Learning to Buy Coupons on Ebay
I just purchased 50 bottles of detergent and 150 packs of toilet paper and got them all for free!! So the next obvious question is how in the world did I get so many coupons!?! I couldn’t possibly buy 50 or 150 papers every week, that would cost a fortune, so how do I obtain so many coupons? It’s simple: I make targeted purchases of coupons on eBay! Buying coupons on eBay can be scary and daunting at first, but done the right way, it can really allow you to stock up on certain items that can save you thousands in the long run.
So the first question that's probably running through your head is, why in the world would you buy coupons in the first place? A basic principal in couponing is "the more coupons you redeem, the more you save." If you only redeem one coupon, it’s really pointless, but stocking up on a sale and obtaining items for next to nothing will allow you to save hundreds, even thousands, throughout the year.
In order to redeem hundreds of coupons, you must obtain hundreds of coupons! Now, you can go out and spend $40 each week buying 30 papers but for most people that isn’t possible. I don’t have $150 to buy coupons each month, that’s a car payment. So what other options do you have to get your hands on lots of coupons?? You could dumpster dive and we have an entire section on just that here at WeUseCoupons, but that just isn’t for everyone! You could trade coupons on WUC, but you probably won't be able to accumulate hundreds of identical coupons. So, you are really left with one viable option, you buy the coupons on eBay or from a clipping service.
So let’s talk about buying coupons on eBay! eBay has every possible coupon you can imagine, from tear-pads you find in stores to blinkies to newspaper coupons. If you’ve see a coupon in your store, chances are someone’s selling it on eBay. Most couponers would agree that stockpiling is one of the best ways to really make a real dent in your family’s grocery budget. If you only buy 4 papers every week, you only can buy 4 bottles of shampoo when they go on sale at your local grocery store. Don’t get me wrong four bottles of free shampoo is great, but if you have women in your family, they just love shampoo!! It might last a month or two, but after that, you’ll be paying full price again. BUT what if instead of just buying four bottles when they were free, you purchased 20 bottles? Twenty bottles would last you a year or so and that expensive item would be removed from your grocery list. So now the question is how do you get 20 coupons?
Well the first step is to buy those coupons on eBay. Most coupons cost around $1-$3 for twenty coupons. That means that the unit cost of the coupon is around $.05-$.15 each. So in reality, that bottle of shampoo isn’t free, it’s costing you $.05-$.15 depending on the cost of the coupon on ebay! Who in their right mind would pass up a bottle of name brand shampoo that costs under $.20? When the average bottle of shampoo costs around $3.50 - $4, you can get your 20 bottles of shampoo for around the same price as ONE!! The power of buying coupons is simple to see.
So let’s walk though how to buy coupons on eBay.
For some reason many people are intimidated with eBay. My mom recently sat down with me and wanted me to walk her through how to buy coupons. Now she buys a set every week!! Here is a step by step on how to purchase coupons ebay.
1. First you will need an eBay account. If you have one already, go ahead and log in!
2. Know what you’re searching for. Don’t go onto eBay and search for ‘coupons’. If you want Quaker coupons, then type into the search bar, ‘Quaker Coupons’. Be specific.
3. After clicking the search button the results will be displayed. As a coupon shopper, you must get these coupons quickly so you are NOT interested in auctions at all. Find the ‘Buy It Now’ tab and click it. This will then display ONLY items that you can buy right now.
4. Read the listings!!! Different areas of the country get different coupons. It isn’t uncommon for Arizona to get a coupon for $.50/1 Tide and Ohio to get a $.50/2. Obviously, you’d want to get the $.50/1, but be aware of what you are buying!! I have been burned many times, because I was in a hurry and got coupons that weren’t worth buying.
5. Check the seller's feedback! This is very important, because if they have a poor feedback, no price is a good price. The seller could be slow at shipping coupons. They may not even send them. Always check feedback!!
6. Another important aspect of buying coupons on eBay is to shop around!! There are most likely multiple sellers selling the same coupon and they will all be at a different price. Shop around for the best price.
7. When you find the coupons you like, click ‘buy it now’. Log into your PayPal account and pay for the coupons as quickly as possible. The faster you pay, the faster your coupons are shipped.
8. Make sure to leave feedback once your coupons arrive. It’s a nice way to get feedback yourself!!
Buying coupons on eBay is easy, but there is a lot more to it than just clicking ‘buy now’. If your store sale runs for only one week, what happens if you ordered twenty coupons but they come after the sale? This is probably the biggest hurdle to overcome when buying coupons from any source. If I order from a seller in Oregon and I live in Florida, it’s going to take 4 or 5 days to arrive. If the sale cycle is only 7 days, I’m going to be cutting it very close. The following are some sound tips to remember when you order coupons on eBay.
- Buy coupons early. Stores only run sales for a limited time so you must buy your coupons early, so they have time to ship and arrive on your doorstep.
- If time is an issue, find a seller that is located near you. This cuts down on the shipping time. Ebay has features that allow you to search for sellers near you.
- If you are ordering more than 20 coupons, find a seller that sells multiple sets. This way, you can combine shipping and save more.
- Get rain checks! If I’m worried about my coupons arriving on time, I go to the store and get rain checks. That way, if my coupons arrive late, I can still take advantage of the sale!
- Don’t buy too much! If you order 100 coupons but the item isn’t an item that is commonly stocked, you’re wasting your money. Another issue is check expirations. Often times, if I’m looking to stock up on perishables, I will make a quick run to the store. I check the expiration dates; there is no point to order 100 coupons for Ragu pasta sauce if the sauce expires in two months.
- Register at BigCrumbs or Ebates. Did you know you can get cash back on your Ebay Purchase? I won’t lie and say it’s hundreds of dollars, BUT I generally get back a $1 every month. For me, that’s one set of free coupons. Make sure to read about how both programs work before you choose one. I personally use BigCrumbs, but both are good programs.
- Don’t buy printable coupons on eBay. It is highly unlikely that these printable coupons are legitimate. On top of that, you can print a few yourselves. Always check the auction to make sure that the coupon you are buying is not a printable coupon.
- Last but not least, verify before you buy. Always double check what you are buying. I can’t tell you the times that I’ve been in a hurry and bought the wrong coupon.
Worth noting, when purchasing coupons from any online site, whether it is eBay or a clipping service, you are not purchasing the coupons. This may seem strange to some, but because of the legal issues involved, you are actually purchasing the person’s time to cut, clip and mail it to you.
My advice to couponers that have never purchased a set of coupons before is to start slow. Order one set of coupons and see how it goes. You’ll probably find that it’s well worth it. With practice buying coupons gets easier and more fun. I’ll be the first to admit I’ve made a few mistakes, But what did it cost me - a couple bucks? It’s worth a try!
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