With eBay available, why on earth would you want to pay full price? You can save literally hundreds of dollars buying Pocket PCs and accessories from online auctions. The same techniques can save you money on other purchases as well. Finally, you can use eBay to “rent” technology—that is, buy it on eBay or elsewhere, and sell it on eBay when you’re finished with it. The difference between what you bought it for and what you sell it for is your “rental price.” A little eBay research can save you 30% and more versus MSRP, and the selection of items on eBay can rival that of virtually any retailer. I’ve bought items on eBay ranging in price from $1.50 to $2,000, and sold a video camera package on eBay for $1,500—close to what I paid for it. My wife’s iPAQ came from eBay, as have many of my accessories.
Thousands of Pocket PCs and accessories
“EBay’s great” you say. “But can you find any Pocket PC-related items?” Well, when I researched this article in late May, 2003, I did several searches on eBay and found the following results:
| Search Term |
# of matches |
| ipaq 3975 |
151 items |
| dell axim |
971 items |
| pocket pc |
1,455 items |
| pocket pc case |
107 items |
| pocket pc gps |
11 items |
| ipaq gps |
40 items |
We’ll describe searching later, but for now the idea is that you can find THOUSANDS of items on eBay. Some are brand-new in sealed boxes; others are new but in an open box. Still others are used and you’ll even find defective devices identified as such and sold on eBay. You can use these to scavenge replacement parts for an existing device, but make sure the seller lists the defect. You’ll also find new and used hardware accessories.
An eBay search on “ipaq 3975” finds 151 items, including the accessories shown in this screen.
Pros and cons of eBay versus a retailer
Most of the time there’s more certainty and security with a brick-and-mortar retailer or an e-retailer. There’s a store or Web site you can go to if you want to buy a device, and a place to go if you need help. If you order via catalog or online you may or may not have to pay shipping. You may also have to pay sales tax if the retailer is in your state.
There’s a little less certainty when you’re dealing with individuals on eBay. However, I’ve been involved in hundreds of transactions, mostly as a buyer, and have had very good experiences. Even the problems worked out with respectful e-mails and no name calling.
The eBay site has various protections built into it. One way to protect yourself is to buy from sellers with a high user-satisfaction ranking. This is listed in the Seller Information section of each item. After a transaction, the buyer and seller are able to leave feedback about each other. A large quantity of positive feedback usually means fewer headaches for the buyer. A lot of descriptive complaints probably means you should pass that deal up. Brand-new sellers will have no feedback in the Seller Information section. You can still have excellent results from these “newbies,” but you are on firmer ground with a seller who has a proven track record. For added protection, you can use a credit card and seek recourse from your credit card provider as well. If you experience extreme difficulties with a seller; you can visit eBay’s Safe Harbor section, which links you to online dispute resolution, places to file complaints, and other resources. Hopefully you’ll never need it, but it’s nice to know it exists.
The eBay ID card for each seller provides a summary of buyer reviews about that seller.
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