Actually, you've taught me something. I never knew the reason behind our town's name.

Was just outbid on an item then managed to get the identical item a few minutes later for just over half the price of the original one, then a few minutes later got a 'second chance' email. Quite satisfying to refuse especially when I checked the new price in the US which is where it was made, the first auction was more than the new price!

It amazes me that people will pay more on e-bay than the price to purchase the same item new.

Yesterday I watched an auction for Kenneth Jay Lane pearls, simply to see what price they would sell for. The final price was $96, for "barely used" pearls. But, the exact same KJL pearls can currently be bought, brand new, on the QVC web site for $69.95. Why would anyone pay $26 more on e-bay for a used item when they can easily order the exact same item, new, for less money?

On the other hand, I bought an allegedly brand new KJL necklace yesterday on e-bay for $14.95. It originally sold on QVC for $49.95, but they retired it. It still sells on a host of other web sites for $49.95. So, I was very happy to bag a real bargain. Now that's one reason why I shop on e-bay.

One of the stranger items I came across recently was a "vintage" unopened box of Kleenex paper napkins from 1955. The opening bid was $6.00, and the S&H charge was $5.99. I should have watched that one to see whether anyone bought it--and at what price.

I love high-end good quality costume jewelry and some estate jewelry. I've only been e-baying for about the past two or three weeks, but already I'm addicted. I have found so many things I really like and the prices are so tempting. I feel like a kid in a candy store. I could easily drop a ton of money if I'm not careful. At the moment I am bidding on five items, and have more lined up for the next week. I am hoping that the sheer novelty of it all will wear off soon. I must say I am very happy with the items I have received thus far, and the values were fantastic. But, I will have to start limiting myself to no more than one purchase a week, otherwise I'll go broke.

Me and Mum are hoping to do some selling on Ebay in the next few weeks. Mostly stuff which I have had for some years which I don't need any more - mainly some Robertson's Golly badges. They seem to be quite popular on Ebay. And also some Jigsaws we don't need any more. Finally, hoping to sell a tapesty of "The Seven Dwarfs", which I made about ten/twelve years ago together with "Snow White". Whoever "wins" the tapestries will have to pick up, as they are quite bulky objects

My best bargain was a shoulder bag, I have the identical bag in black, but now very tatty, the one I bought is navy blue. The manufacturer ceased to trade so I cannot buy another new bag. The secondhand bag was almost unused and cost about one sixth of the new price, I was delighted.

I have bid on a couple of things for other people. I have been advertising some things free of charge in our local ecycle. A while back I offered a bone china teaset which had belonged to an aunt and was just taking up room. A woman phoned asking which pattern it was then was quite upset that it wasn't the same as her set. She had broken a cup and couldn't replace it as it was discontinued. I offered to find her one on ebay as she was an elderly lady with no access to computers. She was thrilled when I took it to her.

Then last week I advertised a word processor, hardly used but about fifteen years old. A man, very well-known locally, telephoned about six times and then dropped a note through my letterbox. He seemed quite desperate and it couldn't be the money. I phoned him and he told me that he also had an old word processor made by the same people and it was now beyond repair and he had no way of accessing all the information on his disks. When he collected mine then took it home to try he found that it was not compatible so he was going to contact the next person in line for it. I asked him his model number then tried ebay, found one with the auction finishing in 45 minutes. Asked him for his maximum bid and actually raised it by one penny as I am finding that to put a maximum bid at one penny over a whole pound can be the winning bid. It ought to be delivered in the next few days and then he can pay me for it when he collects it. It is fun bidding with other people's money.

The black pearls that I bought were fakes but looked good, if I were to buy similar fakes locally they would cost more so I wasn't upset - I really didn't expect them to be real.

I find it's the shipping that gets us - it's often as much or more than the item's price. And all the American sellers who won't ship out of the US!

