Getting a good deal on eBay depends a lot on what exactly you are looking for, but there are some general rules that apply no matter what you're looking for.
Always look at the shipping cost before you bid, there are a lot of inflated shipping prices out there. The reason is, sellers pay eBay a fee based on the final bid price, not on the shipping. So they sell cheap and then overcharge on shipping to get a few more fee-free bucks in their pocket. Don't hesitate to use the "Ask Seller a Question" link on every auction page if you want to know how much shipping will be to your ZIP code (or if you have any other questions about the item.) You should know, however, that the seller will then have your email address, the one you provided to eBay. You will not have the seller's email address unless and until they reply to your question.
Don't get caught up in a bidding war (unless you are bidding on my items). Bid late, very last minute if you can. If you bid early, you are only inviting other bidders to chip away at your proxy until they either give up (and leave you paying the high end of what you wanted to pay) or "beat" you. There are some free sniping services out there that will place your bid at the very last seconds for you, or you can snipe "by hand" if you are talented. Try www.auctionsniper.com (referral link) or www.auctionstealer.com . Auctionsniper gives you 3 free snipes any time of day, then you can buy more snipes or refer people for additional free snipes. (EBay does not allow you to link to sniping sites from your auction page.) Auctionstealer gives you 10 free snipes every calendar month, but unless you upgrade to a paid subscription, you cannot place or change snipes between 7:00 PM CT and 11:00 PM CT.
Sneaky stuff. Most people find auctions by searching for terms in the title. You can look for misspellings to try to find less-visited auctions with less competition. If you find one with no bids, consider placing the minimum bid immediately - it keeps the seller from being able to change the title and correct the mistake. (They can still cancel your bid and end the auction, but many don't know that.) For example, Gymboree is a popular brand of children's clothing. Currently, a search for the misspelling "Gymobree" pulls up 9 auctions. "Gymbroee" pulls up 2. "Gymoree" pulls up 6.
Finally, be sure you search stores and the web for your item before looking on eBay. My mother was caught in an eBay bidding war over a serving dish and I found it for much less, with lower shipping cost, from a website selling replacement china pieces.
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