The Best Things to Buy on eBay (If You Like Saving Money!)
I confess that until recently, I didn’t really know what to buy on eBay, so I hadn’t really given it a lot of thought as a place to shop online. In fact, I mainly thought of eBay as a place to sell things online, and hadn’t really explored the possibility of buying stuff there.
That changed after I learned that eBay often has great deals you can’t find anywhere else, which piqued my interest as someone who’s always hunting for a good deal! I spent several hours searching for the best, cheapest things on eBay that I could find, and to my delight, I came away far from empty-handed!
In this post, I’ll share some of the best deals that I’ve come across on eBay. This is far from an exhaustive list of what to buy on eBay to save money, and I’m sure there are plenty of other deals just waiting to be found!
I’ve also included a few bonus eBay shopping tips near the end of this post that should prove especially useful for eBay newbies. Enjoy!
9 Things You Can Buy on eBay to Save Money
1. Beauty Products
One of my favorite face serums definitely qualifies as a “splurge,” given that a 1.7-ounce bottle of Kiehl’s Hydro-Plumping Re-Texturizing Serum Concentrate (whew, what a mouthful!) costs $62 at most retailer, or about $36 per ounce. But I found sets of samples of the same serum on eBay whose cost worked out to around $28 per ounce, making it an easy way to get those must-have “splurge” products for less.
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2. Pet Medications
Did you know you can buy flea and tick treatments like Frontline Plus for your pets on eBay? And not only that, but the prices are often $10-20 cheaper than you’d find at other retailers.
Related: 11 Smart Ways to Save Money as a Pet Owner
3. Razor Blades & Cartridges
Razor cartridge refills are notoriously expensive, but you can find great deals on them on eBay! For instance, a box of 12 Gillette ProGlide refill cartridges would cost you about $46 at Target, but you can find the very same set on eBay for $25-30!
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4. Gift Cards
You can find tons of discounted gift cards on eBay. Some of the best deals I’ve seen include a $100 Cabela’s gift card for $80, and a $25 Apple gift card for $20. Buying a discounted gift card is an easy way to save money on purchases you were already planning to make anyway!
Related: 7 Unexpected and Creative Ways to Give Gift Cards
5. Coupons
Another way to save money on purchases you were already planning on making is with coupons, and you can find some great coupons on eBay! Just search for “[store name] coupons” on eBay to see what’s available — most coupons go for just a couple of dollars, but which is worth it as long as you end up saving more than the amount you paid for the coupon!
6. Jeans
A good pair of jeans can cost quite a bit, but there are plenty of great deals on them on eBay! Just search for your favorite brand(s) along with your size to see what’s available.
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7. Phone Cases
Smartphone cases are generally a “you get what you pay for” situation. A sturdier, more protective case is definitely going to cost you more than a flimsy one! But you can find top-of-the-line phone cases at great prices on eBay, and protect your without emptying your wallet!
Related: 9 Surprising Purchases That Will Save You Money in the Long Run
8. Batteries
If it seems like you’re always replacing dead batteries, why not stock up? You can save yourself quite a bit by buying batteries in bulk on eBay! You’ll find the same name brands you can find in stores, so you don’t have to worry about quality or performance. From the listings I’ve seen, prices vary quite a bit, so be sure to do the math to make sure you’re getting a good deal.
9. Craft Supplies
There are plenty of money-saving opportunities for crafters on eBay. If you love making your own soap, check out the prices on melt-and-pour soap bases. They’re often sold in larger quantities than at the craft store, and they cost quite a bit less too.
3 Bonus eBay Shopping Tips
1. Always Check Seller Reviews
Every eBay listing has a seller information section that displays how much positive feedback the seller has received. For the best experience, be sure to to only buy from sellers with a very high percentage of positive reviews!
2. You Don’t Have to Bid
Some eBay listings are sold auction-style to the highest bidder, but there are other options too. If you’re not interested in getting involved in a bidding war, used the advanced search options to limit your search to products with a “Buy It Now” option.
3. Have Questions? Ask Them!
If you still have questions after reading an item’s description, don’t be afraid to ask the seller! The listing’s seller information section has a link you can click to contact the seller, making it easy to shoot them a quick question to clarify any important details.
Have you ever scored a great deal on eBay?
NEW! Can you guess the 5-letter word related to today’s post?
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I’d suggest extreme caution buying high end beauty off eBay. There are often more fakes than real products and it’s nearly impossible to tell they’re fake until you’ve got it in your hands. I’ve gotten ripped off three times in as many years. If it’s really important for you to have an item, pay a reputable seller, AKA the official eBay seller or Amazon seller, not some reseller who may or may not have the real thing.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ditto for pet medications! Read the seller’s reviews!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I agree with you, Nichole. There’s a risk buying beauty and health items from eBay and Amazon. It’s best to stick to sealed items, shop buyers with very good feedback. I haven’t had problems with eBay or Amazon before, but other buyers often complain of fake beauty items from Amazon.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Also beware of fake feedback! Amazon is notorious for fake feedback. If an item has lots of oddly worded reviews, misspelled reviews, take note.
