Growing up, it wasn’t unusual for people to keep a skeptical eyebrow raised when it came to eBay — however, what was once known as an auction site for obscure collectibles and lightly used clothing has since become a tried and true retailer by offering ways to save money on used fashion, electronics, tools and new items like smart TVs and bicycles.
Today, many businesses use the platform to sell their inventory just as they would on Amazon or Walmart. Big-name retailers like Best Buy and Dyson even have their own eBay stores. These retailer-specific fronts usually offer similar inventory and prices to their regular store sites. However, they occasionally offer eBay-only deals and coupons that tip the scales in the consumer’s favor.
eBay is also home to pre-owned and refurbished items that you can either buy through auctions or eBay’s refurbished online storefront. Below, we get into the ins and outs of shopping on eBay, including some helpful shopping tips from Ray Chehova and Ozzy Russell, co-owners of GuaranteeCellular, and Kayleigh Fleury, the head of content strategy at Techboomers, along with some top-rated certified refurbished items we found on the site.
SKIP AHEAD Tips and tricks to help you shop on eBay | What is a refurbished product? | The best refurbished tech to shop | How to shop for refurbished tech on eBay | How to place a bid on eBay | Why trust NBC Select?
Tips and tricks to help you shop on eBay
Shopping on eBay may seem complicated to first-timers, so we spoke with experts and outlined their guidance on what to keep in mind as you shop, below:
- Check seller ratings: “Always check a seller’s feedback and ratings before making a purchase,” says Chehova from GuaranteeCellular, a top-rated seller on eBay. “This will give you an idea of their reliability and help you avoid potential issues.”
- Read the item description: Sellers might provide inaccurate or incomplete descriptions so it’s best to do a thorough read through of your item’s description page before you bid or buy it, according to our experts. If you’re confused about something you read in a listing, your best bet is to ask the seller a question directly via eBay.
- Check the product’s condition: EBay sells new, pre-owned and refurbished products (more on the difference between these, below). Whatever you’re shopping for, keep in mind the condition of the item on sale; if you’re looking for a deal, consider shopping pre-owned or refurbished.
- Check the original list date: If you are bidding on an item, you’ll want to place your bid right before the auction ends, according to Kayleigh Flurry, head of content strategy at Techboomers. If you wait until closing, “you’re more likely to make a competitive offer that wins the auction,” says Flurry.
- Check the return policy: Some sellers may have strict or no-return policies, which could impact your ability to send back an item if you’re unsatisfied with it.
- Use the ‘best offer’ method: If you don’t want to wait until the end of the auction to buy a product, you can make a ‘best offer.’ If the seller accepts your best offer, the auction ends immediately. By making the best offer, you’re showing the seller you’re willing to pay more than the highest bidder, and are serious about purchasing the product, according to Flurry. “When making a ‘best offer’, you shouldn’t lowball the seller, and your offer shouldn’t be just a tiny bit more than the current highest bid,” she says. Not all auctions accept offers, however. You can configure your settings to ‘accepts offers’ in the navigation bar if this is something you’re interested in.
- Beware of empty box scams: This occurs when sellers list a high-ticket, often hard-to-find item for an unbelievably low price. When you see something like this, read the product description, check the photos of the items and look at the seller rating so you know you’re not getting snubbed, says Flurry.
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What is a refurbished product?
Each product category on eBay has its own set of item conditions. However, when it comes to tech eBay offers products in conditions including refurbished, pre-owned or used (you can find their conditions for other product categories here). Here’s the difference between those, according to research and our experts:
- Certified Refurbished: Ebay defines this as products “in pristine, like-new condition” that have been “professionally inspected, cleaned, and refurbished to original specifications by the manufacturer or a manufacturer-approved vendor.”
- Refurbished: Not every item you pick will have a certified refurbished option. In that case, you can shop for products in ‘excellent condition’, ‘very good condition’ or ‘good condition’. They each vary, with excellent refurbished items described as ‘like-new’ and good items showing moderate wear and tear. Every item though, comes from a vetted seller. (Sellers have to specifically apply to the certified refurbished program to be considered for this.)
- Used/Pre-Owned: These items are returned by a previous owner and may show signs of wear and tear. “Check the item’s condition and specifications, and read the seller’s description carefully,” says Russell, who, alongside Chehova, is a co-owner of GuaranteeCellular. “Compare the item to similar listings to ensure you’re getting a fair price.”