Yes, one does have to be careful with the shipping costs, to bear it in mind when making maximum bid. This word processor I bid for cost £7.01 plus £9.50 postage but I suppose it will be heavy so not excessive.

Postage charges are the main reason I haven't attempted to sell on ebay yet, our postal charges are really high especially for items sent anywhere other than local or UK (even UK is not cheap).

If you are willing to pay the additional costs I don't see why they won't ship to you.

No, I don't see the point either, but it's not unusual. We have asked a few times, when it is something we really want, and mostly they just say no.

Aaaagh, I just had a person contact me to say the parcel they sent has just been delivered to them! Wanted to know if I still want it or if I want a refund. I told him that I want it, it is for someone else - the word processor.

Wow, I just got a massive bargain, a leather bag 'as new' for under £6 including postage - amazing, it will be worth more than £100 new.

I am an avid ebayer - mainly bracelets and pendants. You have to wade through tons of junk to find the really interesting stuff - a little like a virtual bazaar.

I just got a bargain, my son wanted a coat which cost £75 in the shops. I searched on ebay I found a shop selling £39.50 on ebay plus post, but their website was £38 including postage. So one happy child and a few pounds saved

I am getting a bit annoyed with the word processor person, it still hasn't arrived. He originally told me that he posted it and it was delivered to himself! Then his account hs gone from ebay, strange. I sent him an email and he said he would post it on Saturday then he missed the post by a couple of minutes. I think I will send him another email, this just isn't funny. If it were for me I would just go ahead and contact ebay for a refund but it is for an elderly gentleman and there are not too many of that model up for sale.

You wonder how some people do business.
This time last year my kids were all excited about these plush dolls from Monty Python's Holy Grail. We won the bids and my kids put forth their own money. Weeks went by and we sent note after note, which were all ignored.
Finally we applied for a refund and got it. The seller's excuse was that the manufacturer hadn't actually produced the dolls yet. But all of our notes were ignored, and if we hadn't paid by Pay Pal and approached them for a refund, I think we would have lost the money completely.

I just won the auction for some out of date sugarfree Jelly Bellys!

That does beg the question...why? LOL

Why? Because I cannot buy sugarfree ones locally and when I checked the Jelly Belly website I could only buy sugarfree in a pack with the same quantity of normal sugary ones. I am diabetic.

I did send a note to the person selling them asking if they normally sell 'not out of date' ones as I might wish to place an order some time, I am waiting to hear. They are only a few weeks out of date.

I understood the need for sugarfree - it was the out of date that I was puzzled about. Thanks for the explanation.
Hopefully she will have others to sell, that aren't out of date. I didn't realize sugar free were so hard to comed by.
That's really weird that the company only sells sugar-free with the regular ones - that doens't make any sense.
These are the brand name 'Jelly Belly'? I will keep my eye out for you.

They are the brand Jelly Belly, yes.

Did the word processsor turn up?

I got a great bargain. These die sets that I use to cut letters out. Here they sell anywhere from $150 to $200 I just received TWO sets for $120 from the US including postage. Super happy!

Word Processor - he SAID that he posted on 8th November so it ought to arrive any day.

I'm having all sorts of trouble setting up a store on ebay TO sell stuff . . . mmm, any experts out there?

I was just doing an idle search on ebay and typed in Chanel. Much to my amazement they have some bath gel and the current bid is £23.76 with postage of £3.50. I popped upstairs to look at the one I bought in my local perfume shop a few weeks ago, it was £18.75. I just searched in Google and it seems to be £25 - £26 in the UK with free P&P. So who would pay more on ebay? Crazy.

Engadine. Check out the forums under community at eBay itself and there is lots of info to be gleaned from there. To tell teh truth though it seems that more people are closing stores that opening them. Have you checked out other auction sites to work with instead of or as well as?

Sue. Not everyone can get to the shops, perhaps it's easier to spend a bit more. The other thing being that maybe that product isn't sold where they live so they buy from o/s - know that's what I do anyway.