I don’t remember whether it was from Amazon or eBay, but I bought a high-end brand of men’s cologne from a seller based in New Jersey and it was fake. The outer packaging, for some reason, was oily. Otherwise, the bottle and package were amazingly authentic looking. The cologne only smelled like the real thing for about half an hour. Then it was as if it was never applied. The seller did refund our money. Their reviews were positive on both Amazon & eBay. After realizing it was fake, I searched more, and on some lesser-known selling sites, the seller had complaints of counterfeit cologne. I was amazed to find out how very common that is.
I’ve been using eBay for close to 20 years! Although 95% of my purchases are positive, more recently I’ve run in to the problem of ‘old’ beauty products. There isn’t usually an expiration date on them, so it’s difficult to tell how old they are. I’ve bought mascara that turned out to be old and dry. Foundation that looked fine, but had a strange smell and the consistency was not good. Buyer Beware!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve been buying on eBay for years. There’s little worry about counterfeit issues. As long as you check the sellers reputation you should be fine. eBay also covers you with purchase protection. If you should encounter a problem, there is a dispute process that you can start.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great information. I’m glad you can check the seller reviews.,I won’t use Craig’s list because of some of the stuff that can happen – with shafty people advertising stuff. A friends of ours husband to work for eBay. It’s been several years.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.In our area I wouldn’t trust Craig’s list. Crooks a lot of times will post with good deals on cars. They use this to lure people and people have ended up being sucked out of the money. At least you can check the reviews of the sellers before you buy.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My warning: watch out for the pet medicines, especially things like Frontline Plus! After working in the veterinary field for 30 years, I discovered that these products are often counterfeit and also handled improperly. (ie: taken out of original packaging and placed into unmarked vials) You really don’t know what you are getting. Your pet is worth more than that!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I agree about the pet medicines. I heard a while back about counterfeit pet medicines. I wish I could remember the details. I would never take a chance, especially with those being sold cheaply.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Last year my babies had a flea problem that the frontline I used was not touching. The vet asked where I had bought it. (Walmart and TSC) Then told me that stores are getting theirs from China and that only half of the fipronil was actually in the product. I had spent close to $300 for this. The box doesn’t even say where it was manufactured. He sold me a new flea collar for my pets. Knowing I was a groomer and that I know flea collars only keep the fleas off the pets head, he explained he tried it on his shepherds and it does work, and works for a year. It is made by Bayer. I know some have a problem with their ethics, as do I. But if it keeps fleas and ticks from my pets and house, wellll. The fleas are gone and no ticks this spring. The collars are actually less than you would pay to keep a spot treatment on them, but not much. For those of you who swear by the cheap collars, you have been lucky to never had a flea problem in the first place. Meds and beauty products sold at those prices could easily be more expensive (medical bill) if they are bad from bad storage practices also.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What is this flea collar? Dog only, or also for cats?
I always think the spot medications lose efficiency after time.
Dog and cat. Made by Bayer. Seresto is the name on the can. At around $70 (less for cats and small dogs) the price is a lot, but they last a year. And if you remember to register with the company, immediately!!, and your pet loses the collar, they will replace it for free within that year. The can says 8 months protection. Vet told me a year. Still comes out the same or less. I did see one in Walmart the other day, but I think I will go to the vet to get mine in the future. There was a rebate at the time I got mine and got $15 each back. For 3 collars it was a big help.
My sweetie is gone but had thought about Seresto and was glad I didn’t buy it. Since then, I’ve seen a few articles where Seresto can create problems. One I remember is that they don’t necessarily last 12 months. I believe others found since it was direct contact, the pets experienced irritation. I swear by Frontline.
Watch the seller review, very important. with that said, for the last few yrs, when ever I see a product I am interested in, I highlight it, copy, then head over to Ebay and look for it.. most times buy it there. some times it takes a while to be shipped out. Most people on Ebay are honest. to the left side, if you want to just hunt for NO Shipping cost, click the box. you have choices, Auction, no auction, or both, shipping and no shipping. I prefer Ebay. HAPPY SHOPPING.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I order from ebay as often as I grocery shop..lol. Everyday items, gifts, holiday decorations, anything and I mean everything! I do have a few favs, mr.clean sponges in bulk (I always forget what they are called..help?) I get 50 for around $6 and use everywear. Microsier clothes, .74 cents each. I keep in each room and use for my reading glasses, table tops, windows, washing my car is a good one. I use all your reuse recipes for make-up, dryer sheets, heck eacheck one of my 6 kids have one with their name for dirty hands and faces, use wash and they feel new. Sheww I cold go on for hours, but won’t…lol.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Magic Erasers! They are the best!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Is there a worry that some of the EBay items may be counterfeit?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sure, I just use the fool me once idea. Honestly, it has been 10+ years with no more issues than any other store.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes! Especially medications (pet AND human), high end beauty and apparel, and electronics. Check seller’s reviews, and use your spidey sense- if it seems way too good to be true, it probably is. Check where the item ships from- that can be a clue. There are some countries known for counterfeiting, so just use your best judgement when ordering. With some things, it’s worth the gamble. With others (medications), not so much…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sometimes, yes. Just be sure to read the reviews – they are very reliable! :-)
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