The best refurbished tech products on eBay in 2025
Since pre-owned items are hard to vet, we’ve only rounded up the best-refurbished tech you can shop below. Each of these products has a four-star or higher average rating and are considered ‘certified refurbished.’
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphones
- Folds down
- Long battery life
- Noise-cancellation
- Nothing to note at this time
These over-ear headphones won our Giftable Tech Award for best headphones because of their high sound quality, comfort and noise-cancellation features. They fold down, making them easy to bring along when traveling, and get up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge, according to the brand. NBC Select reporter Harry Rabinowitz says they’re easy to use and comfortable for both long work days and even longer flights.
Eufy Solocam S340 Wireless Security Camera
- Easy to install
- Solar-powered
- 360 rotation
- Nothing to note at this time
This camera is solar-powered, so it’s always on and ready to go, according to the brand. It has a 360-degree rotation, so there are no blind spots, and it has 3K resolution and an 8x zoom. According to reviews, it’s also very easy to install.
BenQ 1080p Home Entertainment Projector
- 1080p HD resolution
- Built-in speaker
- Video game mode
- Pricey
You can use this projector for your next at-home movie night — it has a high contrast ratio and 1080p full HD resolution, making for a clearer image, according to the brand. It also has a 10W built-in speaker and a “Game Mode”, which is specially enhanced with better clarity and precision for playing video games. You can connect this to your computer, tablet, or gaming console via HDMI ports.
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How to buy refurbished tech on eBay
EBay has a plethora of refurbished tech on sale including gaming consoles, smartphones and even appliances. “These items are usually restored to working condition and come with a limited warranty,” says Russell.
To get started, head to the search bar to look up the product name you’re in the market for. Then, click on the refurbished setting you’re looking for under ‘condition.’ From there, you can simply purchase your desired product like you would on Amazon or Best Buy. There is also a certified-refurbished specific landing page to help you shop.
The benefit of buying refurbished? EBay vets all its refurbished sellers for you, so there is less of a chance you will get a counterfeit or inadequate product — something that may happen in an auction if you’re not careful. Each refurbished product will also have some sort of deal on it, typically offering anywhere up to 75 percent off.
How to place a bid on eBay
Auctions are a great way to shop on eBay, and if you play your cards right, it’s also the best way to snag a deal, especially on collectibles, according to Flurry. “EBay essentially takes the ‘auction’ system and makes it global, allowing its users to access products they otherwise couldn’t in the ‘real world’,” she says.
While you can simply buy products on eBay through their refurbished section, an auction might be the only way to get a limited-edition product or rare collectible.
First, you’ll want to look up the product name you’re shopping for in the navigation bar. For example, if I were in the market for a new, limited-edition console, I’d look up ‘Xbox Halo Edition console.’ From there, click on the ‘auction’ tab to see which ones are currently live. I always suggest picking a seller with a high rating so you know you’re getting a quality product. You can see the seller’s ratings below the product being sold, plus reviews from other eBay buyers.
Once you’re on the item page, you can see the current bid and choose to submit one of your own. You submit your offer and then the auction continues for a predetermined amount of time. Keep in mind that you’ll need an eBay account to place a bid, according to Flurry.
Based on your maximum bid, eBay uses ‘proxy bidding’ to manage the process automatically. “When you place your maximum bid, eBay will automatically place bids on your behalf, in the smallest possible increments, up to your maximum amount,” says Russell. “This ensures that you remain the highest bidder until someone else places a higher maximum bid or the auction ends.”
If someone outbids you, eBay will send you a notification via email. You can then choose to place a new maximum bid if you still want the product.
Once the bidding process is over, and you win the item, you must purchase it. EBay will send you a link to your email to complete the purchase, according to our experts.
If you want a better chance of winning the bid, make sure you place your bid a few minutes before the auction ends; that way, you’ll have a more competitive offer.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Kayleigh Fleury is the head of content strategy at Techboomers, a website focused on improving the quality of life for inexperienced technology users.
- Ray Chehova and Ozzy Russell are co-owners of GuaranteeCellular, a top-rated seller on eBay that has sold close to a million products.
Why trust NBC Select?
Nishka Dhawan is a former associate commerce editor at NBC Select who covered tech and electronics. For this piece she interviewed eBay refurbished sellers and tech educators on how to navigate, bid and buy on eBay. Ashley Morris is an associate SEO reporter for NBC Select, covering product reviews, skin care, gardening and more.
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