Search on Ebay - the 5 best tips

You can find practically anything on Ebay if you search properly. We give you five top tips to help you find your desired item. Regardless of whether you just want to browse, look for something very specific or are looking for bargains.

5th place: Use the comprehensive eBay search correctly

It is often advisable to start a comprehensive eBay search first to get an overview of the wide range of offers. Especially if you are not very familiar with a product type or if you are open to suggestions.

1. Activate next to the "Find" button under >> Advanced search <> Item name and description << to really find all offers that contain your search term.
2. First, search for meaningful generic terms and become a little more specific if there are too many hits.
3. Use the search commands that Ebay offers. For example, with "wood *" you will find all articles in which a word begins with "wood". If you separate several words with a comma, only one of them must appear in the article heading or description.
4. Start with a search in all categories. Each extra category costs money for a provider, which is why private individuals often only advertise in one category.

4th place: The special search

After you have got an overview and have included the first articles from the wide Ebay offer in your "watch" list, you should go deeper with your search.

1. The minus symbol excludes unwanted words from your search.
2. If several words are required in the search results, simply separate them with a space.
3. If the order of the words is important, put them in quotation marks.
4. Ebay often suggests the right category for you as you type. If there are several, start another search in each suitable category.
5. Do not enter special properties - such as the size, color or brand of a garment - in the search field, but select them in the properties bar on the left-hand side of the screen. This way the filter criteria apply more precisely.

3rd place: find last minute bargains for 1 euro

If you want to get a little flea market feeling on Ebay, look for cheap and immediately available bargains. Our insider tip: With the last minute search you will find cheap offers that would otherwise never have changed hands.

1. Click >> Advanced Search << next to the input field.
2. Select a category in which you would like to search for bargains.
3. Activate the "Price" box and enter the price range up to "1" euros.
4. Check "Offers end within 1 hour".
5. Marvel at what you can get for one euro. You will find countless bargains, especially with second-hand clothing and children's toys.

2nd place: Ebay literal bargain bargains

Our final tip is the secret weapon for true eBay bargains with little bidding competition: The tool VertippTop searches for the desired item with a number of incorrect spellings. Have you ever bought a cheap "Paystation 3"?

• By the way, VertippTop also works perfectly under Windows 8.

Rank 1: Search on eBay classifieds

If you are looking for a very special article and cannot find it in the "big" Ebay, an advertisement on the Ebay classified ads could be the right thing for you.

• Here you will find general information about Ebay classified ads.
• You should also heed our tips on how to use Ebay classifieds safely.
• Practical for on the go: You can also place searches on eBay using the iPhone and Android app.