Oh yes, Darlings, it’s true! I’ve accomplished what even I thought was the impossible this week!
My regular eBay excursions aside (the usual CD, make-up, clothes, etc…) I managed to snag some pretty fabu items and I am not above being f-ing proud of it, too!
You see, I’ve been coveting the iConvert from Brookstone for a long time…and I finally won an auction for a brand new one! What is it? Well, it’s just the sweetest thing I’ve seen in awhile. It’s an LP style turntable that allows you to listen through built-in speakers any of your old LP’s or 45’s. But, you can also listen to the radio AND best of all…you can convert any LP into an MP3! Holy hot damn! And if you know what I paid for it? Well, don’t hate me for my beautiful bargain hunting skills! Ha-ha!
My second fabu win (just an hour ago, actually) was for the Polaroid POGO photo printer. It’s an inkless, zinc printer that prints photos directly from your camera or cell either through a USB or bluetooth! And the photos are water proof and tear proof (or resistant, can’t remember all the details, now). These sell at Target and other such mainstream retailers for around $90-$100…got mine today for $32! Fuck yeah! I couldn’t believe it! 
So the key to these amazing buys was patience and knowledge. I knew exactly what I wanted and I was willing to wait and bid and wait and bid wait and bid and wait and bid wait and bid and wait and bid wait and bid and wait and bid wait and bid and wait and bid wait and bid and wait and bid and then I got exactly what I wanted and the exact price I wanted to pay. This works for everything (almost)!
I buy quite a bit of new clothes on eBay, too! Like name brand stuff and even regular Old Navy stuff, too! Shoes? Yep! I almost never pay retail for this stuff…why should anyone when you can get it so much cheaper? 
The other trick is sticking with your reasonable price (including shipping) and be willing to let an auction end even a few dollars more than your limit. It’s difficult, but hey, if you’re patient you’ll get it eventually! So, don’t sweat it! It is especially hard when you find something that is essential and rare and well, sometimes you end up spending more than you planned, but it is always your choice!
I’ve bought everything from a Wii to Clarks shoes and it’s worked out 98% of the time. I have only recently begun to hit some shitty sellers! ALWAYS CHECK THE SELLER’S FEEDBACK BEFORE BIDDING! I cannot stress that enough. Even then you could be feeling stuck with something that was either defective or incorrectly discribed. Not to worry though, if you pay through Paypal.com they’ve got your back (although I believe eBay will be taking that over shortly to make the process even smoother). You can file a dispute on anything you buy if the seller won’t work with you to resolve it another way. I’ve had some rad sellers totally understand and other who were complete and utter douche nozzles! Hey, it’s the real world, they’re out there!
What’s truly crazy is that I received an email from Paypal the other day congratulating me on making my 500th purchase using their site. Holy shit! That is an assload of eBaying! (okay, overstock and other retailers take paypal, too…but seriously I bet almost all of it was through eBay!)
I hope you all find some great bargains out there…and spread the word! Don’t keep your hunting tips a secret! And leave me a comment and let me know if you have tips, tricks or what you’re looking for out there in the big-bad retail world!  =0)