New to eBay? Read my introduction to buying on eBay by clicking here.

As a registered eBay member, you're free to browse and bid on thousands of items offered for sale throughout the site. In fact, there are so many items for sale on eBay that it can be a little overwhelming. You can make the most of your visits to eBay by learning to run searches that target exactly the types of things you're looking for. And even if you don't know precisely what you're looking for, you can at least narrow your search down to things you might like.

eBay listings are grouped into hierarchical categories, from the more general to the more specific. I usually start my search by clicking on the Jewelry & Watches category on the home page:

Jewelry & Watches [offsite link]

You will see that this brings up a list of various subcategories, and sub-subcategories, including (for some reason) "Loose Beads." The subcategory you choose from here may depend on exactly what you're in the mood to shop for.

This article focuses on buying "fashion jewelry" on eBay rather than "fine jewelry." Fashion jewelry, sometimes called "costume jewelry," is constructed of less-expensive materials than fine jewelry. These can include non-precious metal, sterling silver, glass, crystal, plastic, and semi-precious gemstone.

For new fashion jewelry, the logical category to search within is "Fashion Jewelry." You have the option to click on the "Fashion Jewelry" link to view all of the listings there, or narrow down to a sub-subcategory if you're looking for a specific jewelry type.

- Fashion Jewelry *
- - Anklets *
- - Body Jewelry *
- - Bracelets *
- - Earrings *
- - Hair Jewelry *
- - Necklaces *
- - Pendants & Lockets *
- - Pins, Brooches *
- - Rings *
- - Sets *
- - Collections, Lots *
- - Other Items *

For vintage and reproduction-vintage fashion jewelry, you might begin with the "Vintage, Antique" subcategory:

- Vintage, Antique *
- - Costume *
- - Vintage Reproductions *

* [offsite link]

(Note: The "Vintage Reproductions" category usually contains a lot of fine jewelry in addition to fashion jewelry, so you may need to run a more specific search within it.)

When you're just browsing around for fun, any one of these categories may suit your interest. Ironically, I find these categories less effective when I'm searching for something in particular. This is because sellers do not always list their items in the specific category where they belong. (There are so many categories and subcategories on eBay, even the sellers can get confused!) When searching for something specific, use a keyword search.

Keywords

Choose your keywords wisely. Is there a particular color, material, size, designer, or theme you're looking for? Brainstorm terms that a seller might use when briefly describing an item in their listing's title. Not all eBay sellers succeed in thinking like a buyer when they create their titles, so think like a seller!

Here are some general tips for keyword searches:

1. Search Box - eBay offers a relatively flexible search mechanism. It allows you to choose whether you'd like to search only within titles, or within titles and item descriptions (by clicking a check box beneath the main search box). I don't recommend running a search within descriptions unless you've drilled down to the sub-subcategories. Running a search within descriptions at a too-general level can result in frustration, as some auctions completely unrelated to your search will be listed.

2. Punctuation - Do not use any punctuation in your eBay keywords unless the seller would probably have included that punctuation in their title. (And then run your search again without the punctuation to see if anything relevant results that way.)

The exception to this rule is when you're looking specifically for items that contain items in the plural. For example, if you're looking for listings offering more than one bracelet. Recently, eBay seems to have set its search rules so that searching for bracelets will bring up all listings with the singular form of bracelet in the title, too. If you're only looking for lots (or groups) of bracelets, run your search for "bracelets" - with the quotation marks included.

3. Using Asterisks - End a word early with an asterisk if there is more than one way it might be used. For example, if you're looking for a beaded necklace, try this search: bead* necklace*. That should bring results that include beaded necklace/s, necklace/s with beads, bead necklace/s, etc. (Of course, if you're in the sub-subcategory "Necklaces," you should only have to search for bead*.)

4. Advanced Searching - If you're looking for something very specific, or you're getting a lot of useless results for your search, try clicking on the "advanced search" link located to the right of the search box. On this page you can better tailor your search, and even exclude words you do not want to appear in your results.

