Bidding on items on eBay auctions is a lot of fun and rather exciting; especially in the last few minutes of an auction. You can watch in real time as an auction is closing and you will know immediately if you have won a bid. Final bids are often made in the last few seconds as an auction draws to a close.

If you are as eager as I often am to know if I've won a bid you will most likely be watching with all of your fingers and toes crossed as the bids end. If on the other hand you are a more patient soul and arent watching you will be notified by email that you have made the winning bid.

The next step is yours you must pay for the item. Remember that you have entered into a binding agreement and at this point it is too late to change your mind. You must pay for the item that you have won. Most payments are made through Paypal. To begin the payment process, click on the Pay Now link that will be included in the email you receive notifying you that you have won the bid. You will also find a Pay Now button on your My eBay Page in the Items Ive Won section.

Review the details of the item and the payment details and make your payment. The next step is the sellers. Once he receives payment for the item the seller will ship the item to you according to the directions you have given. Some items cannot be shipped to P.O. boxes so for that reason a shipping address is always required.

When you receive the item, open it immediately and be sure that it is the item you ordered and that it is the condition that it was specified to be. If you are satisfied, the only thing left for both you and the seller to do is to leave positive feedback for one another.

If for any reason there is a problem with the merchandise with the sales process or any aspect of it there are methods provided by eBay to help resolve any issues that cant be amicably resolved between the buyer and the seller.

When eBay Will Remove Negative Feedback:
The feedback system on eBay is actually a member to member informational exchange system and eBay rarely interferes in this process.

Ebay does not censor negative feedback posting before they are submitted and will not change or remove a negative feedback posting except under very stringent guidelines as quoted below and posted on their website:

*eBay is provided with a valid court order requesting removal

*The feedback comment contains profane, vulgar, obscene or racist language

*The feedback comment contains personal identifying information about a member.

*The feedback references an eBay, PayPal or law enforcement investigation.

*The feedback comment contains links or scripts.

*Negative feedback was intended for another member. This may only happen after the member responsible has already placed the same feedback for the correct member.

*Feedback was left by a person ineligible to participate in eBay transactions at the time of the transaction or the time the feedback was left.

*Feedback was left by a member who provided eBay with false contact information

*Feedback was left by a member who bid on or purchased an item solely to have the opportunity to leave negative feedback for the seller, with no intention of completing the transaction.

Members can mutually agree to have negative feedback posts removed once arbitration has been completed to the satisfaction of both parties in a dispute.

Leaving feedback can be compared to voting. You only get one vote per transaction that is completed. You can leave a positive, neutral or negative feedback post.

A positive feedback raises a sellers or buyers score by 1 point while a negative feedback lowers a buyers or sellers score by 1 point. A neutral feedback has no effect on a buyers or sellers score.