How Do I Pay For The Items I've Won On eBay

Congratulations! If you've won an item on eBay it's time to celebrate. Finally, you're going to have an item you've been dying to have. The trouble is, how do you pay for it over the Internet?

The good news is that the learning curve is not too steep when it comes to paying for things you've won on eBay. There are even different choices for you to go with depending on your personal preferences. Just keep in mind that the seller has the right to accept or reject any form of payment so long as they stated so upfront in their auction listing.

  1. PayPal. PayPal is an eBay company so it makes sense that most eBay purchasers choose to pay through this company. PayPal is a service that makes it safe to buy online. You probably don't feel very safe giving out your credit card information to an eBay seller. Instead, PayPal will store your information for you and act as a third party. You set up your PayPal account and tell it an e-mail address to link to. Then, you will enter your bank information. When you win an Ebay auction you'll see an icon allowing you to pay via PayPal. All you need to do then is click that button, enter your PayPal username and password (different than your eBay ones depending on how you set it up) and click enter, following the rest of the instructions on your screen. The seller will automatically receive notification that you've paid them and will be obligated to send your item. Using PayPal also offers more buyer and seller protection.
  2. Buyer Credit. Buyer Credit is something you get through PayPal. It is a line of credit that can only be used through the PayPal system. It offers you additional buying protection! An added feature is that you can access your statement and other information through your PayPal account. The seller does not know the difference between this and other card payments through PayPal.
  3. Check. There are some people that prefer not to use PayPal because they do take fees away from the seller. If the seller allows you to pay by check then you'll need to send it to the snail mail address they give you. Keep in mind that this method slows things down because they will probably wait for the check to clear before sending your item. That can add a whole week to the process.
  4. Money Order. A slightly faster way to do things is to get a money order. Many sellers prefer these because there is more protection than there is with checks. You can get a money order from your local post office and other select locations.
  5. Miscellaneous. There are some other payments accepted by sellers and they will specify what they accept on the auction listing. Be very careful of purchasing if they require a method that you're not comfortable with.

Paying for items you've won through auction is an easy thing to do once you learn about the options. Most eBay buyers these days like the ease and functionality of the PayPal system, but many sellers will still accept other methods as well.

Find anything you want on eBay. Register for eBay today to get started!