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Wednesday, June 21, 2006
By Christina VanGinkel
Ebay is a favorite shopping port for all types of people, in search of all sorts of things. Shopping for electronics on eBay is yet one more way that they have stepped up to meet a demand. Ebay has listings for MP3 players, televisions, computers, cameras, game systems, toys, various accessories, and every other imaginable electronic someone could think of. If you cannot find it on eBay, chances are you really did not need it in the first place!
When I consider how many times in years past I have thrown something out, or tossed something into the back of a closet, because I was missing a cord, or broke a small, but apparently important part, I now cringe. Chances are, if I had saved the item, I would now be able to pick up the lost cord, or find another device identical to my own, with the missing piece intact. If I had no use for the item myself, I could have most likely made a few dollars by selling whatever the electronic item was.
Sure, many electronics are short lived, but many more come to the end of their life with actually a lot of life left. Electronics probably fill up more landfills than new devices fill store shelves, and sadly, most do not need to be there.
Now, thanks to eBay, some of those electronics that would once have been destined for the trash are once again being put to use.
My own personal experience with just how useful eBay can be for finding and buying electronics and accessories is twofold. Years ago, my daughter had a Sega Genesis. With it, she had accumulated quite a collection of game cartridges, including Sonic the Hedgehog and her all time favorite; Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, and about a dozen other games. She still had the machine years later, will all of the game cartridges, but no one ever used it because the family dog had long ago chewed one of the cords. When my daughter came across the machine boxed up with all of her cartridges when she made a move recently, Thanks to eBay, we were able to replace the cord in a matter of hours, when we had not been able to find a replacement elsewhere in years. For several years, we had looked, until we eventually forgot about the system. We had checked stores, and every rummage sale we came across. We had found a few complete systems right when we first began looking, but all for a lot more than what we wanted to pay just to replace a single cord. Thanks to eBay, we replaced it for less than ten dollars, and my grandson is now enjoying the same games his mom grew up playing.
I was also able to pick up several VideoNow Jr. disks on eBay for this same grandson. While we could find disks for the regular VideoNow players, we could not find the Jr. version disks, this after I had bought him the VideoNow Jr. player.
Shopping on eBay for electronics and electronic accessories, both old items, such as the cord my daughter needed for her Sega Genesis, and new items, such as the VideoNow Jr. disks I was looking for, can save you both time and money. Check out the following tips to make your next shopping excursion for whatever electronic device you have on your list, as simple as possible:
Know exactly what you are shopping for if possible. The selection is so huge, that having specifics can mean a quick sort through the numerous listings and the knowledge to get a good price.
If shopping for new or used electronics, be sure that you take the time to check the rating of any seller you are considering purchasing from.
Ask questions you might have for a seller, before placing a bid.
Be clear on what the shipping charges are, especially where weight might be an issue.
Many stores and some individuals that sell electronics through eBay take advantage of the Buy it Now type listing. This can be a good way to order electronics without the hassle of bidding, so be sure to check these types of listings out, but at the same time, still be diligent about checking these seller's ratings.
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