Information in the Item Listing

Once you've found something you might be interested in bidding on, stop. Do not bid until you have completely reviewed the item listing. Here are some important things to look for:

1. Measurements - Measurements should be included in the item description so that you can be sure the jewelry will fit properly - and to confirm that the jewelry really appears as it seems to in the image. Images on the Internet are notoriously deceptive when it comes to item size. If the measurements are not included, consider not bidding unless you contact the seller first and receive this information.

2. Material Composition - Make sure the item description explains what the jewelry is made of. If it says "silver," is it sterling silver, fine silver, German silver (which is mostly nickel), or other base (nonprecious) metal with a silver colored coating? Again, if the information is not provided in the item description, you should contact the seller and receive this information before bidding.

An exception to this rule may be where you're purchasing a vintage item for a very reasonable price, and the seller does not know the material composition. You may want to purchase the item for fun or as a potential collectible. (With low-priced new costume jewelry you also may not be picky as to material, but remember that lower quality materials mean less durability, increased probability of allergic skin reaction, and potential lead poisoning if leaded jewelry is handled by children or eaten by pets.)

3. Shipping Location - Make sure you live in a country the seller ships to. This information should also be in the item description.

4. Shipping and Handling - The item description should state clearly the amount that will be charged for shipping and handling, and/or provide a little shipping calculator for you to use. Especially be careful about "handling" fees on eBay. Some sellers will offer their items for tiny minimum bid prices but then tack on unreasonable shipping and handling charges once you've won.

5. Insurance and Returns - Does the seller offer shipping insurance, and what is their return policy? Check to see whether the item can or will be shipped insured, and whether there is an extra fee for insurance. Remember that if an item is lost or damaged in the mail, you may be unprotected if the package was not insured.

It's also good to know whether an eBay seller accepts returns. Some sellers offer their items at such low prices that they feel they cannot afford to process returns. They should clearly state their no-return policy in the item description. If it's not there, you should question the seller about this before bidding.

6. Accepted Payment Methods - You'll need to make sure the seller accepts a payment method you are willing to use. Many sellers now accept PayPal [offsite link], which is free to buyers and easy to use. But some still accept only paper money orders. If a money order would be too inconvenient for you, you will not want to bid on that seller's items. If you prefer to pay by personal check, be especially careful to make sure the seller accepts checks, and check the seller's policy regarding shipping time. (Often check-accepting sellers will not ship an item until they have received the check and it has actually cleared their bank.)

7. Seller Feedback - Always, always, always, check the seller's feedback profile before bidding on an item! Click on the number to the right of the seller's ID. The sellers with the fewest problem transactions will have a positive feedback percentage of 99% or higher. Other reputable sellers may have feedback ratings between 97% and 99%. I would take caution when thinking of buying from a seller with a positive feedback percentage lower than 97. Scroll through their feedback messages and see if you can come across a negative and it's explanation. If you feel uncomfortable with a seller, don't bid.

Click here for the second part of this article: Buying Fashion Jewelry on eBay - Part II

There are lots of informative books available on the topics of buying and selling on eBay. Here are just a few titles:

For help with buying on eBay -

• The Official eBay Bible [offsite link]
• eBay for Dummies [offsite link]
• eBay the Smart Way: Selling, Buying, and Profiting on the Web's #1 Auction Site, Third Edition [offsite link]

For help selling your own items on eBay -

• Starting an eBay Business for Dummies [offsite link]
• Absolute Beginner's Guide to Launching an eBay Business Sell it on eBay: TechTV's Guide to Creating Successful eBay Auctions [offsite link]

Here's a peak at necklaces available under "Fashion Jewelry" on eBay right now:

The links in this article labeled [offsite link] are to websites not associated with BellaOnline.com. BellaOnline.com is not responsible for the material found there.