How to Score the Best eBay Deals Before Anyone Else

If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a killer eBay deal, only to watch it vanish before your very eyes because someone else snatched it up first—congratulations! You’ve been out-thrifted. But don’t worry, because today, we’re diving into the top strategies to make sure YOU are the one walking away with the steals, leaving everyone else in the dust.

1. Timing is Everything – Be a Night Owl or an Early Bird

The best deals often happen when most people are asleep or distracted. Many sellers let their auctions end at odd hours, either because they didn't plan properly or because they think no one is watching. If you’re willing to stay up late or wake up early, you can swoop in and grab those auctions while the rest of the world is drooling on their pillows.

Pro tip: Sunday nights and weekday mid-mornings tend to have less competition. Sellers also tend to list new items on Sunday evenings—perfect for fresh deals.

2. Master the Art of the Saved Search

eBay has a magical little feature called Saved Searches—and if you’re not using it, you’re missing out. Set up alerts for specific items you’re hunting for, and eBay will notify you the second new listings appear. This is especially useful for snagging Buy It Now deals before anyone else sees them.

How to do it:

  • Search for your desired item

  • Click Save this search

  • Enable notifications

Now, instead of spending hours manually searching, you’ll have fresh deals delivered straight to your inbox like a VIP.

3. Use Misspellings to Your Advantage

Not every seller is a spelling bee champion. And those who aren’t? They’re leaving you a goldmine of deals hidden behind misspelled listings.

For example, searching for “Nike Air Max” might bring up hundreds of listings, but what about “Nkie Air Max” or “Nike Air Mx”? Fewer people will find these, meaning less competition and lower prices.

Use tools like FatFingers.com to automatically find common typos in eBay listings. It’s like hacking the system—legally!

4. Sniping – The Sport of eBay Champions

Picture this: You’re watching an auction. You bid early, thinking you’ve got it in the bag. But in the last 10 seconds, some mystery bidder swoops in and wins. That, my friend, is sniping.

If you want to win more auctions, become the sniper.

How?

  • Don’t bid too early; it only drives up the price.

  • Use a sniping tool like Gixen or Bidnapper to automatically place your bid in the final seconds.

  • Set your max bid and let the tool do the work.

It’s the eBay version of a mic drop.

5. Best Offer – The Art of the Gentle Lowball

Many Buy It Now listings have a “Best Offer” option. This means the seller is willing to negotiate—so negotiate!

How to Win at Best Offers:

  • Don’t insult the seller with an unreasonably low offer. A 10-30% discount is usually a good starting point.

  • Check how long the item has been listed. If it’s been sitting there for months, they may be desperate to sell.

  • If your offer gets rejected, don’t give up—sometimes sellers counteroffer, and you can still get a good deal.

6. Look for Newly Listed “Buy It Now” Items

Some sellers don’t do their research and list items way below market value. These listings usually disappear fast—but not if you catch them first!

How to find them:

  • Search for your item

  • Filter by Buy It Now

  • Sort by Newly Listed

This method is a goldmine for flipping items, too. Snag an underpriced listing and resell it at a higher price. Boom—instant profit.

7. Stalk the Competition – Know Your Rivals

eBay lets you see who's bidding on an item (partially obscured for privacy). If you notice the same usernames popping up on the deals you want, they’re your competition.

How to outmaneuver them:

  • Watch their bidding patterns—do they bid early or snipe late?

  • If they bid early, avoid their listings and look for fresher deals.

  • If they’re snipers, use a sniping tool and beat them at their own game.

8. Make Offers on Unsold Listings

Did you know that sellers can relist an item after it goes unsold? If something didn’t sell, you can reach out with a message offering to buy it at a discounted price.

How to do it:

  • Look at Completed Listings to find items that didn’t sell.

  • Message the seller politely: “Hi, I noticed this didn’t sell. Would you be willing to relist it for [your offer]?”

  • Many sellers just want to get rid of items and will take your deal!

9. Haggle Like a Pro with Direct Messages

If a seller has multiple items or a store, they’re often willing to cut deals—especially for bulk purchases. Send them a friendly message asking if they’d consider a lower price.

Example message:

“Hey there! I love this item and was wondering if you’d be willing to accept $XX for it. No pressure, just thought I’d ask!”

Many sellers would rather take a slightly lower price than relist an item again and pay more fees.

Now Go Get Those Deals!

eBay is a treasure hunt, and the best deals are waiting for those who know how to find them. With these tips in your arsenal, you’ll be sniping, haggling, and scoring underpriced gems like a seasoned pro.

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start deal-hunting before someone else does!

And hey, if you're looking for killer deals without the hunt, check out DaveyDooClearanceDeals for some of the best discounts on car accessories, electronics, media, and more!

Back to blog