Registering to Buy
Online auction sites try to make it as easy as possible for new buyers to register. After all, auction sellers need as many potential bidders as possible. The registration process usually requires supplying some personal information, such as:
Name
Billing address
Shipping address (if different from billing address)
Telephone number
Occupation
E-mail address
Credit or debit card account number and expiration date
Generally, you will also be asked to set up a user name and password for your buyer account. You should pick a user name — a so-called screen name or alias — that is easy to remember but doesn't reveal your identity. Don't use your real name, and don't be surprised if you have to try several aliases. Other buyers may already have taken your first choices. After all, there are many millions of auction buyers now online and thousands more sign up everyday.
Password Tips
Setting up your password can be a bit tricky. The auction site likely will impose restrictions on minimum or maximum password lengths. You may be required to use or avoid using certain characters or symbols.
Never leave your user names and passwords stored together near your computer, where a friend, relative, or thief can discover them. They could log on to one of your auction accounts, on your computer or another, and fraudulently buy or sell something. And you could be investigated for the crime.
Computer users with several online accounts often have several screen names and passwords to remember — sometimes, dozens of them. You may have to write down your auction site screen names and passwords or store them in text files on your computer, so you can remember them. But be very careful how you do this. For example, don't use file names such as
Some auction sites will let you pick a secret question and enter an answer that will help you recall a forgotten password. The question may be “Where were you born?” or “What was your mother's maiden name?” or something similar that a person trying to break into your account might not know.
If you forget a password, you may be able to click on a sign-in link and request the auction site to send it to you via e-mail. You may receive your existing password or a temporary password, plus a link where you can set up a new password.
On eBay, if you forget your user ID, you can click on a link on the eBay Sign In page, right below where you would type your account name. This will bring up the Forgot User ID page. After you enter your e-mail address (the one recognized by eBay if you have multiple e-mail accounts), eBay will send you your user name via e-mail.
If you forget your eBay password, click on
Yahoo! Auctions and most other online auction venues also provide online forms or links to help you regain access to your account. The Yahoo! form is accessed from the My Auctions page.
Click on the small
Name, Rank, Serial Number
From one auction site to another, there are a few differences in the registration process and how much information you must supply. You may be given the option to supply or omit certain identifying details, such as your fax number, or your gender or your age. Generally, you must be at least eighteen years old and have a credit card or debit card to set up a buyer's account.
If you are uncomfortable with how much detail one particular auction site requires, you can cancel the registration process before you finish and go to another venue to check out its signup requirements.
Becoming a Buyer on eBay
Most new buyers start by signing up with the planetary leader in online auctions: eBay. At eBay's main page, click on the Buy tab just to the right of the multicolored eBay logo. This opens the Buy page.
Just below the blue-highlighted word
The Register: Enter Information page will open. This is where you begin the process of becoming approved as a buyer on eBay.
Enter the required information and read the User Agreement and Privacy Policy. You should also print out a copy of the agreement and policy for your records. To do this, click on the
If you click on the Continue button without answering all of the questions, a new screen will pop up with a red warning message: “The following must be corrected before continuing.” The uncompleted items will be listed, and new information boxes with red headings will be displayed. Enter the correct information in the appropriate boxes before continuing.
Buying on Overstock.Com
To buy from Overstock.com Auctions, your first step is to become a Verified Registered User. The process is similar to signing up as a buyer on eBay and other sites but requires a few extra steps. First, at Overstock.com's main page, click on the Auctions tab at the top of the screen, near the center.
Clicking on the tab will open the Auctions page.
Scroll down to the very bottom of the Auctions page and click on the small How to Buy Tutorial. That link will open the How to Buy on Overstock.com Auctions page.
Read the tutorial completely. It covers:
How to browse auctions
How to search auctions
How to bid and receive bid confirmations
How to monitor an auction
How to close an auction successfully with a winning bid
How to leave a “business rating” — feedback about the seller
After you complete the tutorial, return to the top of the page and click on the Become a Verified Registered User link just above the Browsing Overstock. com Auctions heading. This will take you to another tutorial page: How to Become a Verified Registered User on Overstock.com Auctions.
The tutorial points out that you must create an Overstock.com Shopping account and an Overstock.com Auctions account and become a Verified Registered User. Read the tutorial on how to perform these three steps, and then follow the links in each section to set up the appropriate accounts.
Buying on uBid
On uBid.com, you can place bids on auction goods listed by businesses only, not individual sellers. Starting at the main page, click on the red Register tab at the far right side of the main page. This will bring up the uBid Registration screen.
Setting up a buyer's account requires filling in just a few on-screen boxes:
Name
E-mail address
Your desired uBid login name and password
Your shipping address
Your credit card or debit card information, including your mailing address
Signing Up for Amazon.com Auctions
On the Amazon.com main page, look on the left side for a frame labeled Browse. Scroll down the column to the Bargains heading and click on Auctions directly beneath it.
The Amazon.com Auctions page will open. Look for the message:“Hello, first-time visitor. Sign in.” Click on the Sign In link. This will bring up the Sign In page.
You will start by entering your e-mail address and selecting the option: “I do not have an Amazon.com password.” On the next page, you will enter your first and last name, create your Amazon password, and verify it by entering it again. At that point, you are registered on the site and will be taken to the Recommended for [your name] page. Click on the Your Account link at the top of the page. This will open the Your Account page. Scroll down to the heading Account Settings. Look for the Payment Settings heading and the Edit or Delete a Credit Card link. This is where you can enter credit card information that will enable you to buy on Amazon.com Auctions.
Registering to Buy on Yahoo! Auctions
First, open the Yahoo! Auctions main page.
Click on the small New User? Sign Up link right next to the word
You will be asked to enter your name, preferred Yahoo! content (such as Yahoo! U.S.), and gender. You will set up a Yahoo! ID and password and be given the option to create a Yahoo! e-mail account. To help identify you if you forget your password, you will be asked to pick a security question, such as “What was the name of your first school?” and enter your answer. You must also enter your birth date and Zip Code. Before completing the registration process, you must read and agree to the Yahoo! terms of service and privacy policy.
Registering to Buy on QXL.com
The QXL.com Register link is easy to find. Look on the right side of the main page for the big, bright-orange Register button. Clicking this will bring up the Register on QXL.com page. (You must have a European address and credit card information to register.)
On the Register page, you will enter your first and last name and select a screen name, or alias. You will also create a password and type it again to verify it. Finally, you must click on a link that opens the general conditions of use. After you read and agree to the conditions, click the box labeled: “I have read the Terms and Conditions and I accept them.” When you click on the Submit button, you will go to the second page, where credit card information and other information must be entered.
