Do you want to own stuff? Neat stuff, like maybe a whole slew of books on psychology just for kicks, or maybe that cute little dress you saw at Kohl’s with the plunging neckline that actually makes it look like you have cleavage even though you’re only like a barely-B-something, and if only you had such a dress, then you could get discount lattes, too, just like that other girl… Do you want to own that stuff and not get yelled at by your significant other because, where the crap did all that money go?

6 Ways That Buying Your “Necessities” on eBay Will Save You Money.

1. Easy Price Comparison on eBay Search: Well, isn’t that obvious. The first page after doing any search is always lists and lists of the same (more or less) product at various prices from different sellers – both for the actual item cost and the shipping.

If you don’t believe me that these eBay auctions will feature the lowest prices, never fear, for the internet is apparently at your fingertips (metaphorically speaking – literally, the internet isn’t exactly tangible, so it’d be weird if it was physically at your fingertips). Just pop those same keywords into Google, click the “shopping” link, and boom (shaka-lakka), more prices. Maybe the internet will bring you a cheaper price than what you found on eBay, but not likely (I’d bet my can of Raid on it – which I always keep by my side. Freakin’…. spiders).

2. Selling on eBay is Cheaper Than Maintaining a Retail Store …which translates to lower costs to you, the buyer. While there are costs associated, mostly the fees and shipping that sellers rant about, there are many other costs that are cut out – Storage, displays, delivery trucks, employees to smile all nicely at you and help you find that end table that was right in front of you, employees to ring up your items because you can’t figure out how to use the self-check out, employees to carry stuff out to your car for you because, hey, you’re kinda cute, the check out stand itself, a PR department… you get the idea.

Every business needs to make a profit, and when the vendor’s price is lower, they don’t have to jack up the price over the cost of the product as high to earn that living.

3. Do You Really Need New Things? eBay was made to sell stuff you’ve grown out of – or would rather have the money for, because you have this trip to Italy coming up and you’ve been slacking off on the whole “saving up” concept and now it’s crunch time. Or cram time? And I claim to be some sort of writer…

Point is, eBay’s going to be full of cheap, used, items in perfectly reasonable condition – and is there really a reason you need to spend 5 times as much on the same item new?
I mean, unless it’s like, you know, underwear. Then again, you might specifically want said underwear because it’s used, but I don’t really need to know about that because I don’t know you and why would I want to hear such things from a stranger? And also – you can’t buy used underwear on eBay because… you can’t. Why are we even having this discussion?

4. Buying Your Items Off of eBay Cuts Down on Impulse Spending at the Check Stand: Ooo, look, a piece of candy. Oooh, gummy bears? Right in front of me? Who could resist.

The check stand is one giant marketing ploy at work. It is stuffed with items that you will time and again thoughtless toss onto the conveyor belt because… it’s right there and less than $5. Things you always think you want when they’re staring you in the face, but never actually need. Unless it’s chapstick. I can never find the @#$% chapstick bin when my lips are about ready to peel off.

5. You Don’t Have to Pay for the Gas When Buying Off of eBay: That’s right, you can just sit at home, click a few buttons, and viola, items to your door in a few days without ever having to haul your SUV down to WalMart, or Target, if you’re super fancy. It’s like pizza, except without having been sneezed on while on its way.
And when there’s less of you (or us) hopping into our individual cars every day to get everything, we’ll be doing a little something something to help out the environment, too. The mailman was going that way, anyway. It’s not like he’d have to take an extra trip down your suburbia street to get it to you. And when we chip away bit by bit at our carbon footprint, we all save in the long run – on sunscreen.

6. No Sales Tax When Buying Items on eBay: Unless you live in the same state as the seller, and they’re a business – but how often does that happen?
And nobody likes to pay taxes, so stick it to the man and your federally-funded state parks that nobody goes to except when their in-laws are visiting – buy on eBay