I've made some great buys on EBay - and a few horrible ones too. Usually, I will look for an item, then price shop Amazon, REI, Etc., to compare prices then bid to get the best deal.

The seller who specializes in the market you are buying from may not have the best price (higher starting price, higher shipping, great descriptions).

If you can find someone who sells stuff that's all over the map - often they don't describe the item well (try misspelling key words for the item in your search). They also may not have their shipping estimates dialed in and you can get the shipping cheap too.

Do your homework and scour EBay for where the bargains might be hiding.
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While I have long believed that I will never get old, I have come to the realization that sooner or later there will be more people younger than me.