How do I buy an item?

You can shop for almost anything on eBay. Get started using these steps:

Find an item. Enter keywords into the search box located at the top of any page, or browse through our list of categories on the home page.

Learn about the item you found. Read the item description carefully. If you have any questions about the item, you can ask the seller by clicking the “Ask seller a question” link.

Review the seller’s Feedback. View the seller’s business reputation by looking at his or her Feedback Score, and read the comments left by previous buyers to be sure that this is a seller you feel you can trust.

Bid or Buy It Now. Check the item page to see what purchase options are available. You can either place a bid on an item or purchase it instantly using Buy It Now. Remember, all bids are active until the auction ends. If you win a listing, you’re obligated to complete the transaction.

Pay for the item. After you’ve won or bought the item, send your payment to the seller within three days. If you want to pay with one of the electronic payment methods offered by the seller, click the Pay Now button on the item page or email notification. Otherwise, the seller will let you know how and where to send your payment. If you’re picking up the item, you can pay by any method the seller accepts (including cash).

Important:

Be sure to pay using one of the methods specified by the seller.

Checks, money orders, and bank wire transfers aren’t allowed for most purchases. Exceptions include vehicles, capital and business equipment, real estate, items in the Adult Only category, and local pickup. For specifics about payment methods, see our Accepted Payments policy.

Incremental Bidding

Everyone wants to win, but only at the right price. Although we suggest that you bid the maximum amount that you’re willing to pay for an item, you could pay less. As the listing proceeds, we compare your bid to those of other bidders. When you’re outbid, we automatically bid on your behalf up to your maximum bid. We increase your bid by increments only as much as necessary to maintain your high bid position.

How to bid

Here’s how to bid on an auction item:

1. Carefully review the listing.

2. Enter your maximum bid, and then click the Place Bid button.

3. Review your bid, and click the Confirm Bid button.

When the listing ends, you’ll receive an email indicating whether you’ve won the item and an explanation of what to do next.

1 click bidding

To help you avoid being outbid, we offer 1 click bidding during the final 60 minutes of a listing. When you use 1 click bidding, we automatically raise your bid by one increment. To use 1 click bidding, you need to be signed in to eBay and have at least one previous bid on the item.

Changing or retracting your bid

As a general rule, you are not allowed to retract or cancel a bid on eBay. However, there might be times when you’d like to change your bid and have a valid reason for doing so. Review the requirements for bid retractions.

Bidding on multi-quantity listings

Some sellers list a quantity of the same item at a fixed price. You can purchase one or more of the items immediately by clicking the Buy It Now button.

Variations of an item in a single listing

In some categories, you’ll find items listed with variations that you can select, such as a T-shirt in various colors, sizes, and styles. Items listed with variations are always fixed price listings. Choose the variations you want before you click the Buy It Now button.

Listings with special bidding requirements

This table describes listings types in which the seller is able to set bidding requirements:
Reserve price auctions

Some sellers specify a reserve price, which is a hidden minimum price on their item.

Bids over $15,000

To place a bid of $15,000 or more, you must provide a valid credit card (your card won’t be charged) or go through our ID Verify process (no credit card required). This requirement helps ensure that members involved in large sales are of legal age and serious about completing the transaction.

You need to provide this information only once. To find out if you already have a credit card on file, please check your Account Status. We encourage you to file your credit card or become ID Verified in advance.

The fine print

  • Bidding is meant to be fun, but remember that each bid you place enters you into a binding contract. All bids are active until the listing ends. If you win a listing, you’re obligated to purchase the item.
  • Don’t bid on identical items in different listings if you only want one item. If you win both, you’ll be obligated to buy both.
  • If you’re outbid on an item, wait until the auction has ended before placing a bid on an equivalent item. If the bidder who won the auction doesn’t complete the transaction for any reason, you could become the winning bidder.
  • If you’re blocked from bidding on a seller’s listings, you cannot bid using another user ID.
  • To protect your privacy, we limit how your bid history information is displayed by using anonymous names. Your complete user ID is shown only to the seller of the item you’re bidding on. Bidders are assigned anonymous names, such as x***y, which are used consistently across all listings