need something, ebay is the first place I check. If I can find it cheaper somewhere else I do so, but for the most part ebay is going to have the cheapest. Unless I can't afford to give a little in quality, Ebay is it.
I buy a lot of stuff from Ebay but sometimes you have to make sure you don't have to pay a high import tax on the stuff you are buying. I remember buying some stuff from a chinese vendor and I had to shell out $100 as import tax which was like almost 30% of the product price.
I am not from the U.S.A., so for many of the crazy cheap things on Ebay I have to pay way more for shipping than for the product itself. It might be illogical, but I also distrust suspiciously cheap items much more than I distrust normally-priced items, even if the cheaper products have better reviews.
I suppose that makes sense that if you aren't in the states it could actually cost you more. Didn't consider the shipping charges.
