Auction Tips for Trade Me

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Here are some general auction tips for Trade Me to guide you through buying and selling.

Choose your user name carefully: when you register on Trade Me, choose a good user name because you can’t change it later. A unique, witty, descriptive or catchy name is much easier to remember than joe1984 or jane49, but then again you probably don’t want to be stuck with such names as dopey or donbrash4pm. Note that Trade Me restricts everyone to one account only and they enforce this policy strictly.

Make only one bid at the last minute: You’re buying something you haven’t seen, from someone you don’t know, and you’re paying for the privilege too. Legitimate sellers will welcome your questions and more importantly, the speed at which they reply and the details of their response are often a good indictor of what you can expect after any purchase. Trust your first instinct and if something doesn't seem quite right, then don't bid.
When buying, don’t be afraid to ask questions before you bid: You’re buying something you haven’t seen, from someone you don’t know, and you’re paying for the privilege too. Legitimate sellers will welcome your questions and more importantly, the speed at which they reply and the details of their response are often a good indictor of what you can expect after any purchase. Trust your first instinct and if something doesn't seem quite right, then don't bid.
Check seller’s feedback before bidding or buying: Many problems can be avoided if you first check feedback left by other customers, especially if a seller’s feedback isn’t 100%. Check for feedback (especially recent) that may indicate other people have had problems with that seller.

Don’t sell for family or friends - it can be a recipe for disaster. They often have unrealistic expectations of an item’s worth or value, and don’t understand the time and effort it takes to sell an item. Remember - you will get the blame if anything goes wrong.
If it seems too good to be true - then it probably is. They often have unrealistic expectations of an item’s worth or value, and don’t understand the time and effort it takes to sell an item. Remember - you will get the blame if anything goes wrong.
Get organized: Set up searches and alerts for items you want to buy, or to monitor your competitors. Set aside an area for items you’re selling, and get into a routine of researching items, writing descriptions, taking photos, and listing them. If you’re unsure of what an item is worth, list it with a high reserve so you can gauge it’s popularity and potential value. You can always offer it to bidders at a lower, more realistic price or relist it at a later date.
Sell things that interest you: Your passion and enthusiasm will be a real advantage as can your knowledge. It’s also often a good way to meet other collectors in your field of interest.

More Trade Me tips to come. Check back soon.