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All about buying

Welcome to eBay! Buying here is safe and easy. We'll take you through it step-by-step.

1. Register
It all starts with registration. Fortunately, it's free and fast. Register now, or learn more about it.
2. Find something to buy
You can find almost everything on eBay, whether you have something specific in mind or you're just looking around. Still can't find what you're looking for? Tens of thousands of new items are added every day.

  • Browse when you’re not exactly sure what you’re looking for, or when you just want to poke around in a particular category, like Clothing or Home & Garden. To browse, click on a category on the left side of the eBay home page.

  • Search when you’re looking for something in particular. Just enter a few words to describe the item in the Search box, which is at the top right corner of most eBay pages.

3. Understand the buying format
There are lots of ways to buy on eBay. You'll find auctions where you bid against other members, Buy It Now listings for buying something right away at a set price, and more.
4. Choose a payment method
Once you've found something you're interested in, read the description carefully to find out which payment methods the seller accepts. Most accept PayPal because it's fast and convenient. And it's especially good for you, because PayPal protects your eBay purchases against fraud and other problems.
5. Track your purchases
You can keep track of your purchases on My eBay. After you register, you'll get your own My eBay page where you can see what's happening with items you've bought (and sold). You'll be able to keep track of your feedback from other members, and you'll even be able to keep an eye on other items you're interested in buying.
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